Re: Mr. Antolini

Peggy F. Jean-Louis (pfj6868@is.nyu.edu)
Wed, 03 Dec 1997 21:24:48 -0500 (EST)

OK...I've been reading everyone's posts about the Mr. Antonelli scene and
have found them all to be interesting but I also don't agree with most of
them. All of this talk about Mr. Antonelli's gesture not being sexual at
all but just a misunderstood expression of affection doesn't sit well with
me.
I re-read most of the scene I'm reading now as I'm writing this) and I
think that there is a lot of evidence that points to Mr. Antonelli's
possible homosexuality. For instance, his marriage to Mrs. Antonelli is a
little suspect, she is rich and much older than him (buying a younger and 
good-looking husband) , they kiss in public alot (I've always found that
people who do that have something they are trying to prove), yet they are
rarely in the same room. It sounds like a situation that a lot of closeted
gay men are in...married to a woman they like very much but aren't really
sexually attracted to. He is also a very heavy drinker...maybe trying to
block out his feelings with alcohol. Also, he takes this extreme interest
in Holden, which may be just a teacher making a personal 
connection with a student, but in light of what happens I think that is
unlikely. I think Mr. Antonelli developed something of a crush on Holden
which may have been fueled by echoes of his own loneliness, confusion and
lost innocence that he sees in Holden. I will agree that Holden's reaction
is extreme but not unexpected. All teenagers struggle with sexual identity
and any little gesture can be misinterpreted and blown out of proportion.
Mr. Antonelli clearly cares about Holden very much, and he let his
feelings take over a little bit. What would have happened if Holden had
woken up and not freaked out? Would they just have sat there like that,
with Mr. Antonelli stroking his head? I don't thnk so.

Just throwing my two cents in.

Peggy