Catcher in the Rye Chapter 1-8 Questions and Answers

How does Holden determine whether a book is outstanding?

A book is outstanding if, when you are finished reading it, you wish that the author was a good friend, and you could call him on the telephone whenever you felt like it.

According to Stradlater, what constitutes a good composition?

A good composition, according to Stradlater, is one which has all the punctuation in the right places.

According to Ackley, what was it about Howie Coyle which made him a good basketball player?

Ackley felt that being a good basketball player was simply a question of having a perfect build for basketball.

Why does Ackley not want to play canasta?

Ackley says that it is late, and he has to get up early to go to Mass.

Why does Ackley not like Stradlater?

Ackley thinks that Stradlater is conceited and has a superior attitude.

Give an example of something which Ackley considered very funny.

Ackley thought it was funny when the tennis racket hit Holden on the head.

What is Ackley's characteristic response whenever he is asked to go somewhere with the other boys?

Ackley's usual response is never to answer right away. Then he asks who else is going.

How did Allie die?

Allie died of leukemia on July 18, 1946.

According to Holden, Ackley and Stradlater are both slobs. In what way are they different as slobs?

Both are slobs, but Stradlater is a secret slob, who looks good on the outside.

Who is D.B., and why is Holden somewhat contemptuous of him?

D.B. is Holden's older brother, who is a writer. Holden thinks he has prostituted himself because he is in Hollywood writing scripts for movies rather than writing short stories.

What advice did Dr. Thurmer give to Holden?

Dr. Thurmer said that life was a game and should be played according to the rules.

What does Holden think about the other students who attend Pencey?

He says that Pencey is full of crooks. The more expensive the school is, the more crooks it has. Yet he did mention that Tichener and Campbell were nice guys.

What does Ackley usually do when he comes to visit Holden?

He usually walks around the room and picks up Holden's personal things from his desk and chiffonier. What is equally irritating to Holden is that he always puts things back in the wrong places, seemingly on purpose.

Why does Holden watch the game from the hill?

He was reluctant to go down to the stands because he feared he would be ignored by the other students, due to his having left the fencing equipment on the subway train the day before. He was the team manager and, because of his error, the team was unable to compete.

Who is Holden Caulfield?

Holden Caulfield is the narrator of the story. He has just been asked to leave Pencey Prep for failing four subjects. He is telling the story from California, where he is recuperating from being run-down.

What is it that really upsets Ackley?

Holden asks Ackley about joining a monastery. Ackley interprets this as making fun of his religion.

Does Holden express dislike or sympathy for Ackley at the end of this chapter?

Holden catalogs all of Ackley's physical problems and concludes that one had to feel sorry for him.

What does Holden decide when he leaves Ackley's room?

Holden decides to leave Pencey Prep right away instead of waiting until Wednesday.

What did Holden think about Mr. Spencer's description of his parents as "grand people"?

Holden disliked the use of the word "grand." He said that use of it was phony.

What does Holden think about as he lies in Ely's bed?

Holden does not think about his own pain and humiliation. Rather, he thinks about Jane and whether she was able to resist the allures of Stradlater.

How does Holden feel as he is about to leave Pencey Prep?

Holden feels sad, but covers up his feelings by shouting, "Sleep tight, ya morons!"

What is the reality of Pencey Prep in contrast to the advertisements, as seen by Holden?

Holden feels that Pencey has high academic standards, but he is skeptical about its claim to mold boys into" splendid, clear-thinking young men." He thinks that those boys who were splendid and clear thinkers were probably such before they enrolled.

Did Holden agree with Dr. Thurmer's description of life as a game? Explain your answer.

Holden felt that life was a game only if you were on the team with all the "hot-shots." But if you were on the other side, i.e., with no hot-shots, then it was not a game.

What does Holden do before looking in the mirror?

Holden first puts on his hunting cap.

How popular was the sport of polo at Pencey Prep?

Holden implies that polo was only in the minds of the school publicists. He himself had never seen a horse near the place.

Why does Holden become angry with Ackley?

