Catcher in the Rye - Mona Shores Online Learning Center

[Pages:7]Contemporary Literature The Catcher in the Rye Study Guide

Walek 1

Please Note: ALL questions must be answered completely in order to receive credit for this packet. Chapter questions must be completed on the day the reading is due.

CHAPTERS 1-3

1. How is Catcher in the Rye structured? What clues do you get in Chapter 1 about the novel's structure?

2. What is Pencey Prep? What are Holden's feelings about the place?

3. Begin a list of various ways in which Holden defines the word "phony."

4. What do we learn early about Holden's character? In other words, what are your earliest impressions of him?

5. What specific scene early in the novel points out Holden's isolation?

6. Explain who Mr. Spencer is and what his relationship to Holden is. Why does Holden go to see him? How does he disappoint Holden?

CHAPTERS 4-5 7. Identify Ackley and Stradlater. What kind of relationship does Holden have with each of them?

8. Who is Jane Gallagher? What is Holden's relationship with her?

Walek 2 9. What is the subject of Holden's paper for Stradlater? What do we learn here that may be

crucial to discovering the reason for Holden's problems?

CHAPTER 6 10. What various things triggered the fight between Holden and Stradlater?" How does Holden seem to respond to physical violence?

CHAPTER 7 11. Chapter 7 is a transition chapter between Holden's episode at Pencey Prep and his time in New York. How does it make that transition? What is Holden's state of mind through this transition?

12. How much time has passed since the beginning of the story Holden is telling? Explain.

CHAPTER 8 13. Describe Holden's encounter with the woman on the train. What kinds of lies does he tell her? Explain each lie and why he tells it.

CHAPTER 9 14. What "confusion" does Holden confess during his first night at a cheap hotel? What does he try to do about it? Why does he fail?

CHAPTER 10 15. What do we learn about Phoebe and Holden's relationship in chapter 10?

16. Describe the events in the hotel nightclub. Why does this episode depress him?

Walek 3 CHAPTER 11

17. What do we learn about Jane Gallagher in Chapter 11? Why is Holden confused about her?

CHAPTER 12 18. What question has Holden asked two cab drivers? What do you think he is getting at?

19. Who does Holden run into at Ernie's nightclub?

20. What does he observe about Ernie? How do his feelings about Ernie parallel his attitude towards D.B.?

CHAPTER 13-14 21. What is the pivotal episode in Chapter 13? What does this encounter tell us about Holden? What does he confess before she arrives? What happens after she leaves (chapter 14)?

22. Describe Holden's attitude towards religion. What are his personal feelings?

23. What does Holden contemplate at the end of chapter 14? Why does he change his mind?

CHAPTER 15 24. Where does Holden go when he checks out of the hotel? Why there?

Walek 4 25. What is the significance of the suitcase story? What does it reveal about Holden? Have there

been other related instances?

CHAPTER 16 26. Why does Holden follow the family with the small boy? What words does the little boy sing that make Holden feel better?

27. How do Holden's feelings about what he expected to see in Sir Laurence Olivier's Hamlet parallel his feelings about himself?

28. Why is Holden drawn to the Museum of Natural History

29. How does Holden's wandering around the city in Chapters 15 and 16 parallel his state of mind?

CHAPTER 17 30. During his date with Sally, Holden says several times that he is crazy; what triggers these declarations?

31. When Holden suddenly opens up to Sally about his real feelings and things, how does she react? What kind of person is she? Why is she justified leaving angry? What feelings has Holden confused in his time with Sally?

Walek 5 CHAPTER 18

32. In the movie, Holden makes what observation about human nature when he sees the crying woman with her little boy?

CHAPTER 19 33. Who is Carl Luce? Where do he and Holden meet? What do they talk about? What does Holden want from him? How does Carl react?

CHAPTER 20 34. What takes Holden back to Central Park in Chapter 20? What finally drives him home?

CHAPTER 21 35. What triggers Holden's words, "I just felt good, for a change"?

CHAPTER 22 36. How does Phoebe disappoint Holden early in their visit?

37. How does Holden answer Phoebe's question about why he failed again?

38. How does he answer her challenge to tell her what he does like and what he does want to be?

CHAPTER 23 39. How does Phoebe show her love for Holden before he leaves?

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CHAPTER 24 40. Who is Mr. Antolini? How does his encounter bring the novel full circle? What clues do we get that Mr. Antolini may not be emotionally healthy himself?

41. Explain the debate between Holden and Mr. Antolini about education?

42. Why is Mr. A's advice to Holden not the right advice at this time?

43. How does Holden's impending breakdown manifest itself physically in Chapters 24-25? List the several physical issues Holden is having.

CHAPTER 25 44. Do you agree with Holden's interpretation of Mr. A's touch on his head while he is sleeping? If not perverted, how might one see this incident? How and why does Holden's opinion of the incident change in Ch. 25?

45. Describe Holden's behavior Monday morning? Cite further evidence that he is very close to a breakdown?

Walek 7 46. How specifically does Holden "practice" being a "catcher in the rye"? Give more than one.

47. What decision does Holden make that leads him to see Phoebe again? How does she change his mind? What do you think is the significance of her now wearing his red cap?

48. What is the last incident in Holden's narrative? Can you see any significance in it?

CHAPTER 26 49. Why is the last chapter necessary to the novel?

FINAL THOUGHTS--Take a look back at the novel as a whole and Holden as a character. Why has this novel found continued success today even though it was first published in 1951? What can we take away from this novel? In 10-15 sentences minimum, respond to the above questions. You may also make any final observations you have here as well.

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