Cigarettes

Holden is a nicotine addict. Through out the course of the novel he manages to drag down cigarette after cigarette. He even takes some from his family's home the night he sneaks in to see Phoebe. Holden criticizes people for doing harmful things and constantly calls people out on being 'phony.' While in fact Holden can be taken into regards as a phony himself.


"When they got up to go, the two nuns, I did something very stupid and embarrassing. I was smoking a cigarette, and when I stood up to say goodbye to them, by mistake I blew some smoke in their face. I didn't mean to, but I did it. I apologized like a madman, and they were very polite and nice about it, but it was very embarrassing anyway."