The Catcher In The Rye—Literary Road Map

Catcher in the Rye Name ______date ______period______Chapters 1-5

Literary Devices symbol—something that is itself but also stands for something else motif—an image, metaphor, or symbol that appears over and over again in a work

Guided Reading Questions Directions: On a separate sheet of paper, answer each of the following questions as you read each chapter. Provide a quote and page # to support each of your responses.

Chapter 1 1. Where is Holden as he narrates the story? 2. How does Holden feel about his brother, D.B? Explain. 3. What is Pencey Prep, and why does Holden dislike it? 4. Why is Holden being kicked out of Pencey Prep? 5. What kind of health does Holden appear to be in? 6. What inferences can you make about Holden because he’s not at big football game vs. Saxon Hall?

Chapter 2 1. Who is Mr. Spencer and why does Holden visit him? 2. What advice does Spencer give Holden? Does it work? How do you know? 3. What can you infer about Holden’s character through his note to Mr. Spencer? 4. What does Holden think about as he is “shooting the bull” with Mr. Spencer? 5. Evaluate Holden’s character based on his visit with Spencer.

Chapter 3 1. What does Holden mean when he says, “I’m quite illiterate, but I read a lot?” Give examples of what he reads. 2. Who is Ackley? Describe him. Is he like Holden in any way? 3. Describe Holden’s hat. 4. What do you think is the significance of this hat? Explain. 5. What would Holden like to do in regards to an author of a book he likes? What does this say about his character?

Chapter 4 1. What favor does Stradlater ask Holden? 2. With whom does Stradlater have a date? Why does this worry Holden? 3. What does Holden tell Stradlater about Jane Gallagher? Why is this important? 4. What is Holden glad to see Ackley for a change? 5. Why doesn’t Holden go down to see Jane? What inferences can you make about Holden based on this inaction?

Chapter 5 Catcher in the Rye Name ______date ______period______1. About what did Holden write Stradlater’s composition? 2. Describe Holden’s deceased brother, Allie. 3. How did Holden react to Allie’s death? How might this affect his current attitude toward life?

Delving In Directions: Choose ONE of the following questions for which you write a response. Your response should be 1-2 paragraphs and must include appropriate examples/quotes from the text.

1. Holden is critical of many things and often uses the word “phony” to express his criticism. What would you say he is critical of? 2. Why do you think Holden is concerned about the ducks during the winter? (Hint: perhaps he feels an affinity with their situation?)

Chapters 6-10 Literary Devices symbol—something that is itself but also stands for something else Catcher in the Rye Name ______date ______period______motif—an image, metaphor, or symbol that appears over and over again in a work hyperbole—conscious exaggeration

Guided Reading Questions Directions: Answer each of the following questions as you read each chapter. Provide a quote and page # to support each of your responses.

Chapter 6 1. How does Stradlater react to Holden’s composition? 2. Why is Holden so concerned about what happened with Jane Gallagher and Stradlater? What does this possibly reveal about Holden? 3. Over what do Holden and Stradlater fight? 4. Evaluate the significance of Holden’s hunting cap as related to Holden’s state of mind.

Chapter 7 1. How is Holden feeling about his current situation? 2. What is he thinking about while lying in bed?

3. What does Holden ask Ackley about? What does this say about his character? 4. What is his final good-bye to Pencey Prep? 5. Why do you think Holden was crying as he left?

Chapter 8 1. What does Holden think of Mrs. Morrow? 2. What are some of the lies Holden tells Mrs. Morrow? 3. Why do you think he tells her these things? 4. “But I wouldn’t visit…Morrow if for all the dough in the world, even if I was desperate” (58). Desperate for what? Is Holden desperate?

Chapter 9 1. Sally Hayes’ mother says that Holden “was wild and that [he] had no direction in life” (59). Would you agree? Why? 2. The cab driver thinks Holden is kind of crazy for asking him a certain question. What is this question? Is it a question that he has been concerned with before? (a possible motif???) 3. What’s so terrible about the bellboy? What does this reveal about Holden’s character? 4. What type of place is the Edmont? What types of people are staying there? 5. What is Holden’s opinion about sex? 6. What kind of person is Faith Cavendish? 7. Holden calls other people phony. Does he count as one sometimes as well? Catcher in the Rye Name ______date ______period______Chapter 10 1. Who is Phoebe? Describe her. 2. What happens at the Lavender Room? 3. What evidence is there that shows us that Holden probably doesn't look as old as he says he looks?

