The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger Study Guide

Where is Holden as the story begins?

As the story begins, Holden is at a rest home that he was sent to for therapy.

Where and what is Pencey Prep?

Pencey Prep is a school in Pennsylvania that Holden attends, but he is not successful there.

Why was Holden being kicked out of Pencey Prep?

Holden failed four out of five subjects and only passed English.

Who is Mr. Spencer and why does Holden visit him?

Mr. Spencer is one of Holden's teachers. He has a strong connection with Holden but has to be strict with him. He talks to Holden about his future saying "Life is a game that one plays according to the rules."

Who is Ackley? Describe him.

Ackley is a student who lives next door to Holden. He is irritating to Holden and always barges in on him. He also has bad hygiene.

Why did it make Holden nervous that Stradlater was going out with Jane Gallagher?

Holden cares about Jane and has feelings for her, also Stradlater is sexually oriented and that worries Holden because he is protective over Jane.

Who is Allie, and why is his baseball mitt so special to Holden?

Allie is Holden's brother who died of leukemia several years ago. He was smart, nice, innocent, and had bright red hair. Allie used the mitt and copied poems onto it in ink.

Holden says that he is a "pacifist". What is that, and is he?

A pacifist is someone who doesn't use violence to solve problems; Holden is the opposite because as soon as he begins to get angry, he throws the first blow.

Why does Holden suddenly decide to visit Ackley's room?

He didn't want to stay in the same room as Stradlater after their fight.

Why do you think Holden was crying as he left Pencey Prep?

He probably felt bad for getting kicked out of his schools over and over again, and he didn't get to say goodbye to anyone.

How does Holden get to New York?

Holden walks to the train station then takes a train where he meets the mother of one of his classmates.

What are some of the lies Holden tells Mrs. Morrow?

Holden lies about her son by saying he's popular and a modest leader. Holden also says that he is leaving Pencey because of a brain tumor surgery.

Holden calls other people phony. In what way is he one?

Holden acts phony to everyone, one example is how he always tries to act more mature to make people believe he is older.

Who is Phoebe, and what is Holden's opinion of her?

Phoebe is Holden's sister, he completely respects her and believes she is mature beyond her years.

What evidence is there that shows us that Holden probably doesn't look as old as he says he looks.

Everyone that Holden tries to make an advance on by acting older shuts him down and even laughs at him.

Holden recalls a summer with Jane and the time he kissed her when she was crying. Why was she crying?

Jane was crying because he mother's boyfriend abuses her.

What do Holden and the cab driver talk about?

Holden and the cab driver talk about the ducks and the fish because Holden is fascinated with the question of where the ducks go. (a metaphor)

What excuse does Holden give for declining Sunny? What does this reveal about Holden?

Holden is flustered, nervous, and cowardly; he shows this when he says he is recovering from an operation.

Does Holden have any guilty feelings about Allie?

Holden has guilty feelings for Allie because he remembers when he excluded him from the bebe gun fight (pg. 99)

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?

Holden is being superficial and says you can tell a lot about a person from their possessions.

How does Holden treat little kids? Give an example.

Holden is extremely nice to little kids, he is almost too nice to them. He treats them better then anyone else, one example is when he is admiring the little boy on the curb.

How do Holden's feelings for women compare to his feelings for men?

Holden likes women but feels bad for them because he believes they will always end up with bad men. Holden dislikes men.

Why does Holden want to take off with Sally now instead of after college? What is the difference in his eyes?

If they wait until college, Holden believes that they will lose some of their youth and have to gain responsibilities to join the adult world.

What is Holden's opinion of the Christmas show at Radio City?

He doesn't like it because he doesn't understand the religion behind it, but he likes one scene with the drummer.

Why did Holden think the woman who cried though the movie was a phony?

Even though she seemed kind and sensitive for crying, she didn't care about her son that wanted to go to the bathroom, which makes Holden believe she is a phony.

Who was Luce to Holden?

Luce was Holden's student advisor at Whooton. He changed completely to a big-shot cocky guy who is obsessed with sex.

What information does Holden finally tell us about Allie's funeral?

Holden tells us that he didn't attend Allie's funeral. He feels like he never said goodbye to him so he doesn't have the closure that Allie is actually gone.

What does Holden find so intriguing about Phoebe's note-book?

He finds it interesting that she changes her middle name form Josephine to Weatherfield.

Why did it depress Holden when an "old guy" told him that his days at Pencey Prep were the happiest days of his life?

This depressed Holden because he realizes that, where he is now, Pencey was the the happiest place he had been too.

Holden tells Phoebe that he wants to be a "catcher in the rye." What does he mean by this?

Holden means that he wants to keep kids from growing up by securing their youth and protecting their innocence.

