Chapter 4

Chapter 4 opens with Holden following Stradlater into the bathroom and watching him shave. There, Stradlater tells Holden about this date he is getting ready for and apparently she knows Holden. Her name is Jane Gallagher and she was Holden's neighbor. Once her name is mentioned, Holden gets all jittery and seems unsettled. He keeps saying that he is going to go down and talk to her but he doesn't. Stradlater then asks Holden to write a composition paper about a house, that has to be very detailed. Holden doesn't exactly agree to him though, and he gets a little pissed. Holden then gets in this mood that he feels like he has to wrestle, and puts Stradlater in a headlock, and then lets go a little later. Holden then talks about how Stradlater and Ackley are both annoying, but in their own ways. They both go back to the room and then Stradlater leaves with Holden's coat and Ackley comes back. Ackley and Holden then talk about guys Ackley hates until dinner.

Response- Yep, Stradlater's a jerk. I wonder how many things Stradlater has asked Holden to do if he thinks that asking him to write his paper is no big deal... Ackley seems nice, but his habits are discusting.