CitR

What is Holden's final goodbye to Pencey Prep?

"Sleep tight ya morons"

What does Ackley do that annoys Holden so much? What do Ackley's habits show about his personality?

Ackley would ask a lot of questions because he was bored and doesn't have any friends so he would always talk to Holden. He's also fidgety and always looking at things and then just throwing it away. He has a very disorganized personality, not sociable, and has no manners.

Compare and contrast Allie and Holden, based on Holden's description of his younger brother.

Allie is intelligent, nice, and he actually cares about school. While Holden is very judgy towards people, doesn't try in school, and has a negative attitude.

Ackley

Annoying, pimply, next-door neighbor of Holdens at Pencey Prep, has gross teeth, is not clean

What is the name of the main character in the books Phoebe writes?

Hazle Weatherfield

Why isn't Holden at the big football game?

He didn't go to the football game because he just got back from the fencing tournament in new york and wanted to say goodbye to his old english teacher and there were only some senior girls at the game.

What is the reason Holden gives for not going downstairs and saying hello to Jane? In your opinion, is this the real reason? Why or why not?

He doesn't want to go and say hi because they haven't seen each other since they were kids. I don't think that's a good reason, I think he's making it up so he doesn't have to say the real reason.

Why does Holden feel "lucky" when he remembers throwing the football around with Robert Tichener and Paul Campbell?

He feels "lucky" because when he leaves a place that he actually likes he likes to get a good bye knowing that he is about to leave.

How did Holden feel when he used to hold hands with Jane? Compare this feeling with Holden's current state of mind.

He feels happy and safe when he holds hands with Jane When he is thinking about Jane, he feels really lonely and sad and he misses having her around.

Why does Holden feel sad when he thinks about the gift his mother gave him?

He feels sad because his mom got it for him as a reward but he got kicked out of Pency and now feels sad/guilty he got a present.

Describe Holden's interactions with the three girls in the bar. What does this reveal about his character?

He is really awkward around the girls in the bar and this shows that he is socially awkward, immature and childish

What lie does Holden tell Mrs. Morrow about her son? Why do you believe Holden tells her this lie?

He is really popular His friends wanted him to run for class president I think Holden wanted to see if she would be proud of him because his parents don't really care about him and he wanted to see what it was like

What trait or quality about Ernie does Holden criticize?

He says Ernie will only talk to big shots

List at least two details shared by Holden that show how well he knows Jane Gallagher.

He showed Jane Allie's baseball glove with the poems all over it Her dog used to go to go to the bathroom on Holdens lawn

What is ironic about Holden's concern with his appearance when he enters the Edmont?

He thought that the Edmont was a nicer hotel so he took his hat off before he walked in, but he later realized that it was full of "screwballs"

Why does Holden wake up Ackley? What does he want to do with Ackley?

He wakes Ackley up because he didn't want to be in the room with Stradlader and he felt lonely and didn't want to be lonely He wants to play Canasta

How does Holden react to Spencer's wishing him "Good Luck!"?

He wished that Mr. Spencer never would've said it because he doesn't think it sounds good.

Why is Holden so "nervous" when he asks Stradlater about the date with Jane? Why do they fight?

He's nervous when asking about the date because there's a possibility that Stradler will talk about taking Jane's innocence and that's what Holden likes about her. The fight started because Holden kept asking about the date.

Why doesn't Holden call anyone from the phone booth immediately after he gets off the train in New York?

His family doesn't know where he is and since it was late, he couldn't call his little sister Phoebe because his parents would pick up and then they would know that he got kicked out of school

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.

Holden and Strandler aren't necessarily friends but they are roommates they are pretty close like Holden is one of the only people that see how much of a slob Stradler actually is.

How does Holden describe "old Spencer"? Based on this description, how do you think Holden feels about old people and aging?

Holden describes "Old Spencer" as old and sick and always trying to guide someone in the right direction with his wisdom. I don't think Holden likes old people much because all they do is try to advice you how to live your life and they also can't really doing anything.

Describe the fight between Stradlater and Holden. What do you believe led to the fight?