What does Phoebe do that makes Holden cry?

Phoebe gives him all of her Christmas money so that Holden is able to reamin living on the streets for a little while longer.

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"?

It means that all the immature man wants is glory and recognition from his peers, while the mature one is self-content with himself, confident in himself.

Later, after he has had time to think about it, what does Holden think about Antolini?

First of all he thinks that maybe he over-reacted to what happened. Antolini was still a pretty decent guy.

Why does he keep repeating, "Allie, don't let me disappear"?

Because of the previous feelings that he has about disappearing off the edge of the curb, he asks for the help of his brother to keep him safe. I think he's getting delirious and really misses Allie.

With all the bad language that Holden uses, why was he so upset that curse words were written on a school wall?

I think he is upset because these kids are starting off in the world with negative surroundings. It will turn them into mean bitter phony people.

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"?

What Holden means by this is you have to let kids be kids. In the past, Holden tends to have a protective nature, evident throughout the novel when he is extremely friendly and caring to little kids. He has previously stated that he wants to be a catcher in the rye, protecting little kids from harm. In this instance, he now realizes that it is a futile job.

At the conclusion, where is Holden?

Holden has just finished telling his story (to his psychoanalyst and apparently DB) at a rest home. He's going to a new school in the fall.

The Secret Goldfish

book of short stories written by D.B.; Holden enjoys this series

D.B.

Holden' brother; a writer; lives in Hollywood; Holden respects him but describes him as a prostitute

California

where the story begins; where Holden lives in some sort of medical institute

Mr. Haas

headmaster of previous school; a phony; only converses with the popular parents

Robert Ackley

guy that roomed right next to Holden; very tall, very bad teeth, had a lot of pimples, nasty; hates Stradlater; Holden is sympathetic for him and feels bad for him

Ed Banky

the basketball coach; let's Stradlater borrow his car

Ward Stradlater

Holden's roommate at Pencey Prep; is handsome, self-satisfied, and popular, but Holden calls him a "secret slob," because he appears well groomed but is disgustingly unclean (appearence vs. reality); doesn't like when Holden breaks the rules but will break them himself when it benefits him; doesn't care about girls

Spencer

Holden's history teacher; portrayed as very gross hold man; has the grippe; failed Holden in history

Mal Brossard

Holden's friend; goes to the movies with Holden and Ackley

The Lagoon in Central Park South

represens transition/ change; Holden wonders what's going on with the ducks and where they are going to go and wonders the same about himself

Saturday Night Meals at Pencey

appearance vs. reality; from the outside seemed very nice- steak, mashed potatoes, parents could ask what they had for dinner and respond "steak" but really the steaks were hard and the mashed were lumpy and was very gross

Thurmer

the head master of Pencey Prep; tells Holden life is like a game; is a phony

Egyptians

Holden wrote his research paper about them but knew nothing and made it all up; shows that he doesn't care enough to try and completely disengages himself from class

Jane Gallagher

goes on a date with Stradlater; Stradlater doesn't care about her; was Holden's neighbor; used to not move any of her kings in checker; had a bad childhood; it's obvious Holden likes her and really worries and cares for her; Holden is constantly nervous for her

Mr. Zambesi

Biology teacher who told Holden to move on from football- makes Holden realize his goodbye; symbolizes that Holden needs to move on from childhood

Robert Tichener

playing football with Holden when Mr. Zambesi stopped them

Paul Campbell

playing football with Holden when Mr. Zambesi stopped them

Selma Thurmer

headmaster's daughter; unattractive but Holden likes her because she knows her dad is a phony

McBurney School

a real school in N.Y.

Ossenburger

Holden's dorm was named after him; he made a lot of money by making a cheap burial service; when came to speak at Pencey Prep talked about religion but doesn't really believe it, this makes Holden thinks he is a phony.

Edgar Marsalla

farted while Ossenburger was speaking at Pencey Prep and Thurmer wanted to expel him

July 18, 1946

The day Allie, Holden's brother died. Helps us infer that the book takes place in December 1949; that night Holden slept in the garage and broke all the windows.

Hollywood

where D.B. lives; Holden hates it because Holden hates the movies.

Phoebe

Holden's little sister, mature. understands that Holden is unhappy. Holden appreciates every minute detail of her existence, it appears, including her stories about "Hazle Weatherfield, Girl Detective." Holden treats her with more respect and kindness than he treats any other character in the story. she simply wants to be there for him. In the end, it is her willingness to go to the ends of the earth with him that wakes Holden up to the impossibility of his idealism and accepts reality.

Ernest Morrow

"the biggest bastard that ever went to Pencey." Holden meets his mother on the train to New York and lies about how popular and respected Ernest is at school.

