What is Holden's view of actors and the Lunts?

• A. He admires actors and the Lunts.
• B. He thinks actors are phonies; humility is needed for genuineness.
• C. He is indifferent to acting.
• D. He thinks only the Lunts are genuine.

Answer: (B)

Holden treats acting as a kind of public performance, a display that hides real feeling behind a polished façade. He uses the word phonies to describe actors, because they’re always shaping themselves for an audience rather than being straight with people. When he brings up the Lunts, he’s illustrating how even celebrated actors operate in that world of appearances. The deeper point for Holden is that genuine honesty comes from humility—someone who isn’t trying to impress others or pretend to be something they’re not. Humility keeps a person from total show and helps him speak and act more truthfully. That’s why this choice fits best: actors are seen as phonies, and humility is what makes genuineness possible.