Chapter 26

Holden appears to be admitted in some institution. D.B. routinely visits Holden and asks him numerous questions. As the narrator, Holden merely mentions that he fell sick once he went back home. A psychoanalyst asks him if he wishes to attend school next year. He finds the question strange and is unsure if he would be applying to schools again.

The ending does not really offer closure in terms of what happens to Holden. It is implied that he has realized and achieved things that defy articulation. Salinger also emphasizes that Holden is a real person with complex problems, that his problems cannot be solved with simplistic solutions. In the end, Holden does mention that he misses everyone, including his former roommate Stradlater, Ackley, and Maurice. This admission forces readers to reconsider their opinion of Holden: what initially seemed like rudeness and impatience now seems like deep-seated angst.