The Catcher in the Rye: Study Guide Name:
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Study Questions for Salinger’s, The Catcher in the Rye:
Chapter 1
1)
How does
Holden feel about his brother D.B.’s having become a screenwriter? What words or phrases show his attitude?
2)
Why does
Holden feel “lucky” when he remembers throwing the football around with Robert
Tichener and Paul Campbell?
Chapter 2
3)
Based on how
he describes “old Spencer,” how do you think Holden feels about people aging?
4)
What metaphor
is used by both Dr. Thurmer and Spencer in order to try to convince Holden that
he needs to change his outlook? How does
Holden react to this?
5)
What is
Holden thinking about while he is “shooting the bull” with Spencer, and why is he thinking about it?
6)
How does
Holden react to Spencer’s wishing him “Good Luck!”
Chapters 3 and 4
7)
What does
Holden mean when he writes that Stradlater “was a little bit like Ackley”
(28)? In what way or ways are these two
apparently very different characters similar? Is either Ackley or Stradlater
also similar to Holden?
8)
Describe the
relationship between Holden and Stradlater.
Are they friends? Why or why
not? Refer to specific actions the
characters take or things they say to one another in the text.
9)
How does
Holden feel about Jane Gallagher? What
actions or remarks demonstrate his attitude toward her?
10) What is the reason Holden gives for not going
downstairs and saying hello to Jane?
Chapter 5
11) Why does the dining hall at Pencey serve steak on
Saturday nights? Why is this reason
typical of Pencey in general, at least at Holden perceives it?
12) What does the fact that Holden invites Ackley to
the movies show about Holden’s personality?
13) Why doesn’t Holden throw the snowball?
14) Does it surprise you that Holden writes the
composition for Stradlater? Why do you
think he does it?
15) Compare and contrast Allie and Holden, based on
Holden’s description of his younger brother.
16) What words and actions demonstrate how Holden
feels about Allie? List at least two
examples.
Chapter 6
17) How does Stradlater react to the composition
Holden has written for him?
18) Why is Holden so “nervous” when he asks Stradlater
about the date with Jane? Why do they
fight?
19) Stradlater is upset that Holden breaks the school
rules by smoking in their room, but he has also broken a rule by borrowing Ed
Banky’s car. Why doesn’t Stradlater seem
to feel regret for having broken a rule himself?
Chapter 7
20) Why does Holden wake up Ackley?
21) What is ironic about Ackley’s comment just before
Holden walks out of his room?
22) Why does Holden feel sad when he thinks about the
gift his mother gave him?
23) Describe Holden’s emotional state when he is about
to leave Pencey. Refer to specific
details from the text that reflects this emotional state.
Chapters 8 and 9
24) What does Holden mean by his remark that “Mothers
are all slightly insane” (55)? How does
this comment apply specifically to Ernest Morrow and his mother?
25) Why doesn’t Holden call anyone from the phone
booth immediately after he gets off the train in New York?
26) What is the significance of the question Holden
asks the taxi driver about the ducks?
Why does Holden want to know?
27) What is ironic about Holden’s concern with his
appearance when he enters the Edmont?
Chapter 10
28) List at least two details provided by Holden when
he’s describing his sister Phoebe.
29) Why do you think Holden is so depressed by the
fact that the three girls in the bar are going to see the first (Christmas)
show at Radio City Music Hall
the following morning?
Chapter 11
30) List at least two details shared by Holden that
show how well he knows Jane Gallagher.
31) How did Holden feel when he used to hold hands
with Jane? Compare this feeling with
Holden’s current state of mind.
32) What trait or quality about Ernie does Holden
criticize?
Chapter 12
33) What does Holden ask Horwitz, and how does Horwitz
react?
34) What is the symbolic meaning of the fish frozen
under the pond?
35) Compare Holden’s reaction to Ernie’s playing with
that of the rest of the crowd.
Chapters 13 and 14
36) What does Holden mean when he describes himself as
“partly yellow” (89)? What kinds of
things does Holden tell us he fears?
Based on the chapters we’ve read so far, do you think Holden is at all
“yellow”? Why or why not? Refer to his specific actions in the text.
37) What is ironic about the name of the prostitute?
Chapter 15
38) What indication that Sally is a phony do we see in
this chapter?
39) How are Holden and his mother similar in their
reactions to Allie’s death?
40) Why did Holden’s suitcases become an issue between
him and his old roommate Slagle? What
statement about wealth and/or social class is Holden making by telling this
story?
Chapter 16
41) Why does seeing the little boy walking with his
family cheer Holden up?
42) Why is Holden depressed by the long lines of
moviegoers? Why is he so critical of
actors?
43) Why does it make Holden so happy that the girl he
helps with her skate thanks him nicely and politely?
44) Based on his description of the Natural History
Museum he often visited as a child, how does Holden feel about change?
Chapter 17
45) Why does Holden “sort of [hate] old Sally” (128)
by the end of the show?
Chapter 18
46) What frustrates Holden about girls and the guys
they date?
47) Where does Holden go to pass the time before meeting
Carl Luce for a drink?
Chapters 19 and 20
48) Holden claims to admire Carl’s intellectual ability,
but what kinds of questions does Holden ask Carl?
49) What does Holden see as the “trouble” with his
attitude toward sex? How does this
alleged problem manifest itself in his relationships with Jane, Sally, and
other female characters?
50) How does Holden’s fantasy about having a bullet
wound in his stomach reflect his emotional state?
51) Why do you think Holden calls Sally, rather than
Jane, when he is drunk?
52) What does Holden get feel when he thinks about the
two rainy days at the cemetery?
53) What thought motivates Holden to go visit Phoebe?
Chapters 21 and 22
54) What observation does Holden make about how kids
and adults look when they are sleeping?
How does this comment reflect his attitudes in general toward childhood
and adulthood?
55) What comment does Phoebe make after listening to
Holden’s complaints about Pencey?
Explain.
56) What is Holden’s dream job, and why?
Chapters 23 and 24
57) Why does Holden almost wish his parents would
catch him sneaking out of their apartment
(180)?
58) How is the life advice Mr. Antolini gives Holden
similar to or different from the advice he has gotten from other characters,
such as Old Spencer, Carl Luce, and even Phoebe? What does Mr. Antonini think will be the key
to Holden’s future happiness (or at least, to helping him become less depressed)?
Chapters 25 and 26
59) When he is walking up Fifth Avenue, what pessismistic remark
does Holden make? How is this comment
similar to what Mr. Antonini had forebodingly predicted about Holden’s future?
60) Why is Holden so angry about the profane graffiti
at Phoebe’s (and Holden’s own childhood) school? What does this graffiti represent for Holden?
61) Why does Holden watch Phoebe on the carousel,
rather than riding the carousel himself?
62) Why does Holden let Phoebe reach for the golden
ring, even though it is dangerous? What
does reaching for the ring represent?
63) How does Holden feel at the end of Chapter 25, and
why?
64) Why does telling his story make Holden miss
everyone in it?