Holden is angry because Ackley is interested only in the reasons for the fight rather than providing comfort for Holden.

What is it about Ackley that Holden finds annoying?

Holden is annoyed by Ackley's poor personal hygiene, his lack of respect for the privacy of others, and his overall thoughtlessness.

Why was Holden trying to "feel" some kind of good-bye?

Holden is concerned because he did not feel happy or sad about leaving Pencey. He wants to feel something because he says you do not know you are doing something until you feel it.

Why is Holden so interested in what happened on Stradlater's date?

Holden is concerned that Stradlater may take advantage of Jane Gallagher.

Why is Holden glad to see Ackley return to his room?

Holden is glad to see Ackley because his presence distracts Holden from worrying about Jane Gallagher.

What makes Holden so lonely that he wakes up Ackley?

Holden is lonely because Stradlater returns to the room without showing any interest in Holden's well-being.

Why did Holden leave Elkton Hills School?

Holden left Elkton Hills School primarily because he was surrounded by phonies.

Why does Holden punch Stradlater?

Holden punches Stradlater because he assumes that Stradlater had seduced Jane on their date.

Does Holden blame others for his flunking out of school?

Holden readily admits that he did not apply himself, although he had been warned frequently that he was in danger of failing.

Why does packing his ice skates make Holden sad?

Holden reflects that his mother bought him this thoughtful gift, and he is disappointing her again by being expelled. He adds that almost every time someone gives him a present, it ends up making him sad.

Was Pencey Prep really the fourth school from which Holden was asked to leave? Explain your answer.

Holden said it was "about the fourth school," but the names of only two other schools are mentioned in the novel: Whooton School and Elkton Hills School.

According to Holden, why was Ernest Morrow not elected president of the class?

Holden said that Ernest was not elected president because he would not allow his classmates to nominate him.

What excuse did Holden give Mr. Spencer for having to end the visit?

Holden said that he had to go to the gym to pick up equipment in order to take it home with him.

Holden told Mr. Spencer not to worry about him. What reason did he give for not worrying?

Holden said that he was just going through a phase and that everyone goes through phases.

What does Holden say about Jane Gallagher's home life that piqued Stradlater's curiosity?

Holden says that Jane's stepfather used to run around the house naked in front of her.

Why does Holden smoke in bed?

Holden smokes in bed because it irritates Stradlater.

Why does Mrs. Morrow keep calling Holden by the name Rudolf?

Holden told Mrs. Morrow that his name was Rudolf Schmidt.

Why does Holden walk to the train station?

Holden walks to the train station because it is too late to call a cab.

What was Holden thinking about while he said the following: "I told him I was a real moron, and all that stuff. I told him how I would've done exactly the same thing if I'd been in his place, and how most people didn't appreciate how tough it is being a teacher."

Holden was thinking about the ducks in Central Park, i.e., where they went when the lagoon froze over.

What does Holden write about for Stradlater's composition?

Holden writes about his brother Allie's baseball mitt.

What had Mr. Spencer bought and shown the boys when they were visiting him one Sunday?

Mr. Spencer had bought a Navajo blanket from an Indian in Yellowstone Park.

Who is Mr. Spencer, and why was Holden going to visit him?

Mr. Spencer is Holden's history teacher. He had invited Holden to visit him because he knew that Holden was not returning to school after Christmas.

Why is Mrs. Morrow concerned about Ernest?

Mrs. Morrow feels that Ernest is too sensitive and serious, and, thus, not a "terribly good mixer."

Where does Mrs. Morrow invite Holden to visit Ernest in the summer?

Mrs. Morrow invites Holden to visit Ernest at Gloucester, Massachusetts during the summer.

What does Mrs. Morrow suspect is the reason for Holden's going home late on a Saturday night?

Mrs. Morrow suspects that someone in Holden's family may be sick.

Who is Ossenburger?

Ossenburger is the wealthy undertaker for whom a dormitory wing at Pencey Prep was named.

What was the substance of Ossenburger's speech?

Ossenburger said that when he was in trouble he prayed to God. In addition Jesus should be thought of as somone's buddy.

