The Catcher in the Rye—Literary Road Map
Chapters 1-3
Word Mastery

hemorrhage (n.) massive, heavy bleeding	foils (n.) swords
grippe (n.) flu	gore (n.) blood
sadist (n.) torturer	innumerable (adj.) countless
falsetto (adj., n.) high voice	exhibitionist (n.) show-off
qualms (n.) misgivings	unscrupulous (adj.) unprincipled
pacifist (n. ) peace lover	crude (adj.) lacking tact or taste
compulsory (adj.) necessary	rostrum (n.) a platform or podium

Literary Definitions
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

• What does it mean to be true to yourself?

 

• What does it mean to be a good person?

 

Ch. 1

1. What does Holden mean when he says that his brother D.B. is out in Hollywood
   ”being a prostitute” (2)?
2. Where is Holden as the story begins? (1)
3. What is Pencey Prep, and why does Holden dislike it? (2)
4. How did Holden let the fencing team down? (3)
5. Why was Holden being kicked out of Pencey Prep? (4)
6. What kind of health does Holden appear to be in? (5)

Ch. 2

1. Who is Mr. Spencer and why does Holden visit him? (8)
2. What does Spencer do that particularly annoyed Holden?
3. What can you infer about Holden’s character through his note to Mr. Spencer?
4. What does Holden give us as the reason for “leaving” Elkton Hills? (13)
5. What is he wondering about in terms of the ducks? (13)

Ch. 3

1. What does Holden mean when he says, “I’m quite illiterate, but I read a lot?”  Give examples of what he reads. (18)
2. Who is Ackley?  Describe him. (19)
3. What does Ackley do that annoys Holden? (22)

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? (Incorporate at least 4 examples/quotes from text in your response.)
2. Why do you think Holden is concerned about the ducks during the winter (13)? (Hint: perhaps he feels an affinity with their situation?)

1.  Write a short story (3-4 paragraphs) in the style of J.D. Salinger.

 

Name:_____________________
English I Catcher in the Rye (1-3)
Vocabulary Quiz—2/20
Answer these questions in complete sentences.

1. Describe how you feel when you have grippe:

2. Who might use a foil?  Why?

 

3. Give me an example of an exhibitionist and say why they are an exhibitionist.

4. What might you do at a rostrum?

 

5. List 3 things in your life that are compulsory.

6. Give me an example of a pacifist and tell me why they are a pacifist.

 

7. Give me a detailed example of a sadist and tell me why they are a sadist.

8. Why might there be gore in a movie?

 

9. Give me two examples of crude behavior.

 

Write meaningful sentences with these words.  (You can use the back if you run out of room):

1. qualms:
2. hemorrhage:
3. unscrupulous:
4. innumerable:
5. falsetto:

 

 

 

Vocabulary Words

unanimous (adj.) all in agreement	snub (v.) to slight; behave coldly toward
conscientious (adj.) careful; honest; painstaking	nonchalant (adj.) seeming to be coolly unconcerned or indifferent
incognito (adj.) unknown	bourgeois (adj.) middle-class
putrid (adj.) rotten and disgusting	lavish (adj.) extravagant

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
hyperbole—conscious exaggeration

• Is it inevitable (unavoidable) that we conform to the world and society around us?
• How should a person adjust to a world they did not create?
• What happens when a person does not accept and does not play by the rules of the dominant culture?
• What does it mean to stay true to yourself?
• Is it possible to grow up without becoming phony?
• What does it mean to be a kind, decent person?
• What does it mean to be a pushover and what does it mean to be kind?
• Is it possible to protect everything that matters to you?
• Is life a game?

Chapter 5
1. Who is Allie, and why is his baseball mitt so special to Holden? (38)
2. Why did Holden's parents want to have him psychoanalyzed?  (39)

 

Chapter 6
1. What does Stradlater criticize Holden for? (41)
2. Why is Holden so concerned about what happened with Jane Gallagher and Stradlater? What does this possibly reveal about Holden? (42)
3. What do Holden and Stradlater fight over?
4. What does Holden put on after the fight? Have we seen him put this on before (45)?