Delve In Directions: Complete #1 and then choose one of the other questions for which you write a response. Your response should be 1-2 paragraphs and must include appropriate examples/quotes from the text.

1. Select the red hunting hat, the ducks in Central Park, or anything else as a symbol to analyze. Discuss how Salinger develops the symbol, discuss its meaning, and explain how the symbol is significant (why Salinger decided to put it in?) 2. Is Holden himself guilty of being a phony? 3. Is Holden mature or immature? Or both? How do you know?

Chapters 11-14 Guided Reading Questions Directions: Answer each of the following questions as you read each chapter. Provide a quote and page # to support each of your responses.

Chapter 11 1. What is Holden worried about in terms of Jane and Stradlater? Why? What does this reveal about his Holden’s character? 2. Why is Jane so special to Holden? Describe their past relationship.

Chapter 12 1. Why is Holden feeling lonesome and depressed at the beginning of chapter 12? 2. What do you make of Holden’s fascination with the Central Park ducks? Catcher in the Rye Name ______date ______period______3. Why does Holden ask the cab driver to “stop off and have a drink” when he hardly knows him and hasn’t exactly had a pleasant conversation thus far? 4. Based on Holden’s description, what is his perception of Ernie? 5. Describe the “characters” that surround Holden at Ernie’s. 6. Who is Lillian Simmons? 7. Why does Holden leave after his encounter with Lillian and her date?

Chapter 13 1. What does Holden mean when he says he is a “yellow guy” (88)? 2. Previously, Holden stated he was a “pacifist.” Does his description of how he would deal with the "glove thief" support this, or is he just "yellow"? 3. Why does Holden stop when girls tell him to? 4. Holden says he would rather push a guy out a window or chop his head off; he follows this up by saying he can’t stand to look at a guy’s face in a fist fight. What do these comments suggest about Holden’s character? 5. How is Holden feeling in this chapter? 6. What is the “big mess” Holden gets himself into? 7. Based on his description of his encounter with intimacy, what is Holden’s opinion on sex? 8. Describe Holden’s experience with Sunny. 9. What are some of the lies Holden tells Sunny?

Chapter 14 1. What specific memory does Holden describe at the beginning of the chapter? 2. Does Holden have any guilty feelings about Allie? Do you feel this is abnormal in any way, or normal? 3. What evidence shows us that Holden might have made a good actor? 4. What does Holden claim his religious beliefs to be? Explain. 5. Describe what happens between Holden and Maurice. 6. After Maurice punches Holden, describe the fantasy that Holden has. 7. By the end of the chapter, what is Holden’s state of mind? 8. Does Holden seem to be in a downward spiral? Explain.

Delve In Directions: Choose ONE of the following questions for which you write a response. Your response should be 1-2 paragraphs and must include appropriate examples/quotes from the text.

1. We find out a lot about Holden through his reactions to and thoughts about Jane Gallagher. What do we discover about Holden’s character? 2. What is Holden’s mental and emotional state? How do you know? Catcher in the Rye Name ______date ______period______

Chapters 15-24 Day Two of Holden’s journey into “madness” From the desk of Dr. … For “day two” of the novel, imagine that you are Holden’s psychiatrist as he sits before you relaying this “madman stuff that happened to [him] around last Christmas” (1). Write a journal entry (as his psychiatrist) in which you respond to his story (every 2 chapters).

Use your prior knowledge of Holden (chapters 1-14) and include in your comments the emerging themes, symbols, and motifs. These story aspects should seamlessly fit with your “professional notes” as a “doctor.”

Each entry (total of 5) should be a minimum of ½ page typed (1½ spacing).