Who is Selma Thurmer, and why did Holden like her?

Selma is the daughter of the headmaster. Although she is not very attractive, Holden likes her because she is not a phony.

What favor does Stradlater ask of Holden?

Stradlater asks that Holden write a composition for him.

How does Holden know that Stradlater would not tell Jane Gallagher that he had been kicked out of Pencey Prep?

Stradlater does not care enough about Holden's predicament to even bother to mention it to Jane Gallagher.

Why is Stradlater nervous after hitting Holden?

Stradlater fears that he may have seriously injured Holden.

Where did Stradlater go on his date with Jane Gallagher?

Stradlater says that he spent the evening in the car with Jane.

When Stradlater asks Holden to write the composition for him, what does he say regarding the level of quality he wants?

Stradlater tells Holden not to work too hard on the composition or make it too good. It is necessary only that it be very descriptive.

What did Stradlater want to borrow from Holden?

Stradlater wanted to borrow Holden's hound's-tooth jacket.

Why does Stradlater not like the composition which Holden wrote for him?

Stradlater's understanding is that the essay should be a description of a room or a house. Holden wrote a description of his brother's baseball glove.

Why do Holden, Brossard, and Ackley not go to the movies after all?

They do not go to the movie because Brossard and Ackley had already seen the movie that was playing.

What was unique about the way in which Jane Gallagher played checkers?

When Jane Gallagher played checkers, she never moved any of her kings. She kept them all in the back row.

Why did Allie have writing on his baseball mitt?

Allie had poems written on the mitt so that he would have something to read when he was in the field, and nobody was up at bat.

Why does Holden not like to sit next to Brossard and Ackley at the movies?

Brossard and Ackley laugh excessively while watching a movie.

What card game does Brossard enjoy most of all?

Brossard enjoys playing bridge.

What does Holden have to say about Stradlater's sense of humor?

Holden says that Stradlater does not have too bad a sense of humor because he laughed at Holden's tap dancing.

What is it about Stradlater that makes him so dangerous on a date?

Holden says that Stradlater has a sincere voice coupled with a handsome body, which make him irresistible to girls.

What does Holden say in defense of Stradlater?

Holden says that Stradlater is generous in sharing his clothing.

According to Holden, how can you identify a moron?

Holden says that a moron can be recognized in that he never wants to discuss anything intelligently.

What is Holden's reaction to all the blood?

Holden says that he is partly scared and partly fascinated by the blood. Also, he feels that it makes him look tough.

What is Holden's explanation for going home on Saturday?

Holden says that he needs an operation because he has a small brain tumor.

When Ackley insists on hearing the reasons for the fight, how does Holden answer him?

Holden says that the fight was over Stradlater's saying that Ackley had a lousy personality. Sadly, Ackley believes him, but then Holden tells him that he was kidding.

How would you describe Holden's attitude toward athletes?

Holden sees athletes as a clique which is dispensed from following the rules.

How did Holden react to Allie's death?

Holden slept in the garage the night Allie died and broke all the windows in the garage with his fist.

Because Holden likes Mrs. Morrow, what does he tell her about Ernest?

Holden tells Mrs. Morrow that Ernest is shy, modest, and one of the most popular boys at Pencey Prep.

What does Holden say when asked whether he likes Pencey Prep?

Holden tells Mrs. Morrow that it is as good as most schools, and that some of the faculty are "pretty conscientious."

What excuse does Holden give to Mrs. Morrow for not being able to visit Ernest in the summer?

Holden tells her that he will be going to South America with his grandmother in the summer.

In Holden's opinion why does Pencey Prep serve steak on Saturday night?

Holden thinks that steak is served on Saturday so that when parents who visit on Sunday ask what was served last night, the boys would answer, "Steak."

Why did Holden write Mr. Spencer a note at the end of his examination paper?

Holden wrote the note so that Mr. Spencer would not feel badly about flunking him.

Who are Holden's favorite authors?

Holden's favorite authors are his brother, D.B., and Ring Lardner.