As I read the final pages of The Catcher in the Rye, I could not help but wonder: Was the final chapter of The Catcher in the Rye really necessary? The story basically ends with Holden deciding to stop telling the person that he is speaking to, presumably a mental health professional, about the rest of the events that occurred prior to him to ending up in a home/hospital of some sort. His only allusion as to how he got there is when he says that he, “got sick, and all”. Even though he says it about a million times in the book, I just cannot help but wonder what “and all” means this time around. Is Holden physically injured? Did he have a mental breakdown at some point? Did he have a choice in whether or not he would be institutionalized? So many questions remain… and yet, there is still one question that is looming over the rest, lingering in my head as I sit here quite baffled to be honest. Chapter 26 is about a little over a page in length. It gives little to no details, brings absolutely no closure, and leaves the reader, or at least me, wondering what will become of this young boy. So my question here is WHY? Why did you write this final section J.D. Salinger?

In a perfect world, this book would have ended at chapter 25 where it appears that Holden had a breakthrough of sorts. He would be happy and optimistic for the future and just enjoy his time hanging out with Phoebe. Alas, we do not live in a perfect world. Is this the point that Salinger is making? Did he not want to give Holden a happy ending? Why does Salinger not tell us how things end up for Holden once he’s out? Maybe I’m just reading too much into this…but what if I’m not? Personally, I think that this may just be adding onto the fear of the unknown that young adult, and most people in general, face. A fear that Holden knows all too well. Reading the last chapter invoke this fear of the unknown in me, never knowing what would happen to Holden.. If this is what Salinger was trying to do then he did a great job..it worked..really well. If not..well, then WHY J.D. Salinger? Why did it have to end this way?