--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No, there wouldn't be,\" Holden said…" description: "\"“No, there wouldn't be,\" Holden said. \"It'd be entirely different.\" Sally looked at him; he had contradicted her so quietly. \"It wouldn't be the same a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f29/j-d-salinger-560_gaze_no-there-wouldn-t-be-holden-said-it-d-be_633061.jpg" --- # No, there wouldn't be," Holden said. "It'd be entirely… ![“No, there wouldn't be," Holden said. "It'd be entirely different." Sally looked at him; he had contradicted her so quietly. "It wouldn't be the same at all. We'd have to go downstairs in elevators with suitcases and stuff. We'd have to call up everyone and tell 'em goodbye and send 'em postcards…” quote by J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f29/j-d-salinger-560_gaze_no-there-wouldn-t-be-holden-said-it-d-be_633061.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f29/j-d-salinger-560_gaze_no-there-wouldn-t-be-holden-said-it-d-be_633061.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f29/j-d-salinger-560_gaze_no-there-wouldn-t-be-holden-said-it-d-be_633061.jpg) > ““No, there wouldn't be," Holden said. "It'd be entirely different." Sally looked at him; he had contradicted her so quietly. "It wouldn't be the same at all. We'd have to go downstairs in elevators with suitcases and stuff. We'd have to call up everyone and tell 'em goodbye and send 'em postcards. And I'd have to work at my father's and ride in Madison Avenue buses and read newspapers. We'd have to go to the Seventy-second Street all the time and see newsreels. Newsreels! There's always a dumb horse race and some dame breaking a bottle over a ship. You don't see what I mean at all." "Maybe I don't. Maybe you don't, either," Sally said. Holden stood up, with his skates swung over one shoulder. "You give me a royal pain," he announced quite dispassionately.”” [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Holden expresses that a life change would alter everything, emphasizing his resistance to adult responsibilities and his desire to preserve his current worldview. **In simple terms:** Life changes would completely alter his reality. Key Takeaway Accept change, but stay true to self. Themes identity resistance change nostalgia Mood cynical melancholic Type novel dialogue When to use this quote - family expectations - career choices - social norms - personal growth Key Concepts Existential angst coming of age Questions to Reflect On - What fears drive his resistance? - Can change coexist with authenticity? A Different Perspective His view may romanticize stagnation over growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contradicted Quietly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradicted-quietly-5097764/) [Gaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gaze/) [Holden Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holden-said-1945137/) [Holden Stood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holden-stood-5097763/) [Said Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-holden-2890201/) [Wouldn Downstairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wouldn-downstairs-5097762/) ## Related quotes > [“I don’t like him either,” she said without thinking, licking her lips as she focused solely on Holden. “We’re both with people we don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-regnery/i-don-t-like-him-either-she-said-without-thinking-licking-her-lips-as/) [Katy Regnery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-regnery/) > [“ 'Oh, gods,' said Holden, halfway into his tunic. 'I can't believe it's taken me five years to realize your one tragic flaw. You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maculategiraffe/oh-gods-said-holden-halfway-into-his-tunic-i-can-t-believe-it-s-taken/) [Maculategiraffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maculategiraffe/) > [“But nothing in here can hurt you unless I make it," said Holden gently, "so it's really me you're afraid of, right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maculategiraffe/but-nothing-in-here-can-hurt-you-unless-i-make-it-said-holden-gently/) [Maculategiraffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maculategiraffe/) > [There's a right thing to do," Holden said. "You don't have a right thing, friend," Miller said. "You've got a whole plateful of maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/there-s-a-right-thing-to-do-holden-said-you-don-t-have-a-right-thing/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“I can get you some stimulants if you’d like, but there’s no coffee.” “Right,” Holden said. “No coffee. This is a terrible, terrible planet.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/i-can-get-you-some-stimulants-if-you-d-like-but-there-s-no-coffee/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“Holy shit,” Holden said. “Did you just magic that door open?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/holy-shit-holden-said-did-you-just-magic-that-door-open/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“It’s what’s missing in all of this,” Holden said. “It’s what let things get this bad. We don’t see each other as people. