The Catcher in the Rye Study Guide

You are responsible for understanding the vocabulary in this novel. Also, jotting down quotations
and their page numbers as you go along each chapter will help you out a lot later on.
Chapter 1:
When I leave a place I like to know Im leaving it. If you dont, you feel even
worse. (4)
1. What does the allusion to David Copperfield imply?
2. What kind of a school is Pencey? How does Holden see it?
3. How is D.B. a prostitute?
4. How would you characterize J. D. Salingers style of writing?
5. What do you think Holden found funny about leaving all the fencing equipment on the
subway?
6. Whats the rationale behind the more expensive a school is, the more crooks it has? (4)
Chapter 2:
Id never yell good luck at anybody. It sounds terrible when you think about it. (16)
1. What do you think Holden means by people never notice anything?
2. Why does Holden go to see old Spencer?
3. how does Holden feel about old Spencer?
4. Why do you think Spencer reads Holdens final exam out loud? Why does Holden think this is
so terrible?
5. Wy do you think English is the only class Holden passed?
Chapter 3:
Im the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. (16)
1. Do you believe Holden is illiterate like he says? Why would he say this?
2. What do you think Holden means when he says, This is a people shooting hat. I shoot people
with this hat.? (22)
Chapter 4:
That kind of stuff doesnt interest most people. (32)
1. What is it about Stradlater that really annoys Holden? Why?
2. What is Holdens opinion of Stradlater?
Chapter 5:
He got leukemia and died when we were up in Maine, on July 18, 1946. (38)
1. Why, according to Holden, does Pencey have steak night on Saturdays?
2. Why do you think Holden writes Stradlaters composition for him?
3. How did Allies death affect Holden?
Chapter 6:
You always do everything backasswards. (41)
1. Why was Holden so upset about Stradlater dating Jane Gallagher?

The Catcher in the Rye Study Guide

Chapter 7:
I sort of needed a vacation. My nerves were shot. (51)
1. Why do you think receiving presents makes Holden sad?
Chapter 8:
Mothers are all slightly insane. (55)
1. For what purpose does Holden lie to Mrs. Marrow?
2. What does Holdent habit of lying tell us about his character?
Chapter 9:
I was probably the only normal bastard in the whole place and that isnt saying
much. (62)
1. She said I was wild and that I had no direction in life. (59) To what extent is this true?
Chapter 10:
Im the only dumb one in the family. (67)
1. How does Holden view himself in the relation to the rest of his family?
Chapter 11:
I figured that anybody that hates movies as much as I do, Id be a phony if I let them
stick me in a movie short. (77)
1. Why does Holden hate movies?
2. What is the significance of Holden showing Jane the baseball mitt?
Chapter 12:
New Yorks terrible when somebody laughs on the street very late at night. You can hear
it for miles. It makes you feel so lonesome and depressed. (81)
1. The cab driver is the third person Holden has asked out for drinks. What does this tell you
about his state of mind?
2. What is the significance of the ducks?
3. Holden makes a number of general pronouncements about the world in this chapter. Quote 3
and explain Holdens thoughts at the time.
Chapter 13:
. . . what scares me most in a fist fight is the guys face. I cant stand looking at the other
guys face, is my trouble. (90)
1. Holden always stops when hes involved with a girl. What does this tell you about him?
2. Why doesnt Holden give Sunny the time?
Chapter 14:
What I really felt like, though, was committing suicide. (104)
1. What are Holdens views on religion?

The Catcher in the Rye Study Guide

Chapter 15:
I always sort of think whomever Im necking with is a pretty intelligent person. (105)
1. Give two examples showing Holden has an acute sense of whats fair.
2. Why does Holden feel bad about not giving more money to the nuns?
Chapter 16:
I hate actors. They never act like people. They just think they do. (117)
1. Why does Holden feel better after he hears a small boy singing if a body catch a body
coming through the rye??
2. What does Holden mean the only thing that would be different would be you?
Chapter 17:
If you do something too good, then, after awhile, if you dont watch it, you start
showing off. (126)
1. Holden asks Sally to run away with him. What inspires him to do this?
Chapter 18:
It was so putrid I couldnt take my eyes off it. (138)
1. Whats holdens view about people who cry at phony movies? Do you agree?
Chapter 19:
These intellectual guys dont like to have an intellectual conversation with you unless
theyre running the whole thing. (147)
1. What do you think Luce means by a typical Caulfield conversation?
Chapter 20:
Who wants flowers when youre dead? Nobody. (155)
1. What proof is there that Holden hasnt dealt effectively with Allies death?
2. What does the way Holden spends money tell us about him?
Chapter 21:
All you have to do is say something nobody understands and theyll do practically
anything you want them to do. (158)
1. Give evidence showing that Holden idealizes children. Why do you think he has such a high
opinion of kids?
Chapter 22:
You dont like anything thats happening. (169)
1. What depresses Holden in this chapter? Why?
2. How is James Castle significant?
3. What does Holdens aspiration to be a catcher in the rye tell us?

The Catcher in the Rye Study Guide

Chapter 23:
Then, all of a sudden, I started to cry. (179)
1. What similarities have you noticed between Holden and his mother?
2. Why do you think Holden wanted to be caught leaving his apartment?
Chapter 24:
The trouble with me is, I like it when somebody digresses. Its more interesting and
all. (183)
1. Mr. Antolini tells Holden: youll find that youre not the first person who was ever confused
and frightened and even sickened by human behaviour. (189) Do you think Holden believes
him?
2. Mr. Antolini gives Holden a quote that he believes is significant. The mark of the immature
man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he
wants to live humbly for one. To what extent do you agree with this quote?
3. Do you think Mr. Antolini was doing anything wrong? Explain.
Chapter 25:
I had this feeling that Id never get to the other side of the street. I thought Id just go
down, down, down and nobodyd ever see me again. (197)
1. Why does Holden want to be a deaf-mute?
Chapter 26:
Dont ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody. (214)
1. What is the nature of Holdens illness?