>> << Why does he make so large use of the word "old": old Phoebe, ol= >d >> Maurice, old cap and the like? >> >> Doesn't this come directly from Gatsby? My sense is that the use of the word "old" has something to do with Holden's differentiation between "old" and "young"...not so much consciously, but rather a preoccupation with age and its perhaps detrimental effects on morality. The mention of Gatsby's "old sport", I think, is just an example of that preoccupation. Brendan ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com