 

Chapter 7
1. Holden decides to go visit Ackley.  How is he received by Ackley?
2. What is he thinking about while lying in bed? (49)
3. Why doesn’t Holden want to stay at Pencey any more? (50-51)
4. Where does Holden then decide to go? (51)
5. What is his final good-bye to Pencey Prep?
6. 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???)

• What’s so terrible about the bellboy? (61) What does this reveal about Holden’s character?
• What kind of person is Faith Cavendish? (66)
• Holden calls other people phony.  Does he count as one sometimes as well?

Chapter 10 (After reading about Phoebe, 66-68, you can skim the rest of the chapter)
1. Who is Phoebe, and what is Holden's opinion of her?
2. What evidence is there that shows us that Holden probably doesn't look as old as he says he looks?

Chapter 11
1. What is he 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. What do Holden and the cab driver talk about
2.  Why does Holden leave Ernie’s?

 

Chapter 13
1. Describe how Holden would deal with the “glove thief.”
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. Why do you think he doesn’t have sex with the prostitute?

Pick 2 questions to answer.  Have a claim, follow format, and incorporate 4-6 quotes for each claim.
1.  What is Holden’s mental and emotional state?  How do you know?
2.   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?)
3.   Is Holden himself guilty of being a phony?
4.  Is Holden mature or immature? Or both? How do you know?
5.  We find out a lot about Holden through his reactions to and thoughts about Jane Gallagher.  What do we discover about Holden’s character?

1.  Research J. D. Salinger’s life. Find the similarities between his life/character and Holden’s life/character.
2.  Find a map of New York City and label four places that are mentioned in the novel on your map.
3.  Do an extra Delve In question.
4.  Make a timeline of the places and events that take place, beginning with Holden’s time at Pencey Prep.

Please read Chapters 14-19 over Mardi Gras.  I will count every two chapters as a homework point.  Have fun! 
Chapter 14
1.      Does Holden have any guilty feelings about Allie?  Do you feel this is abnormal in any way, or normal?
2.      What made Holden cry?
3.      What evidence shows us that Holden might have made a good actor?

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?
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.      Does Holden know his way around the city?  What does this tell us about him?

 Chapter 17
1.      How do Holden's feelings for women compare to his feelings for men? (123)
2.      How does Holden feel about actors?  The Lunts? (124)
3.      What is Holden's point about the difference between men owning a car and men owning a horse? (131)
4.      How does Holden describe a boy's school when talking to Sally?  (131)
5.      Why does Holden want to take off with Sally now instead of after college?  What is the difference in his eyes?  (133)

Chapter 18
1.      What is Holden's opinion of the Christmas show at Radio City?  (137)
2.      Why did Holden think the woman who cried through the movie was a phony?  (140)

Chapter 19
1.      Why did Holden get mad at Luce for calling his (Luce's) old girlfriend the "Whore of New Hampshire"?
2.      Who was Luce to Holden?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vocabulary Words

halitosis (p. 155) bad breath (medical condition) boisterous (p. 150) loud and noisy pedagogical (p. 164) relating to teaching foyer (p. 158) entrance hall provocative (p. 164) stimulating; tending to provoke cockeyed (p. 169) foolish; ridiculous; absurd harrowing (p. 186) extremely distressing swanky (p. 180) fancy, high class reciprocal (p. 189) mutual; performed, experienced, or felt by both sides; interchanged, given by both sides digress (p. 183) wander; stray; get sidetracked; go off on a tangent bawling (p. 213) sobbing; crying

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.)

• What does it mean to be mature and immature?  What does it mean to be grown up?
• Why are people cruel to one another?
• How do people deal with seeing cruelty around them?
• What does it mean to stay true to yourself?
• Is it possible to grow up without becoming phony?
• Is it possible to protect everything that matters to you?

