Holden’s ridiculously fake description of Ernie in his conversation with Ernie’s mother is an artifice that he created purely for his own amusement. As Holden and Ernie’s mother begin to talk about Ernie’s personality, Holden initially explains that Ernie’s only flaws are that he is “too shy and modest” (57). While Holden’s words are easily understood by Ernie’s mother, Holden’s thoughts betray his spoken recollections of Ernie and reveal that he is a “rat” who enjoys “trying to hurt somebody with [his towel]” (57), yet Holden never mentions this to Ernie’s mother. Holden creates this alternate persona for Ernie where he imagines him as a kind, meek boy instead of the nasty child that he really is. This is interesting and peculiar because