The whole course of the book takes place in a rest home in California. Holden, the narrator, is telling his doctor about what has happened to him during the last Christmas break. He is going to school at Pency Prep. He has been kicked out, along with many other schools. He is expected to leave when Christmas break starts and not to come back. It is a Saturday afternoon and he is supposed to be …showed first 75 words of 440 total…

…showed last 75 words of 440 total…bed. He wakes up and the teacher is patting Holden's head so he leaves. He decides to run away. He goes to his sisters school to tell her and she wants to come. After fighting they decide nobody is leaving and Holden lets her ride the carousel. This is where Holden stops telling the doctor about what happened. He thinks he will be out of the rest home and can go to school in september.