Holden sort of likes Mr. Spencer so he goes to visit him to apologize for being such a crummy student before Holden leaves Pencey. Holden immediately regrets his decision because Mr. Spencer is old and sick. He grosses Holden out with his hacking and coughing and his bony, white legs poking out of his bathrobe. Mr. Spencer is frustrated with Holden because he knows Holden is smart and is just not applying himself. Ol’ Spence lectures Holden about life and how he has to “play by the rules” in order to get ahead.
Holden thinks Mr. Spencer is a phony like every adult he runs into, and he doesn’t want to be reminded to “grow up” by his teacher. Holden sees Mr. Spencer as someone he doesn’t want to become (old!) because Holden hopes that he and the innocent around him don’t change. Holden regrets visiting Mr. Spencer because he reminds Holden of how he doesn’t fit in to Pencey and how he hates being asked to act like an adult.
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