How It All Goes Down
December 30, 1991
- It's been just four days since his last letter, but Charlie has finished The Catcher in the Rye, and read it three more times since. Hey, we liked it too, buddy.
- Somehow he's also made time for solo driving.
- First, he drives to see Aunt Helen's grave, visiting her solo for the first time.
- He tells her all about his life, his favorite books and songs, and his driving test.
- On her grave, he leaves a mix tape.
- When he says goodbye to her, he starts crying really hard. Then he makes a promise to her: from now on, he will only cry about important things. He's afraid that crying about everything will lessen the importance of crying about Aunt Helen.
- Once he gets home, he spends a lot of time trying not to cry. This ain't gonna be easy.
- Charlie comes across as extremely depressed at the end of his letter. He wants "to sleep for a thousand years. Or just not exist. Or just not be aware that [he does] exist" (2.14.9).
- He's afraid that, if this gets worse, he'll have to go back to see the doctor.
- Talk about a revealing letter.