Catcher in the Rye [Ch 1 - 7]

D.B. Caulfield [character]

He is Holden's older brother, a successful writer of screenplays who lives in Hollywood.

Ward Stradlater [character]

He is Holden's roommate at Pencey. He is a popular senior. Even Holden likes him, despite his self-centered treatment of others.

Robert Ackley [character]

He is Holden's suitemate at Pencey. He is an irritating, badly groomed senior who has few friends

In Chapter 6 of The Catcher in the Rye, Holden can't explain what happened after Stradlater's date. When else can't he explain something? What do the events have in common?

Holden apologizes that he was so worried that he can't explain what happened to cause the fight with Stradlater; in fact, he can't even remember what happened. In the previous chapter, he says that he was hardly aware of breaking the garage windows with his fist. In both events Holden has a sense that someone innocent and pure is being harmed and that he can't help or protect them. In both events Holden's reaction is violent and ends in his being bloodied and injured. His reaction to these events is so painful to Holden that afterward he can't remember his reactions clearly.

phony vs. authenticity [motif]

Holden uses the words phony and phoniness to describe what he perceives as the hypocritical nature of the adult world. His observations are often accurate; adults do engage in behaviors that are less than sincere for benign and selfish reasons. They may behave superficially to save time or face; they may indulge in small talk to smooth over social situations; and they may lie, flatter, or threaten in order to get what they want. Holden observes—and participates in—these behaviors during the novel. He seems to think that only he sees the phoniness for what it is; his willingness to call it out is what sets him apart. And he uses this sense of special knowledge to avoid many adult interactions. Calling Spencer's lecture phony, for example, lets Holden avoid the facts about his disengagement in his classes. Sally's phony flirtation justifies his anger and crude language—she's asked for his candor, in a way. Repeatedly Holden ducks opportunities to connect by classifying the people involved as phony and thus not worth his time when, in fact, he's using the accusation as a shield.

In Chapter 4 of The Catcher in the Rye, what do Holden's behaviors as Stradlater prepares for his date suggest about the pair's roles in their relationship?

Holden's behaviors in this chapter place him firmly in the subservient role in his relationship with Stradlater. Holden performs an odd little tap-dance for Stradlater. Holden seems to crave Stradlater's approval, and he gets it. Stradlater presses Holden to write his English composition for him. Stradlater ignores most of what Holden says about Jane and listens just for details that might give him an advantage with Jane. It's not surprising that Stradlater dominates his roommate. Stradlater is two years older than Holden and far more experienced, sexually and academically. What is surprising, perhaps, is the extent to which Holden kowtows to Stradlater, whose faults he knows well.

In Holden's description of Allie in Chapter 5 of The Catcher in the Rye, in what ways is and isn't Allie a model of childhood?

Holden's description of Allie captures how an innocent, pure life should look: Allie was "terrifically intelligent." Allie was "the nicest" person in the family. Allie was inventive, figuring out how to keep from being bored at baseball games. Allie seemed to be near when Holden needed him. Allie's short life shatters Holden's vision of childhood because Allie dies. When Holden smashes the garage windows, he is basically unaware of his actions: "I hardly didn't even know I was doing it." Yet the action captures his reaction to the shattering of Holden's idea of childhood as a protected time. He may not grasp this fact yet.

Allie's baseball mitt [symbol]

Holden's fear of change and his desire to protect children stem partly from the love he feels for his younger siblings, and their love protects him in turn. Allie's glove, covered in poetry written in green ink, acts as a talisman for Holden. He lovingly describes the glove and his brother in the composition he writes, and he is enraged when Stradlater so casually dismisses what is, to Holden, nearly a sacred object. The glove also represents the importance of language to Holden. Stories and poems help him make sense of the confusing things that happen to him, which is perhaps why he speaks to Allie, the young poetry lover, when he is in emotional distress.

alienation [theme]

Holden's loneliness parallels the alienation that many teenagers, and even adults, feel as they search for identity and belonging. The two states bump up against each other: identity is distinctive and requires setting oneself apart from others; belonging requires acknowledging commonalities so that bonds can be formed and maintained. Thus, belonging can threaten identity. Holden's interactions with his peers at Pencey illustrate this tension. Holden identifies himself in opposition to the disgusting and annoying Ackley. He must, because he thinks of himself as "sexy" and smart. But like Ackley, he's also lonely and no good with girls. To shore up his self-image, Holden pushes away the sympathy he feels for Ackley. Stradlater provides a contrasting example. A good-looking, confident senior, Stradlater is almost ready to join the adult world, and Holden admires him and watches him closely. Yet to belong to Stradlater's group is to engage in behaviors Holden rejects in his own self-image. The tension of developing a distinct identity without becoming like the "phonies" means that it is often less painful for Holden to isolate himself from others. This causes him to sabotage interactions with people. Throughout the difficult events he recalls, Holden often says that he wishes he could go home. He can't because he fears disappointing his parents, especially his mother; yet he knows that they are aware of his expulsion. Holden pushes against going home as he tries to make it as an adult in the city. This is part of developing the identity that will sustain him in the coming years. But home is what rescues Holden in his moment of crisis. Allie represents home; he keeps Holden from disappearing into utter alienation. Phoebe represents home, and she convinces him to accept the belonging he needs.

In Chapter 1 of The Catcher in the Rye, what does Holden's withholding some personal information suggest about how he perceives his role in his own story?

