Chapter 7

Ackley is fast asleep, but Holden finds himself desperately wanting to talk to someone. He turns on the light, blinding Ackley. He asks if he may lie on the vacant bed in Ackley’s room, since Ackley’s roommate routinely went home on weekends. He lies down, without bothering to clean his face after Stradlater’s assault. He then asks Ackley if one necessarily has to be a Catholic to join a monastery. When Ackley says yes, Holden dismisses the idea, saying that if he did join one, it would probably have the wrong type of monks.

Deciding not to stay at the dorm, Holden resolves to head to New York. He plans to stay in a hotel in the city for a few days before heading home. He leaves Ackley’s room to collect his things for the journey. Holden realizes that his allowance is generous enough for him to pursue this trip. To make some more money, he visits a student he had loaned his typewriter to and urges him to buy the device. He is paid twenty dollars for the typewriter, though it had originally cost ninety. While leaving, Holden realizes that he is crying, but he puts on his hunting hat and yells “Sleep tight, ya morons!”

This chapter shows that Holden is not particularly adept at addressing his emotions: he behaves rashly when he is emotional. He was deeply bothered by the thought of a possible sexual encounter between Stradlater and Jane, which led to his fight with Stradlater. He also eventually leaves Pencey and his departure does make him sad, as evidenced by his tears, but he refuses to admit it even to himself.