The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

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 does Maurice want from Holden?

5 bucks

Who is James Castle?

A boy who killed himself wearing Holden's sweater while ate Elkton Hills

How does Holden answer Phoebe's question about the one thing he really likes?

Allie

What did Holden write the descriptive essay about?

Allie's baseball mitt that has poems written on it in green pen

Carl Luce

Classmate of Holden's at the Whooton School. He meets Holden at Ernie's for drinks. Very mature. Dates a Chinese woman in her late thirties. Knows a lot about perverts

What song does Holden hear the kid singing?

Coming thru the rye

Holden's favorite author is

D.B. Caulfield (his brother)

What did Holden like best about the museum?

Everything always stayed where it was.

Lillian Simmons

Former girlfriend of D.B., Holden runs into her at Ernie's

What do we learn about Holden from his diversion about his gloves being stolen at Pencey?

He calls himself a coward, but he is really too humane to hurt anyone.

Where did Holden decide to go?

He decided to leave Pencey early and 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. (thinking about James Castle laying dead)

Why did Holden check out of 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.

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.

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 at a rest home in California.

Who did Holden 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.

Who 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 cruel joke does Holden play on the girls from the bar?

He pretends to see a movie star

What was Holden's reply when Phoebe asked him why he "got the ax again"?

He said it was one of the worst school he 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. Holden claims he was a "secret slob."

Why did Holden sit on the bench even though it was raining buckets?

He was enjoying watching Phoebe ride the carousel.

Why doesn't Holden go down to see Jane?

He wasn't in the mood. (depression)

Where did Holden go after seeing Phoebe 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 does Holden leave Ernie's Night Club?

He's avoiding Lillian Simmons

Why did Stradlater hit Holden?

Holden called him a moron and then threw a punch at him.

What does the reader find out about Allie's funeral?

Holden didn't go, he was in the hospital because he broke his hand punching the garage windows out of grief

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.

Who was Robert Ackley?

Holden's next door roommate. He had a pimply face. He was a nuisance and rather nasty.

Who is Phoebe

Holden's sister

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.

Who is the best character in Romeo and Juliet according to Holden?

Mercutio

Holden and Jane's relationship consisted of

Playing tennis and golf during the summer and playing checkers at Jane's house

Holden said his name was ____________, the name of the janitor

Rudolf Schmidt

What does Holden order at the bar and what is he actually served?

Scotch, Coke

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 father would kill 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.

the Lunts

The actors in the play from Sally's date

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.

Sunny

The prostitute whom Holden hires through Maurice. She is one of a number of women in the book with whom Holden clumsily attempts to connect.

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.

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

Holden buys _______ for Phoebe

a record of "Little Shirley Beans"

What does Holden buy in New York for a buck?

a red hunting hat

How does Holden describe Ernest to Mrs. Morrow?

a very sensitive, funny, shy, and modest guy who ran for class president

What does "yellow" mean?

cowardly

Who is Faith Cavendish?

former burlesque dancer; a lady of the night; Holden calls her from the Edmont to try to set up a date but it's too late

what is "flitty"

gay

What does Holden and Sally do after they go to the movies?

go ice skating

What does Holden do to kill time before he visits Carl?

goes to the movies

Holden is leaving Pencey Prep because

he is failing nearly all of his classes (4/5, not English)

Holden becomes angry with Stradlater because

he refuses to talk about his date with Holden's childhood friend Jane Gallagher

What does the reader learn about D.B. near the end of the book?

he was in the Army

Why does Holden go to Central Park?

he's looking for Phoebe

Where does Holden find Phoebe when he sneaks home?

in D.B.'s bedroom

What sorts of talks did Holden have with Carl in the past?

sex talks

How does Holden describe Ernest to himself?

the biggest bastard that ever went to Pencey

Holden argues with the cab driver about

the ducks in Central Park

What does Holden ask the cab driver about?

the ducks in the lagoon in Central Park

Who is Ernest Morrow?

the son of the woman Holden meets on the train, a classmate that he dislikes but lies about to his mother

What do the nuns do for a living?

they are teachers

What happened to Holden's gloves?

they were stolen at Pencey

After his fight with Stradlater, Holden decides

to leave Pencey

Is Holden a phony?

yes

Is this book full of phonies?

yes