"The Abraham Lincoln, sincere voice."

how Holden describes Stadlater when talking to girls

Rudolf Schmidt

janitor at Pencey. Holden uses his name as a as his own when he talks to Mrs. Morrow on the train to New York

Sally Hayes

Holden goes to a matinee with her. She is very good looking but very annoying. Holden asks her to run away with him to New England, where they would live in a cabin in the wilderness together. Holden calls her a pain in the butt.

Carl Luce

went to the Whooton school with Holden, tells Holden he needs to be enlightened because he is immature

Whooton

a school Holden attended

Faith Cavendish

stripper and prostitute. Holden calls her late at night to set up a date, but she refuses to go.

The Lavender Room

the bar in the Edmont hotel where Holden goes late at night.

Jim Steele

Holden tells Bernice, Marty, and Laverne that this is his name

Jane Gallagher

was a close friend/neighbor of Holden frequently reminisces about spending time with her and her corrupted childhood with her "boozehound" of a step father. Holden speaks about her in entirely positive terms; he is in love with her.

Ernie's

The piano bar that Holden goes to where the jazz piano player Ernie works, but Ernie knows he is famous so Holden doesn't like him.

Horwitz

The taxi cab driver that takes Holden to central park and Holden asks him about the ducks but he doesn't know.

Lillian Simmons

one of D.B.'s old girlfriends. Holden meets her at Ernie's and leaves to avoid her and her new boyfriend. He thinks she is phony and only wants to know how D.B. is.

Clavichord

made up body part that Holden that he tells Sunny he broke and therefore still recovering from his surgery

Maurice

The elevator man at the Edmond Hotel who is also a pimp, assaults Holden after he refuses to pay a ten-dollar fee to the prostitute he has arranged for Holden, told Holden the charge would only be five dollars, but he later cheats him on the price--pummeling Holden after the boy argues for the original price.

Sunny

a prostitute whom Holden hires for the evening but then rejects, demands a ten-dollar payment, but Holden had been led to believe that the charge would only be five.

Estelle Fletcher

singer of the song Little Shirley Beans

The Lunts

the stars of the show Sally and Holden saw

Elkton Hills

a school holden attended

Mr. Antolini

Holden's former English teacher at Elkton Hills, He lets Holden stay with him and his wife after Holden leaves his home. He tells Holden that he is headed for a fall and that he envisions Holden dying nobly for an unworthy cause. When Holden wakes up and finds him touching his head, he quickly leaves the house. he later rethinks the situation and realizes he over exaggerated

The kettle drums

in the Radio City show Holden likes the kettle drums because the guy that plays them only has one part but he gets into it and is genuine with his role.

The Wicker Bar

A bar where Holden meets Carl Luce.

James Castle

committed suicide by jumping out of his window after an argument wearing Holden's sweater

Grand Central

where Holden keeps his bags and has to sleep the night after he left Mr.Antolini's

Carrousel

The shows that Holden has accepted himself into the "adult world' by not going on it. He has accepted that he is grown up and when all the kids are reaching for the "gold ring, if they fall, they fall" you just have to let them "fall" out of childhood, which goes back to the cliff catcher in the rye scene, Holden no longer feels the responsibility of saving kids from falling into adulthood, because he knows that they are going to fall no matter what. Phoebe rides it and asks holden if he wants to.

Frederick Woodruff

Pencey student who buys Holden's typewriter for twenty dollars

Gladstones

type of nice suitcases that Holden owns. Often represents materialism

Anne Louise Sherman

one of Holden's ex-girlfriends

Eddie Birdsell

the person that tells Holden about Faith Cavendish who goes to princeton.

Bernice, Marty, and Laverne

three ugly girls that Holden meets at the Lavender Room. Holden dislikes them because they are very touristy.

Mr. Cudahy

Jane Gallagher's "booze hound" of a step-father

Arthur Childs

quaker from the whooton school who tells Holden that by disliking the disciples, he is disliking jesus and is very religious

Dick Slagle

Holden's roommate. Has cheep luggage but uses Holden's fancy luggage and says that they are his own. Appearance vs. Reality.

Louis Shaney

Catholic boy from the whooton school who Holden thinks only likes to have conversations with Catholic people and that's why he asked Holden if he is Catholic

Mrs. Aigletinger

The teacher that used to take Holden to the museum as a kid in elementary school

Al Pike

A guy that Jane Gallagher thought had an inferiority complex

Bob Robinson

Bob Robinson has an inferiority complex, according to Holden, but Jane thinks he is conceited because he tells her that he is captain of the debate team.

Tina and Janine

two french entertainers at the Wicker Bar. Holden dislikes them and thinks they are phony.

Annapolis

D.B. is writing a movie about it, but Holden feels he should not be writing the movie because he doesn't actually know anything about and therefore it is phony.