Catcher in the Rye Test Review

What does angst mean?

A feeling of anxiety, apprehension or insecurity.

What does louse mean?

A good for nothing rascal or rat.

Chapter 18-21: What was Phoebe's reaction when she first saw Holden? What was her reaction when she found out that he had been expelled?

At first she was glad to see him and gave him affectionate hugs. When she found out that he had been expelled, she said, "Daddy'll kill you!"

What does nonchalant mean?

Casual, indifferent, relaxed in some way.

Who is the family member that is "out being a prostitute" and abandoned his values to make money. They may have abandoned Holden.

D.B.

What is the point of view in the Catcher in the Rye?

First person - limited: Holden is speaking about his own perceptions and observations. He knows some things about the other character but not everything.

Chapters 14-17: What record did Holden get for Phoebe? Why?

He bought "Little Shirley Beans" which was about a "kid who wouldn't go out of the house because two of her front teeth were out, and she was ashamed to." He liked it and though Phoebe would too.

Chapters 5-9: Where did Holden decide to go?

He decided to leave Pencey early to go to a hotel in New York and wait until Wednesday to go home to give his parents time to get the letter from school and get over the fact that he has been kicked out of yet another school.

Chapters 14-17: What made Holden "not so depressed anymore" on his way to the record store?

He heard a kid singing "If a body catch a body coming through the rye."

Chapters 14-17: Identify Sally Hayes.

Holden called her for a theater date for Sunday afternoon. "She gave me a pain in the ass, but she was very good looking."

What does colloquial mean?

Informal, casual, or conversation language. The opposite of formal academic language.

What does rile mean?

Irate, enrage, anger.

Chapters 1-4: Identify Jane Gallagher.

Jane lived next door to Holden before he came to Pencey. They played checkers together and became friends. One can tell he really like her. Stradlater had a date with her.

Who was a hotel employee/pimp who takes advantage of Holden's immaturity by teaching him a lesson in humility when he beats him up.

Maurice

Who is the teacher that has a scholarly discussion to save Holden , but it falls on deaf ears when Holden is too sleepy and drunk to pay attention?

Mr. Antolini

Theme from the book: There is a conflict in life between what is real and phony. What are some examples from the book?

Real = The little kids' joy in the song "If a Body Catch a Body Comin' Through the Rye." Real = The singer who sings, "Little Shirley Beans" jazzy and not little kid like Fake = Musicians who sold out for money or fame Fake = Actors, especially ones who know when their talent is good

What does bourgeois mean?

Relating to the social middle class.

Putrid means what?

Rotten, rancid, decaying.

What does boisterous mean?

Rowdy, unruly, over-excited.

Holden's love for another girl is projected onto this character, his ex-girlfriend, whom Holden consistently manipulates and misuses. Who is this character?

Sally

Chapter 22-26: How did Phoebe surprise Holden? What was Holden's reaction?

She had packed her bags to go with Holden and she said she would not go back to school. Holden told her she could not go with him, which made her angry. He later said he wasn't going anywhere either.

Who is the roommate that elicits Holden's jealousy and his personal insecurities? Holden even gets into a physical fight with this person.

Stradlater

Chapter 18-21: What did Holden and Luce discuss?

They mostly talked about Luce's romantic life and Holden's lack of one.

Chapter 22-26: What was Holden's reply when Phoebe asked him why he "got the ax again"?

"A million reasons why. It was one of the worst schools I ever went to. It was full of phonies. And mean guys. You never saw so many mean guys in your life."

Chapters 1-4: Why wouldn't Holden be back to Pencey after Christmas vacation?

He has been kicked out because he failed four out of five subjects.

Chapters 14-17: How did Holden's feelings for Sally change from the beginning of the date to the end?

He started out saying he loved her and they talked of marriage. By the end of the date, he hates her and she hates him.

Chapters 14-17: Why didn't Holden like actors?

He thought they were the biggest phonies of them all.

Chapters 1-4: Where is Holden as he narrates the story?

He is in California rest home undergoing some treatment.

Chapters 1-4: Who was Stradlater?

He was Holden's roommate. Holden said he was good looking but conceited.

How did Holden explain his catcher in the rye daydream?

"Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody's around -- nobody big, I mean -- except me. And I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff -- I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I'd do all day. I'd just be there

Chapters 14-17: Holden said he felt like committing suicide. Why didn't he?

"I don't want a bunch of stupid rubbernecks looking at me when I was all gory."

Chapters 14-17: Why did Holden like the museum so much?

"The best thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was."

Chapter 22-26: What advice did Mr. Antolini give Holden?

"The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of a mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one."

What are some areas of disillusionment that Holden faced in the novel?

- He cannot run away with Sally Hayes - He realized that he would have to grow up, get educated, get a job and settle into some kinds of adult role. - The death of his brother Allie - the sharp reality of how things are not permanent and will change hit him pretty hard. - He can't be the 'catcher in the rye - He came to understand that it is natural and just a fact of life that you have to grow up and go through challenges and hard times.

Theme from the book: Innocence needs to be protected especially in children. What are some examples from the book?

- Holden feeling like he needs to protect Jane Gallagher from her stepfather and his roommate Stradlater. -Holden wants to be the, "catcher in the rye" saving kids from the cruel world and the harshness of adulthood.

Theme from the book: Stopping time would stop loss and death from occurring. What are some examples from the book?

- Holden is deeply affected by Allie's (his brother's) death. - Holden loves the museum because things don't change - time stops. People would not have to grow up or die. -Holden is obsessed with the ducks leaving Central Park - he does not like change or how things are not permanent in life.

Who is the person that Holden dislikes as a suitemate because of his gross habits and annoying behavior, but this character is also isolated like Holden?

Ackley

Who is the family member who's death haunts Holden and begins Holden's fixation with the preservation of the innocence?

