The Catcher in the Rye Study Guide

The Catcher in the Rye: Study Guide             Name: ___________________

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?