The Catcher in the Rye

by

J. D. Salinger

D.B. Caulfield Character Analysis

D.B. is Holden’s older brother. A former army soldier who fought in World War II, D.B. is an author best known for his short stories, which Holden deeply admires. However, D.B. has recently started writing movies in Hollywood, which displeases Holden, who thinks his brother has sold out and is now practicing something close to prostitution. D.B. is the person who visits Holden most frequently when he’s in the rest home.
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D.B. Caulfield Character Timeline in The Catcher in the Rye

The timeline below shows where the character D.B. Caulfield appears in The Catcher in the Rye. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1
Phoniness Theme Icon
Childhood and Growing Up Theme Icon
Madness, Depression, Suicide Theme Icon
...year. After all, this limited amount of information is all he told his own brother, D.B., who visits him every week. Holden notes that D.B. is a talented writer who has... (full context)
Chapter 9
Alienation and Meltdown Theme Icon
Childhood and Growing Up Theme Icon
Madness, Depression, Suicide Theme Icon
In Penn Station in New York, Holden wants to talk to someone, and considers calling D.B., Phoebe (his younger sister), Jane, or another friend named Sally Hayes. He even considers calling... (full context)
Chapter 11
Phoniness Theme Icon
Women and Sex Theme Icon
Childhood and Growing Up Theme Icon
...away from the hotel, he decides to go to a piano bar called Ernie’s that D.B. once took him to. Accordingly, he hails a taxi and thinks about Ernie, the bar’s... (full context)
Chapter 12
Phoniness Theme Icon
Alienation and Meltdown Theme Icon
...in the scene, a young woman named Lillian Simmons approaches him. Lillian used to date D.B., and Holden thinks she’s a terrible “phony.” When she reaches his table, she says it’s... (full context)
Chapter 18
Phoniness Theme Icon
Alienation and Meltdown Theme Icon
...it so much. Because the movie is set during wartime, Holden thinks about his brother D.B.’s experience in World War II, and this leads him to consider the fact that he... (full context)
Phoniness Theme Icon
Alienation and Meltdown Theme Icon
Madness, Depression, Suicide Theme Icon
Holden thinks about the books D.B. gave him after coming home from World War II. Although D.B. said he hated being... (full context)
Chapter 21
Childhood and Growing Up Theme Icon
...way to Phoebe’s room but finds it empty. Remembering that Phoebe likes to sleep in D.B.’s room, he creeps there and turns on the light. At first, Phoebe doesn’t wake up,... (full context)
Chapter 23
Alienation and Meltdown Theme Icon
Childhood and Growing Up Theme Icon
...startles Phoebe. When she tells him that he can spend the night with her in D.B.’s room if it’d make him feel better, he thanks her but says he has to... (full context)
Chapter 25
Childhood and Growing Up Theme Icon
...zoo, Holden and Phoebe start to walk toward a large carousel where Holden, Allie, and D.B. used to take Phoebe when she was little. Phoebe still isn’t talking to Holden, but... (full context)
Chapter 26
Phoniness Theme Icon
Alienation and Meltdown Theme Icon
Childhood and Growing Up Theme Icon
Madness, Depression, Suicide Theme Icon
D.B. visits Holden quite frequently. He recently asked how Holden feels about everything that has happened... (full context)