Holden's refusal to provide the usual details about his birth, family, and childhood suggests how he perceives his role in his own story. First, it suggests that he wants to control the information readers have about him. Second, it tells readers that he does not see himself as a hero. Charles Dickens's character David Copperfield starts his story saying that he doesn't yet know whether he will be the hero of his story; Holden starts his story by implying that he is not the hero. Also, he seems to fear his parents' response to his own forthrightness.

Holden often makes generalizations using words such as never or always in The Catcher in the Rye.What do they suggest about how he interprets people's motivations?

Holden's tendency to make sweeping statements may indicate a lack of maturity in his thought patterns. Yet the contexts of these statements provide a single example at most (the bus driver makes Holden throw away his snowball although Holden says he won't throw it at anyone) or no evidence (Holden assumes that the headwaiter didn't give his message to the singer, but he may have). Holden suspects that adults' "phoniness" leads them to say one thing but do another; he feels put upon personally when, in all likelihood, the people in question are hardly thinking of him at all.

In Chapter 7 of The Catcher in the Rye, Holden asks Ackley what is involved in joining a monastery. What does this question suggest about Holden in this context?

The anxiety over Jane's sexual purity and vulnerability overwhelms Holden. To avoid sex and its intimidating consequences, he'd have to withdraw entirely from the world, as monks entering a monastery do. The idea of adult sexuality upsets Holden so profoundly that he fantasizes this escape. Part of his fury at Stradlater is that Stradlater won't tell him what happened (as a gentleman should not), both denying Holden's curiosity about sex and leaving him to imagine the worst. The sexless environment of a monastery provides him with a curious but fitting fantasy.

the red hunting hat [symbol & motif]

The hat itself is a decidedly odd choice considering he is not in the woods, tracking down deer. He wears this hat indoors and around the streets of Manhattan. Holden even prefers to wear it backwards—making it even more unusual. Holden's hat choice expresses his identity—his desire to be unconventional in a world where convention is cruel and hurtful. Much like a red hunting hat prevents hunters from being shot by others, Holden sees this hat as his protector, allowing him to hold on to his childhood and his oddball identity rather than surrender to the quickly approaching adulthood of corruption that awaits him. While he loves the hat in private moments, in front of others, he feels fairly self-conscious about it. He either horses around to overcompensate for his shame, or he's too embarrassed to even wear it. This represents the conflict that Holden faces: the need for authenticity vs. the need for acceptance. Why is the hat red? Interestingly, Holden describes both Allie and Pheobe's hair as being red. Perhaps this is a reason why Holden wears the hat. It could be symbolic of Allie and Phoebe's innocence, something Holden is "hunting" for in the phony, corrupt adult world that surrounds him. Another important point: Holden buys the hat in New York after he left all the fencing equipment on the subway. The entire team is furious with him, and he slips off into a store to buy a hat. Imagine the awkwardness of this event. Holden must be feeling particularly vulnerable in that moment, though he would certainly never own it.

unreliable narrator [literary element]

a narrator whose account of events appears to be faulty, misleadingly biased, deluded, or otherwise distorted

symbol [literary element]

something that comes to represent an abstract idea, quality, or instance aside from its literal meaning or function

Mr. Spencer [character]

He is Holden's history teacher at Pencey. He tries to encourage Holden to do better in school but succeeds only in irritating Holden.

Allie Caufield [character]

He is Holden's younger brother who died of leukemia at age 11.

Holden Caulfield [character]

He is the novel's first-person narrator, a teen who must navigate, with little guidance, the transition from childhood to young adulthood

In Chapter 2 of The Catcher in the Rye, what does Holden's description of Spencer reveal about his own biases and fears?

On the one hand, Holden admires some things about Spencer and thinks Spencer actually cares about him. On the other hand, Holden has thought a lot about what it must be like to be so old and observes that Spencer's age gives him an excuse to lecture and scold and to refer to Holden, gratingly, as "boy." Holden tries to feel respect for "old Spencer" and sympathy for his illness, but the longer he must stay with his teacher, the more disgusted he becomes by the man's aged, ill body and cranky words.

In Chapter 3 of The Catcher in the Rye, how do interactions between Holden and Ackley develop readers' understanding of Holden as a character?

One characterization tool that authors use is to place characters together and let their interactions reveal traits and details. Readers learn the following: Holden is observant and able to guess at motivations. Ackley's handling Stradlater's things and putting them back not quite right tips Holden off to Ackley's jealous dislike of Stradlater. Holden, while he may be sarcastic, also has compassion. Holden is a peacemaker. He tries to persuade Ackley that Stradlater isn't so bad. Holden enjoys stirring the pot—that is, he likes to mess with people sometimes. He calls Ackley "Ackley kid" just to aggravate him.

In Chapter 1 of The Catcher in the Rye, why does Holden object to Pencey Prep's motto?

Pencey Prep's motto reads: "Since 1888 we have been molding boys into splendid, clear-thinking young men." Holden's experience at Pencey has convinced him that this motto is a lie. The students he knows are not "splendid" or "clear-thinking," and the faculty isn't doing "any damn molding." The prestigious school's ads are shams, false representations designed, like the photo of the polo player, to create an attractive image and woo wealthy parents. Readers have to keep in mind that Holden is disgusted with his peers, disengaged from his classes, and worried about his expulsion, so his opinion of Pencey is not unbiased.

Jane Gallagher [character]

She is Holden's former neighbor. She is currently going on a date with Stradlater. Holden cherishes memories of time they spent together one summer. She is the only girl he respects because her behavior strikes him as genuine.

frame narrative [literary element]

a story in which one or more other stories are embedded