Catcher in the Rye Exam Review
What record does Holden purchase in order to give to his sister?
"Little Shirley Beans"
What advice did Mr. Antolini give Holden?
"The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die only for a cause, while the mark of a mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one."
What did Holden like best about the museum?
Everything always stayed where it was.
What does Spencer yell at Holden as he leaves?
Good luck!
Where did Holden decide to go after leaving Pencey?
He decided to stay in a hotel in New York for a few days.
Holden said he felt like committing suicide. Why didn't he?
He didn't want a bunch of "stupid rubbernecks" looking at him all gory.
Why did Holden check out the hotel, and where did he go?
He didn't want to meet Maurice again, so he went to Grand Central Station and checked his bags in a locker there.
Why did Holden have to leave Ernie's?
He didn't want to sit with his brother's friend and her date.
Who was Robert Ackley?
He had a pimply face. He was a nuisance and rather nasty.
Why wouldn't Holden be back to Pencey after Christmas vacation?
He had been expelled, because he failed four of five subjects.
Why wasn't Holden at the big football game?
He had just returned to school with the fencing team and had to see his history teacher.
Why does Holden assume people will think he looks older than he is?
He has a patch of gray hair.
How does Holden feel when he sees the "F*** you" written in the school stairwell?
He has violent images of assaulting the bum who did it.
Who is Holden Caulfield?
He is a sixteen-year old-student at a prep school in Pennsylvania.
Where is Holden as he narrates the story?
He is in a mental hospital in California.
Whom did Helen meet on his train ride? Infer why he lied to her.
He met the mother of a school-mate. He lied, because he wanted the mother to feel proud of her son and he wanted to tell her what she wanted to hear.
Whom did Holden meet at the sandwich bar? What did they talk about?
He met two nuns. They talked about literature and Holden's views on Romeo and Juliet.
What "dirty trick" did Mr. Spencer pull on Holden?
He orally read back Holden's exam answer and the note Holden had written.
What does Mr. Antolini do to disturb Holden?
He patted Holden's head.
What was Holden's reply when Phoebe asked him why he "got the ax again?"
He said it was one of the worst schools he had ever attended, full of phonies and mean guys.
What was Holden's opinion of actors?
He said they were the biggest phonies of all.
What did Holden think of "George something--?"
He thought George was snobby, phony and resented him butting in on his date.
Why did Holden go home so early (before Wednesday)?
He wanted to see Phoebe.
Who was Stradlater?
He was Holden's good-looking, but conceited roommate.
What was the truth about the woman's son, Ernest?
He was a school bully.
What did Mr. Antolini do at Elkton Hills that Holden recalls?
He was the only one to approach James Castle's body.
Why doesn't Holden go down to see Jane?
He wasn't in the mood.
Where did Holden go after leaving his house and why?
He went to a former teacher's (Mr. Antolini) house. It was his last resort, because he was out of money.
How did Holden explain his catcher in the rye daydream?
He would stand in a field of rye, where his job would be to catch any children who started to go over the cliff.
Why did Stradlater hit Holden?
Holden called him a moron and then threw a punch at him.
Why did Holden call Carl Luce even though he didn't like him much?
Holden was desperate for companionship and thought Luce was intellectual and could help him.
About what did Holden write Stradlater's composition?
It was about Allie's baseball glove.
What did Holden think of the show at Radio City?
It was phony and stupid.
Why did Maurice hit Holden?
Maurice was roughing Holden up to make him pay Sunny the extra fee. Holden called Maurice a dirty moron, so Maurice hit him in the stomach.
What did we learn about Holden from his discussion of his gloves being stolen at Pencey?
Possessions don't mean a lot to him.
Identify Jane Gallagher.
She had lived next door to Holden before he came to Pencey. They played checkers and became good friends.
How did Phoebe surprise Holden? What was Holden's reaction?
She had packed her bag to go with him. He told her she couldn't go, which made her angry. Then Holden told her he wasn't going, because he didn't want her to be angry.
Who is Phoebe?
She is Holden's little sister, who he likes a lot.
Identify Sally Hayes.
She was a girl Holden sometimes dated. He didn't like her too much, but he thought she was good looking.
What was Phoebe's reaction when she first saw Holden? What was her reaction when she found out that he had been expelled?
She was glad to see him and hugged him. Then she said their rather would hill Holden when he found out he'd been expelled.
What happened to the composition Holden wrote for Stradlater?
Stradlater insulted Holden about the topic, and Holden ripped it up.
What was the "big mess" Holden got into when he got back to the hotel after being at Ernie's?
The elevator operator set him up with a prostitute and told him the fee was $5.00. When she arrived, he decided he didn't want her services, and paid her the $5.00. She said it was $10.00, but Holden refused to pay the extra $5.00.
Describe Holden's relationship with Jane Gallagher.
They seem to be good friends, playing checkers, going to movies, and talking, but there was no advanced romantic involvement between them.
Identify, Bernice, Marty and Laverne.
They are three women whom Holden met and danced with in the Lavender Room.
What did Holden and Luce discuss?
They discussed Luce's romantic life and Holden's lack of one.
