Ernie Character Analysis in The Catcher in the Rye

Ernie is a talented piano player who has his own bar in New York City. Holden has been to this bar with D.B. in the past, so he decides to visit once more when he reaches the city after leaving Pencey. When he arrives, though, he hates how many “phonies” are there, including D.B.’s ex-girlfriend Lillian, and also dislikes the showboating way that Ernie plays the piano.

Ernie Character Timeline in The Catcher in the Rye

The timeline below shows where the character Ernie appears in The Catcher in the Rye. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...to get 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,... (full context)

On his way to Ernie’s, Holden strikes up a conversation with his cab driver, Horwitz. When he asks about the... (full context)

At Ernie’s, Holden is disgusted to find the place full of “phonies” from fancy colleges and prep... (full context)

Feeling terrible for running from Ernie’s, Holden walks 41 blocks back to his hotel, thinking about how he wished he still... (full context)