How does Holden describe the ex-girlfriend Lillian Simmons when he leaves Ernie's?

• A. He thinks she is phony and pretentious by standing in the walkway.
• B. He falls in love with her.
• C. He is friendly toward her.
• D. He ignores her presence.

Answer: (A)

Holden’s judgment of people often hinges on perceived authenticity, or the lack thereof. In this moment after leaving Ernie’s, he notices Lillian Simmons standing in the walkway, and he reads that stance as a kind of social show—she’s acting phony and pretentious, trying to project importance or draw attention to herself. That sharp, critical view fits his pattern of labeling people who behave with surface-level polish as insincere. He isn’t smitten or friendly, nor does he ignore her; he immediately evaluates her by this standard of phoniness, making the description the best fit.