The Catcher in the Rye Ch. 4.1 Holden hangs out in the steamy bathroom while Stradlater shaves with his disgusting rusty razor (secret slob). Stradlater asks Holden to write his English composition for him—no compensation, just "be a buddy." Then Holden starts tap dancing and performing "I'm the governor's son!" before jumping on Stradlater in a half nelson just because he felt like it. Dan noticed something crucial: "Holden doesn't seem to have friends. He's friendly with people, but he doesn't seem to have friends." Jennifer added: "He inserts himself in all these situations, but I don't think he's comfortable in his own skin." You can belong somewhere on paper and still be completely alone. That's what gets books banned. Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter—we don't read ahead, so you're discovering the story with us. Things To Listen For: Robot's whistling malfunction when Dan asks if he can whistle (apparently they screwed something up during his last systems check) "Secret slob" vs regular slob - Stradlater looks perfect but his razor is rusty and full of hair and crap "Yearbook handsome" - Instagram famous, TikTok famous, but not actually handsome in real life Holden's tap dancing performance: "I'm the governor's son! He wants me to go to Oxford but I'm a tap dancer!" Dan's insight: Holden is friendly but has no real friends, he's an outsider even though he belongs there Jennifer: "I look like a slob but I'm incredibly OCD about cleanliness" The cliffhanger: Stradlater's date is "Bud Thaw's girl's roommate" who knows Holden Why was The Catcher in the Rye banned? Dan and Jennifer couldn't find anything ban-worthy in this chapter either. But the real reason emerges in their discussion: Holden shows you can be surrounded by people and still be completely alone. He belongs at prep school on paper (money, clothes, status) but doesn't belong in practice. He performs constantly but never truly connects. That's dangerous for institutions that need kids to conform. If this is your first episode, you're fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers). Banworthy to Bingeworthy Rachel Maddow Presents: Burn Order - A deep dive into when the US military was deployed on American streets, targeting whole communities for removal, and the burn order issued to cover it all up. A stain on this country we said we'd never repeat. Good News for Lefties - Beowulf Rochlen brings you the positive news on the progressive front that mainstream media won't cover. Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts Rate, review, and follow us on Apple Podcasts to help other scary book people find us! Disclaimer Banned Camp features readings and discussions of banned books for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment, in accordance with fair use guidelines. The material used from the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety. This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to J.D. Salinger, his estate, or the publishers of The Catcher in the Rye. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed. Topics Covered: The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield, Stradlater, secret slob, yearbook handsome, tap dancing, performing, governor's son, loneliness, belonging, imposter syndrome, friendly but friendless, prep school, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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