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/it-s-what-s-missing-in-all-of-this-holden-said-it-s-what-let-things/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“Right,” Holden said. “No coffee. This is a terrible, terrible planet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/right-holden-said-no-coffee-this-is-a-terrible-terrible-planet/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“What did you do?” Fred asked. “There was a button,” Holden said. “I pushed it.” “Jesus Christ. That really is how you go through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/what-did-you-do-fred-asked-there-was-a-button-holden-said-i-pushed-it/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“The mechanic had laid out two suits of their Martian-made light combat armour, a number of rifles and shotguns, and stacks of ammunition and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/the-mechanic-had-laid-out-two-suits-of-their-martian-made-light/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“I know it's none of my business, but I really wouldn't let her put you off. So you don't understand sex and love and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/i-know-it-s-none-of-my-business-but-i-really-wouldn-t-let-her-put-you/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“A guy I once knew tried to justify his life choices to me by comparing himself to Genghis Khan.” “I take it you didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/a-guy-i-once-knew-tried-to-justify-his-life-choices-to-me-by/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“No choice, then,” Holden said. “Let’s go to Nineveh.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/no-choice-then-holden-said-let-s-go-to-nineveh/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“… you want me to lead it,” Holden said. “Yes,” Avasarala said, “because literally even UN Naval officer who wasn’t dishonorable discharged is suddenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/you-want-me-to-lead-it-holden-said-yes-avasarala-said-because/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) ## More by J.D. Salinger > [“I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all… I'm standing on the edge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-keep-picturing-all-these-little-kids-playing-some-game-in-this-big/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“If you're a poet, you do something beautiful. I mean you're supposed to leave something beautiful after you get off the page and everything.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/if-you-re-a-poet-you-do-something-beautiful-i-mean-you-re-supposed-to/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“The best thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was… The only thing that would be different would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/the-best-thing-though-in-that-museum-was-that-everything-always/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“And you make people nervous, young man," she said - most equably, for her. "You either take to somebody or you don't. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/and-you-make-people-nervous-young-man-she-said-most-equably-for-her/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“I still think that, in a way, I can't get past half my childhood dogmas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-still-think-that-in-a-way-i-can-t-get-past-half-my-childhood-dogmas/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“He stuck around till around dinnertime, talking about all the guys at Pencey that he hated their guts, and squeezing this big pimple on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/he-stuck-around-till-around-dinnertime-talking-about-all-the-guys-at/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“For example, when Seymour told one of the twins or Zooey or Franny or even Mme. Boo Boo (who was only two years younger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/for-example-when-seymour-told-one-of-the-twins-or-zooey-or-franny-or/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“One thing? One thing I like? Okay.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/one-thing-one-thing-i-like-okay/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“The cigars are ballast, sweetheart. Sheer ballast. If he didn’t have a cigar to hold on to, his feet would leave the ground. We’d…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/the-cigars-are-ballast-sweetheart-sheer-ballast-if-he-didn-t-have-a/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“They're just people that write poems that get published and anthologized all over the place but they're not poets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/they-re-just-people-that-write-poems-that-get-published-and/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“In certain Zen monasteries, it's a cardinal rule, if not the only serious enforced discipline, that when one monk calls out 'Hi!' to another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/in-certain-zen-monasteries-it-s-a-cardinal-rule-if-not-the-only/) [j.d. salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“And I hate to tell you... but I think that once you have a fair idea where you want to go, your first move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/and-i-hate-to-tell-you-but-i-think-that-once-you-have-a-fair-idea/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“Hi,' he said. He always said it like he was terrifically bored or terrifically tired. He didn't want you to think he was visiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/hi-he-said-he-always-said-it-like-he-was-terrifically-bored-or/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [ “\[Y\]ou’re someone who took up birds in the first place because they fired your imagination; they fascinated you because ‘they seemed of all created… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/y-ou-re-someone-who-took-up-birds-in-the-first-place-because-they/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) [Explore all 416 J.D. Salinger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) ## More Gaze quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [“Taylor said a prayer for the man, and apologized out loud. Knowing there was nothing left to do, she turned to leave. As she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-t-ellison/taylor-said-a-prayer-for-the-man-and-apologized-out-loud-knowing/) [J.T. Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-t-ellison/) > [“If it makes you feel any better, he’s been all sad doll lately too.” “What are you talking about, Chels?” Chelsea stopped walking and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-derting/if-it-makes-you-feel-any-better-he-s-been-all-sad-doll-lately-too/) [Kimberly Derting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-derting/) > [“Rodrigo tried to draw a deep breath, but his chest was too filled with anguish, rage and guilt. He kissed his ash-coated fingers. “I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-valdez/rodrigo-tried-to-draw-a-deep-breath-but-his-chest-was-too-filled-with/) [Lisa Valdez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-valdez/) > [“still feel the same way? Could he have changed this much on the inside too? Struggling for the right words, I opened my mouth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-wild/still-feel-the-same-way-could-he-have-changed-this-much-on-the-inside/) [Meredith Wild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-wild/) > [“Being held by him, kissed and mastered, taken under and swept away, enthralled her in a way she—an independent woman if nothing else in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-sumner/being-held-by-him-kissed-and-mastered-taken-under-and-swept-away/) [Tracy Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-sumner/) > [“Don’t you remember how hot we were together, Lane? 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"Yes, you, the invisible truck driver," she added, giving me a wicked grin. "Go stand next to Rose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/now-you-grandma-barks-at-him-yes-you-the-invisible-truck-driver-she/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [His fingertips slid down from my face, lightly stroking the line of my neck, down toward my shoulder. Everywhere he touched, a trail of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/his-fingertips-slid-down-from-my-face-lightly-stroking-the-line-of-my/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“from THE DEVIL YOU KNOW : She wanted him too. He could see it in the rapid rise of her breasts. He could smell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emery-lee/from-the-devil-you-know-she-wanted-him-too-he-could-see-it-in-the/) [Emery Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emery-lee/) > [“You know when I said I didn't need you?" I asked. He lifted one brow. 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What the devil was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-dare/this-explains-so-much-she-said-clucking-her-tongue-in-mother-hen/) [Tessa Dare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-dare/) [Browse all 15,087 Gaze quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gaze/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“No, there wouldn't be,\" Holden said. \"It'd be entirely different.\" Sally looked at him; he had contradicted her so quietly. \"It wouldn't be the same at all. We'd have to go downstairs in elevators with suitcases and stuff. We'd have to call up everyone and tell 'em goodbye and send 'em postcards. And I'd have to work at my father's and ride in Madison Avenue buses and read newspapers. We'd have to go to the Seventy-second Street all the time and see newsreels. Newsreels! There's always a dumb horse race and some dame breaking a bottle over a ship. You don't see what I mean at all.\" \"Maybe I don't. Maybe you don't, either,\" Sally said. Holden stood up, with his skates swung over one shoulder. \"You give me a royal pain,\" he announced quite dispassionately.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J.D. Salinger" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/no-there-wouldn-t-be-holden-said-it-d-be-entirely-different-sally/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Gaze" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/no-there-wouldn-t-be-holden-said-it-d-be-entirely-different-sally/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f29/j-d-salinger-560_gaze_no-there-wouldn-t-be-holden-said-it-d-be_633061.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f29/j-d-salinger-560_gaze_no-there-wouldn-t-be-holden-said-it-d-be_633061.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f29/j-d-salinger-560_gaze_no-there-wouldn-t-be-holden-said-it-d-be_633061.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No, there wouldn't be,\" Holden said. \"It'd be entirely different.\" Sally looked at him; he had contradicted…” — J.D. 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Salinger", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“No, there wouldn't be,\" Holden said....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/no-there-wouldn-t-be-holden-said-it-d-be-entirely-different-sally/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/no-there-wouldn-t-be-holden-said-it-d-be-entirely-different-sally/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```