Allie

Chapter 22-26: Why did Holden leave Mr. Antolini's home before morning?

Because he woke up to find Mr. Antolini stroking and patting his head, he thought Mr. Antolini might be making advances towards him, he thought Mr. Antolini might be a "flit."

Chapters 5-9: About what did Holden write Stradlater's composition?

He described his dead brother Allie's baseball glove, which had poems written on it in green ink.

Chapters 14-17: Why did Holden check out of the hotel, and where did he go?

He didn't want to meet Maurice again, so he checked out. He went to Grand Central Station and checked his bags in one of the lockers there.

Chapter 22-26: Why did Holden go to Mr. Antolini's house?

He didn't want to stay at home, and he was out of money for hotels. It was really his last resort.

Chapters 1-4: Why wasn't Holden at the big football game?

He had just returned with the fencing team and he had to go see his history teacher, Mr. Spencer.

Chapters 1-4: Who is Holden Caulfield?

He is the main character, the narrator telling us about the things that happened to him.

Chapters 1-4: Who was Robert Ackley?

He lived in the room next to Holden at the dormitory. He had a pimply face and he didn't go anywhere often. Holden said he was nasty and thought he was a nuisance.

Chapters 10-13: Why did Holden have to leave Ernie's?

He met Lillian Simmons there and chatted with her for a while. Rather than sitting with her and her date for the evening, he told her he was just about to leave, anyway. Then he felt like he had to leave so she wouldn't think he was lying.

Chapters 5-9: Who did Holden meet on his train ride? Why did Holden lie to her about Ernie?

He met the mother of a school mate. He didn't like Ernie, but since his mother seemed nice, he wanted her to feel proud of her son and wanted to tell her what she wanted to hear.

Chapters 14-17: Who did Holden meet at the "little sandwich bar" after he locked his bags at the station? What did they talk about?

He met two nuns. They talked mostly about literature and Holden's thoughts about Romeo and Juliet.

Chapters 1-4: What "dirty trick" did Mr. Spencer pull on Holden?

He orally read back Holden's exam essay answer and the note Holden had written to him, truly embarrassing Holden.

Chapters 14-17: What did Holden think of "George something--?"

He thought George was a snobby phony and resented his butting in on his date.

Chapter 18-21: What did Holden think of the show at Radio City?

He thought the "Christmas thing" was phony and stupid, and the picture was "so putrid [he] couldn't take [his] eyes off it.

Chapter 18-21: Why did Holden go home so early (before Wednesday)?

He wanted to see Phobe.

Chapter 22-26: Identify James Castle.

He was a student who happened to borrow a sweater from Holden. He committed suicide.

Why did Holden sit on the bench in the rain even though it was coming down in buckets?

He was enjoying watching Phoebe ride the carousel; it made him happy.

Chapters 1-4: Why doesn't Holden go down to see Jane?

He wasn't in the mood.

What is interesting about Holden's point of view?

Holden Caulfield, is not wholly reliable in his understanding and reporting of events. First he is a youth, a young boy of sixteen who does not have much experience in living. Second, he is extremely depressed during the four days he is on his own in New York, and his mood colors everything. Third, Holden tells his story through flashbacks, and memory is never perfect. Because of these things, the reader has to make some assumptions and perform some interpretation on the story.

Chapters 5-9: Why did Stradlater hit Holden?

Holden got mad because of Stradlater's attitude towards Jane Gallagher, and he started calling Stradlater a moron. Holden threw the first punch in the fight, but Stradlater hit Holden in the face, knocked him down and gave him a bloody nose.

Chapters 14-17: Why did Maurice hit Holden?

Holden refused to give Maurice the extra $5 for Sunny. After Sunny had taken the money from his wallet, Maurice "snapped his fingers very hard on [Holden's] pajamas .... "it hurt like hell." Holden called Maurice a dirty moron, so Maurice slugged him in the stomach.

Chapter 18-21: Why did Holden call Carl Luce even though he didn't like him much?

Holden was desperate for a companion with whom to pass the time. He also thought that since Carl Luce was quite intellectual, Luce might b able to help him.

What does snub mean?

Ignore, fail to acknowledge.

What does enlightening mean?

Informative or revealing in some way.

What does sacrilegious mean?

Irreverent or disrespectful to religion.

Who was the character that while wearing Holden's sweater, he protects his integrity by not giving satisfaction to his tormentors?

James Castle

Who is the perfect, innocent girl that consumes Holden throughout the novel? Her father was abusive to her in some way.

Jane Gallagher

What does unscrupulous mean?

Lacking principles or morals, doing the opposite of what is considered right and proper.

Who is the female family member who symbolized innocence and purity?

Phoebe

Chapters 10-13: Who is Phoebe?

She is Holden's little sister. He likes her a lot and apparently they communicate well.

Chapters 5-9: Why did Holden tear up the composition he had written for Stradlater?

Stradlater complained that it was about a baseball glove instead of a room or some more typical composition topic. He insulted Holden, so Holden ripped up the paper.

Chapters 10-13: What was the, "big mess" Holden got into when he got back to the hotel after being at Ernie's?

The elevator operator, Maurice, set him up with a prostitute. When she arrived, he didn't want her services. They talked for a little while, then he paid her the $5 he owed her. She insisted the fee was $10. Holden refused to pay the extra $5

Chapters 10-13: Identify Bernice, Marty and Laverne.

They were three young women from Seattle on vacation in New York. Holden met them and danced with them in the Lavender Room.

Chapters 10-13: What do we learn about Holden from his diversion about his gloves being stolen at Pencey?

We know he doesn't like to fight because he doesn't like to look at the other guy when he hits him. He calls himself a coward -- "yellow" -- but he is really just to humane to hurt someone else.