Guided Reading Questions Directions: Answer each of the following questions as you read each chapter. Provide a quote and page # to support each of your responses. Chapter 15 1. What is the point that Holden tries to make about people when he elaborates about the suitcases of the nuns and of his former roommate? Catcher in the Rye Name ______date ______period______2. How does Holden treat the nuns? 3. Why does Holden think it spoils a conversation if someone asks what religion he is? Chapter 16 1. Who does Holden make a date with? Why does he call her up if he thinks she's a phony? 2. How does Holden treat little kids? Give an example. 3. What is the significance of the young boy with his parents that Holden sees on Broadway? 4. Does Holden know his way around the city? What does this tell us about him? Chapter 17 1. What does Holden’s comment (about Sally) “sudden[ly] [I] felt like I was in love with her and wanted to marry her” show about his current emotional state? 2. How does Holden feel about Sally as the date progresses? 3. What does Holden admit to Sally about his health? 4. As a result of his mental state, what two things does Holden suggest to Sally? 5. Why does Holden feel the need to escape now rather than later in life? Chapter 18 1. Who is Carl Luce? 2. What does the Radio City movie prompt Holden to think about? 3. What opinions does Holden have about war? Chapter 19 1. Has Holden matured at all since first knowing Carl Luce? Prove it! 2. What more do we learn about Holden’s opinion about sex? 3. What does Luce suggest to Holden? Chapter 20 1. What does Holden pretend happens to him at the Wicker Bar? 2. What happens to Phoebe’s record? How does he feel at this point? 3. Where does Holden go after he leaves the bar? 4. What information does Holden finally tell us about Allie’s funeral? 5. What does Holden say about Allie that contradicts all his other statements about being an atheist? 6. Besides Allie, what are some of Holden’s other thoughts as he sits in Central Park? 7. After he leaves the park, where does Holden go? Chapter 21 1. What does Holden find so intriguing about Phoebe’s notebook? 2. What is the one critique Holden has about Phoebe? 3. Why does Phoebe become so upset? Chapter 22 1. What does it tell us about Holden when Phoebe states, "You don't like anything that's happening"? 2. Why does Holden think about James Castle when Phoebe asks him to name one thing that he likes a lot? 3. What does it tell us about Holden when he says, "Just because somebody's dead, you don't just stop liking them, for God's sake---especially if they were a thousand times nicer than the people you know that're alive and all" (171)? 4. What does Holden tell Phoebe he'd like to be? Why? Chapter 23 1. Who is Mr. Antolini? Catcher in the Rye Name ______date ______period______2. How does Phoebe cover for Holden when their parents come home? 3. In talking with her parents (top 178) how does Phoebe "sound" like Holden? 4. What does Phoebe do that makes Holden cry? Chapter 24 1. Why did Holden fail his speech class? 2. How does Holden feel physically while he talks to Mr. Antolini? 3. What does Holden say about him hating people, such as Ackley and Stradlater? 4. What does Antolini's quote mean: "The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one” (188). 5. How does Antolini upset and scare Holden? Can you relate this to Holden's previous digression about "flits"?

Chapter 25-26 Literary Definitions theme – underlying meaning of a literary work. It makes some statement about or expresses some opinion on a topic. (For example, the topic of a story might be war, while the theme might be the idea that war is useless.)

Guided Reading Questions

Directions: Answer each of the following questions as you read each chapter. Provide a quote and page # to support each of your responses.

Chapter 25 1. Later, after he has had time to think about it, what does Holden think about Antolini? 2. What strange feeling does Holden start to have when he steps off of curbs? Why does he keep repeating, "Allie, don't let me disappear"? 3. What does Holden decide he must do next? Where does he first go? 4. With all the bad language that Holden uses, why was he so upset that curse words were written on a school wall? 5. How does Holden treat the two small boys in the museum? 6. Why is it so important to Holden that Phoebe not be mad at him? Relate this to his past, and Allie. 7. What does Holden mean when he states, "The thing with kids is, if they want to grab for the gold ring, you have to let them do it, and not say anything. If they fall off, they fall off, but it's bad if you say anything to them"? 8. How is the carrousel symbolic? Chapter 26 1. Why shouldn’t we ever tell anybody anything? Catcher in the Rye Name ______date ______period______