5. Why do you think Holden lies as often as he does?

Holden states in Chapter 3 "I'm the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. It's awful. If I'm on my way to the store to buy a magazine, even, and somebody asks me where I'm going, I'm liable to say I'm going to the opera. It's terrible." (pg 16) I believe Holden’s lies are used to avoid personal relations with anybody. Following the death of his brother, Allie, Holden tries to alienate himself to avoid personal ties with anybody. When people try to make personal connections or ask personal questions, Holden lies to avoid such things. He does this because he does not want to feel the same pain he felt after his brother died. To avoid this pain, he avoids getting to close to anybody. Holden also lies to direct attention away from him and avoid questioning and confrontation. For example, when Ackley asked why him and Stradlater had been fighting, Holden lies and tells Ackley the fight was about him when it was really about Stradlater’s date with Jane Gallagher, somebody Holden really likes. This excited Ackley and the subject become about Ackley and not Holden. Another example of this is when Holden is on the train and meets a the mother, Mrs Morrow, from a boy at Pency Prep. When Mrs Morrow notices the Pency Prep stickers on his luggage she asked him if he knew her son, Ernest and if he likes Pency Prep. Holden does not like Ernest but lies and explains that he is a great guy. Again, Holden lies, this time to avoid confrontation with Ernest’s mother and to avoid her question about him liking Pency Prep.