Chapter 20

1. What does Holden pretend happens to him at the Wicker Bar? (p. 150)
2. What happens to Phoebe’s record?  How does he feel at this point?
3. Where does Holden go after he leaves the bar? (p. 154)
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. 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.      Why did it depress Holden when an "old guy" told him that his days at Pencey were the happiest days of his life?
2.      What does it tell us about Holden when Phoebe states, "You don't like anything that's happening"?
3.      Why does Holden think about James Castle when Phoebe asks him to name one thing that he likes a lot?
4. 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"?
5.      What does Holden tell Phoebe he'd like to be?

Chapter 23
1.      Who is Mr. Antolini?
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?
5.      What does Holden give to Phoebe?

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?  (187)
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
1.      Later, after he has had time to think about it, what does Holden think about Antolini?
2.      Why does the article on hormones upset Holden?
3.      What strange feeling does Holden start to have when he steps off of curbs?
4.      Why does he keep repeating, "Allie, don't let me disappear"?
5.      What does Holden decide he must do next?  Where does he first go?
6.      With all the bad language that Holden uses, why was he so upset that curse words were written on a school wall?
7.      How does Holden treat the two small boys in the museum?
8.      Why is it so important to Holden that Phoebe not be mad at him?  Relate this to his past, and Allie.
9.      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"?
10.  Is the carrousel symbolic?

Chapter 26

• What do we finally find out about where Holden is while he is telling the story?
• Why shouldn’t we ever tell anybody anything?

 

 

 

 

• Mr. Antolini claims that "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).  From this definition of maturity, do you think Holden is mature or immature or both?  Explain your claim.
• After finding out where Holden is, do you think he needs to be where he is?  Why or why not?
• After hearing Holden’s thoughts at the end of the story, how do you think he has changed with regards to preserving innocence?
• Holden is often hypocritical—he says one thing but does another.  Analyze three examples of him being hypocritical.

1.  Research J. D. Salinger’s life. Find the similarities between his life/character and Holden’s life/character.
2.  Find a map of New York City and label four places that are mentioned in the novel on your map.
3.  Do an extra Delve In question.
4.  Make a timeline of the places and events that take place, beginning with Holden’s time at Pencey Prep.

 

 

Delve-In Response Graphic Organizer

 

 

 

 

 

Writing a Delve-In Response

Follow this format for writing your delve-in responses.  Getting this down will serve you well when it comes to write your literary analysis essay.

Make your claim in one sentence, including the author and book title. [In Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, the main character, Holden Caulfield, is immature in some aspects but quite mature in others.]  Use a passage from the text – quotation or paraphrase - to illustrate your point.  Document appropriately.  Explain the passage, telling how it illustrates your point.  [For example, Holden likes to lie for fun and convenience, which is not very mature of him.  He admits that when “somebody asks me where I’m going, I’m liable to say I’m going to the opera” (16).  He also lies to his teacher, Mr. Spencer, about his fencing equipment in order to end their meeting instead of dealing with his negative feelings about being misunderstood by Mr. Spencer (15).]  Using a proper transition or connection, identify another passage – perhaps quoting only part of a sentence (use ellipses if necessary); document appropriately.  [However, Holden also seems quite mature in terms of his ability to perceive the motivations and weaknesses of the adults around him.  He can see through the phoniness of his old prep school headmaster, Mr. Haas, who intentionally snubs the poorly dressed parents who come to visit (14).  If “somebody’s father was one of those guys that wear those suits with very big shoulders and corny black-and-white shoes, then [he] would just shake hands with them and give them a phony smile and then he’d go talk, for maybe half an hour, with somebody else’s parents” (14).]  Make the connection between the passages and your theme/thesis.  Conclude; don’t just stop. [As an adolescent trying to grow up and make sense of the adult world, Holden Caulfield clearly displays the duality of being mature and immature at the same time.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Delve-In Response Graphic Organizer (TCITR)

 

 

 

Catcher in the Rye         Name:
Essay Topics      Date:

Rough Draft Due Wed., Feb. 27/Thurs., Feb. 28

Directions:  Thoughtfully write a five-paragraph essay about one of the topics below. 
Be sure to consult the essay-writing guidelines in your journal for assistance.

