Contents
5
Overview
On steak night at Pencey, Holden joins Mal Brossard and Ackley for a quick trip to Agerstown instead of a movie. Back at the dorm, Holden writes Stradlater’s composition about his late brother Allie’s poem-covered baseball mitt, triggering a raw recollection of Allie’s death and Holden’s violent grief.
Summary
It is Saturday at Pencey, the night of the routine steak dinner that Holden mocks as a show for visiting parents. Afterward, fresh snow lifts everyone’s mood as boys horse around outside.
Without a date, Holden plans a bus trip to Agerstown with Mal Brossard for hamburgers and maybe a movie. Pitying Ackley’s usual inactivity, Holden invites him despite Mal’s reluctance. While waiting, Holden forms a perfect snowball but refuses to throw it at the clean car or hydrant, then must discard it by the bus driver.
Since Mal and Ackley have already seen the film, the trio just eat hamburgers and play pinball before returning to Pencey. Back at the dorm, Mal hunts for bridge while Ackley sprawls on Holden’s bed, droning through yet another dubious sex story. Needing quiet for Stradlater’s assignment, Holden finally pushes Ackley out.
Unable to think of a room to describe, Holden writes about his brother Allie’s left-handed fielder’s mitt covered in poems written in green ink—something Allie read in the outfield. Remembering Allie’s brilliance, kindness, and bright red hair, Holden recounts his death from leukemia in 1946 and how, in shock, Holden smashed all the garage windows, breaking his hand.
Holden finishes the composition around 10:30 using Stradlater’s balky typewriter. As he listens to Ackley snore through the shower curtains, Holden catalogs Ackley’s ailments, feeling a grudging sympathy, and sits with the lingering ache of memory stirred by writing about Allie.
Who Appears
- Holden CaulfieldNarrator; invites Ackley along, skips the movie, writes Stradlater’s composition about Allie’s mitt, recalls Allie’s death and his broken hand.
- AckleyHolden’s intrusive neighbor; tags along to Agerstown, later monopolizes Holden’s room, snores loudly; pitiable with many ailments.
- Mal BrossardHolden’s friend from the wrestling team; goes to Agerstown for burgers and pinball; dislikes bringing Ackley.
- Allie CaulfieldHolden’s younger brother, deceased; remembered through his poem-covered baseball mitt and Holden’s intense grief.
- Ward StradlaterHolden’s roommate, offstage; assigns Holden a descriptive composition that prompts the Allie reminiscence.