Holden kept asking about what happened and Stradler didn't want to talk about it and was trying to be mature but Holden kept instigating and antagonizing him about it and he ended up punching Holden in the nose. I think happened because Holden wouldn't leave it alone and kept annoying and asking Stradler again and again.

How did Holden let the fencing team down?

Holden let the fencing team down because he left their equipment on the subway and they weren't able to compete because of it.

Rudolf Schmidt

Holden pretends to be Rudolf Schmidt to Ernest's mom on train, custodian at Pencey Prep

How does Holden feel about Jane Gallagher? What actions or remarks demonstrate his attitude toward her?

Holden really likes Jane and how innocent she is and has stayed while growing up but he shows that he dislikes when Jane and Stradler are together.

Jane Gallagher

Holden spent a lot of time with her one summer, Holden had feelings for her, when their families stayed in neighboring summer houses in Maine, her dog used holdens lawn as a bathroom, Holden feels happy when he holds her hand, Holden showed only her Allie's baseball mitt

Why is Holden being kicked out of Pency Prep? Do you think Holden is smart enough to earn good grades? Cite evidence that indicates whether or not Holden is intelligent.

Holden was kicked out of Pencey because he was failing all his classes except for english. I do believe if he tried he would be able to do better in school. The book states "They gave me frequent warning to start applying myself-- especially around midterms." That goes to show he wasn't putting his best effort into school but we don't know how he would do if he did put some effort in.

D.B. Caulfield

Holden's Older brother, movie writer in Hollywood, used to have great stories but is now phony because he gave up writing his good stories for money

Stradlater

Holden's handsome, secret slob, suave, and well-liked roommate at his school Pencey Prep.

Mr. Spencer

Holden's history teacher at Pencey Prep, sick in bed, he tried to get Holden to work harder in school and questioned why Holden would write an essay telling the teacher to give him a bad grade

Allie Caulfield

Holden's younger brother who passed due to leukemia

Phoebe Caulfield

Holden's younger sister, super smart, red hair, knows the difference between a good and bad movie, straight A's

What words and actions demonstrate how Holden feels about Allie? List at least two examples.

In the book Holden states this about Allie "but it wasn't just that he was the most intelligent member in the family, he was the nicest." That shows the Holden thinks very highly of Allie and enjoyed being around him . It also shows that Allie was on of the only other family member he really talked to and trusted at that time and felt like he was able to be himself around.

What does the fact that Holden invites Ackley to the movies show about Holden's personality?

It shows that even though he says he likes being alone he still gets lonely so he hangs out with people he doesn't like so he isn't. And Holden really doesn't like movies so him going with Ackley someone he doesn't really like shows he doesn't want to be alone.

List at least two details provided by Holden when he's describing his sister Phoebe.

Nicest in the family Super smart

What words and phrases in the opening paragraph give you a sense of Holden's personality and state of mind? List at least three words or phrases.

Phony, Lousy, Crumby Those words show the Holden is a very negative person, weather it's about other people, places, things, etc. He just has a negative attitude about it all.

Holden Caulfield

The narrator of the book, judgmental about everyone, hypocrite, thinks everyone is a moron and phony, critical on everyone

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?

They think they are getting something they are not. There is no reason, in his mind, to go to the first show at Radio City Music Hall.

Does it surprise you that Holden writes the composition for Stradlater? Why do you think he does it?

When Holden agrees to write Stradlater's composition I'm not that surprised even though Holden does think Stradlater is phony because he's secretly a slob and isn't truly himself they are still roommates and that makes people close in a way weather they want to be or not.

What does Holden mean when he writes that Stradlater "was a little bit like Ackley"? In what way or ways are these two apparently very different characters similar? Is either Ackley or Stradlater also similar to Holden?

When Holden writes that Strandler is a little like Ackley he is referring to them both being slobs. Strandler isn't as open about being a slob and he's better at hiding it. Holden and Strandler are little bit alike.

What does Mr. Spencer mean when he reinforces that "life is a game" and Holden needs to "play by the rules"?

When Mr. Spencer says that he means that in life you can either do well by following the rules and doing your work so you can end up somewhere good in life.

Mrs. Morrow

the woman on the train, Holden likes the way she smokes, Ernest Morrows mom