Salinger uses lying and deception as a motif for Holden’s constant attempts to divert attention from his depression. Throughout The Catcher in The Rye, Holden finds amusement in constantly telling lies to people. Some lies he tells are strictly mischievous, while others are to protect himself and others. 2 prime examples of deception are on page 63 where he states, “I started toying with the idea, while I kept standing there, of giving old Jane a buzz…I was going to tell whoever answered the phone that I was her uncle. I was going to say her aunt had just got killed in a car accident and I had to speak to her immediately. It would've worked, too. The only reason I didn't do it was because I wasn't in the mood. If you're not in the mood, you …show more content…
Honest to God. I'll pay you and all, but do you mind very much if we don't do it? Do you mind very much?’ The trouble was, I just didn't want to do it. I felt more depressed than sexy, if you want to know the truth. She was depressing…’The thing is, I had an operation very recently.’...’On my wuddayacallit--my clavichord.’”. These 2 distinct quotes are an example of how lying is incorporated into Holden’s social life. The quote on page 63 shows Holden brainstorming about telling an alarming lie to one of his only close friends, Jane, and only stopping because he “wasn’t in the mood”. Holden doesn’t have any regard for people’s feelings and how his lies can deeply harm someone. The only reason he stopped was not the concern for Jane, but worrying about his perception of her. Holden stopped so he wouldn’t ruin his relationship with Jane. On the other hand, the quote on page 96 shows Holden lying to get out of an uncomfortable situation. Holden accepts Maurice’s offer for a prostitute but regrets it immediately after. Holden often boasts about being a “sex maniac” to the reader but stops at the chance of actually doing it. In reality, Holden is imitated by the thought of losing his virginity and wants to remain “pure”; sex is a pathway to