“Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules.” Game, my ass. Some game. If you get on the side where all the hot-shots are, then it’s a game, all right—I’ll admit that. But if you get on the other side, where there aren’t any hot-shots, then what’s a game about it? Nothing. No game.”(11) The quote is from Holden’s conversation with Spencer in chapter 2. His old teacher is agonizing him about his failures at Pencey. He lectures Holden about how important it is to “play by the rules” meaning that if you want to get somewhere and be someone in life you have to be able to compromise and not think that you are better than anyone else. This conversation implies key aspects of him as a character. His contempt for adults is obvious, which is …show more content…
He has throughout the story been kicked out of three schools. The book starts with Holden being at Pencey Prep, which he is expelled from. In chapter one, Holden describes his story why he had to leave Pencey Prep. “They kicked me out. I wasn’t supposed to come back after christmas vacation, on account of I was flunking four subjects and not applying and all”(6). This relates back to the quote in the very beginning of my essay. Holden is aware that he isn’t one of those “hot-shots” whose future is as bright as the sun is on a warm day in July. This is probably a cause to his depression as well. Even though he has been expelled from several schools, he doesn’t seem to have learned anything. His parents pay for almost all of his needs, every school he goes to and everything he buys, including all the trips he takes around the country. His parents will likely keep supporting him for good and bad. This is another piece of evidence that states, the only reason for why he isn’t worried about his future even though he is fully aware of that his future isn’t looking good, he assumes that his parents will continue to support him throughout the rest of his