The novel The Catcher in the Rye concludes ambiguously. The uncertainty stems mostly from the enormous time gap between the book's final two chapters. Holden is thrilled as he watches Phoebe ride on the Central Park carousel at the end of Chapter 25. But when Chapter 26 begins three years later, we know nothing about what has happened to her or Holden. Holden's mother dies during this period, and his father remarries after being divorced for several years. In addition, Holden starts going to school in New York, which must be difficult for him since most of the scenes take place in Jersey City. It is not clear if Chapter 26 takes place before or after Chapter 25; nor is it clear how much time has passed since they last saw each other. However, one scene does show Phoebe with another boy, so it can be inferred that by this time she has already started dating. This leads me to believe that Chapter 26 takes place sometime after Mother's death but before Phoebe meets her new boyfriend (or maybe while she's still with him). In any case, Phoebe does meet her new boyfriend during Chapter 26, and they fall in love. Unfortunately, he gets drafted into the army soon after their meeting, so they can't marry.