If I were Holden, I wouldn't have gone after Stradlater after tearing up the composition--it seems to have done its justice just fine.
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It is evident that Holden expresses an immense amount of passion for his older, deceased brother Allie. Caulfied's window-smashing was not representative of a madman's actions but identified more as those of a sorrow-struck child--he simply loved Allie.
Holden wrote Stradlater's composition whole-heartedly and with emotion,stemming from the mere thought of his brother. When Stradlater returned only to reprimand Holden for his misinterpretation, Holden tore up the paper. This moment in "The Catcher in the Rye" soon escalates into a dramatic clash of egos, but perhaps more importantly, marks the first disagreement or conflict within the piece.
I would have torn up the paper as well but simply left the argument at that, for a number of reasons.
Tearing up the paper would have been punishment enough for Stradlater and is an effective rebuttal to his distaste. The opportunity for him to complete the assignment would be gone and, because he disliked the piece, he logically has no reason to turn it in. In contrast with Holden, I am not very confrontational and this reaction would allow a passive-aggressive "offense."
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