1.  Salinger weaves a variety of symbols into The Catcher in the Rye, including (but not
limited to) the red hunting hat, the ducks in Central Park, and Allie.s mitt.  Select
and analyze one symbol that Salinger uses in the book.  Explain how Salinger
develops this object as a symbol throughout the story (see Journal 88). Discuss the
symbol.s meaning and significance, and explore its contributions to the overall
message of the novel.

2.  Throughout the novel, Holden is a tormented adolescent.  He feels alienated and
isolated at Pency Prep, he is belittled by women he wants to impress, he is beaten
up twice, he wants to run away and cut himself off from all other people, and he
even considers suicide.  Yet, in spite of Holden.s pain, the novel is funny.  It really
is.  Why did Salinger choose humor as the tone for the novel?  How does Salinger.s
use of humor contribute to the book.s overall meaning and effect?  Consider how
the book.s overall meaning would be different if Salinger did not use so much
humor.

3.  Critic David D. Galloway said, .Wherever Holden turns, his craving for truth seems
to be frustrated by the phoniness of the world..  Analyze Holden.s use of the word
.phony..  What does the word mean in the context of the book, and does Holden
offer any alternative to phoniness? Is Holden himself guilty of being a phony?  How
does Salinger want readers to judge ideas about phoniness?

4.  Discuss the meaning or impact of the title of the book as a central, controlling
symbol of the story.  How does Holden.s wish to be the .catcher in the rye. help
readers understand both his character and the nature of his deep troubles and
concerns about life?  Be sure to address the significance of Holden.s misreading of
the Robert Burns poem.

5.  Critic Maxwell Geismar writes, .The Catcher in the Rye protests, to be sure, against
both the academic and social conformity of its period.  But what does it argue for?.
Write an essay to explain what the book .argues for." What might Salinger have
been trying to communicate to his readers through this novel, and how does he do
so?  

6.  Holden, like each of us, faces living in a world he didn.t create.  Nobody, not even
Holden, can live in a culture without having some of it rub off on them.  What
faults of his society does Holden exhibit?  How does Salinger reveal these faults to
readers?

 

1. The Mixed Tape: Make a ten song mixed tape or CD for Holden Caulfield, if he were around today. In letter to Holden, explain why you are including each of the ten songs on the mixed tape. Each song should have a paragraph of in-depth description as to why you think he would like it, using evidence you used from the themes, symbols, motifs, and situations that Holden and the novel explored. Requirements: 10 songs (artist/song title) on tape or CD, at least a paragraph explanation for each, use of lyrics to explain rationale, cover for mixed tape.
2. Holden and Gene: Compare The Catcher in the Rye with another novel that describes the loss of innocence and the attainment of maturity - John Knowles' A Separate Peace. Compare and contrast the characters of Gene and Holden. Explain which book presents the most convincing picture of growing up. Requirements: Title page, 3 pages, typed, good mechanics.
3. Holden and Depression: Research depression in teenagers, including information about its symptoms and treatment. After doing so, look at Holden. Which symptoms does he exhibit? Use evidence from the story to create a "diagnosis" of Holden. Requirements: Title page, 3 pages, typed, proper documentation, good mechanics.
4. Holden, Ten Years Later: Write a piece of short fiction in which you join Holden's life ten years after the story ends. Try, as best you can, to replicate Holden's unique voice. Write it in the style of The Catcher in the Rye. Try to use what you know of him from the book along with Holden's state of mind throughout the novel to guide your prediction. Requirements: Title page with title, 4 pages minimum, typed.
5. Graphic Novel / Comic Book: This option allows the artistic students to use their skills to recreate the story in a graphic novel (i.e. comic book) format. Choose the most important scenes - in your view - and tell the story of The Catcher in the Rye. The quality of your project will be determined by the following: the extent to which your graphic novel includes the entire story of the novel, the quality / effort put into of the artwork, and the inclusion of an introduction in which you explain what you tried to capture in your recreation of the novel (e.g., "I wanted to emphasize the extent to which they reject society and reveal themselves as rebels in the American spirit. I did this because… and showed it by…").
6. Holden's Scrapbook: Compile a scrapbook of memorabilia that Holden might have collected or come across during the novel. All artifacts must be captioned with where he got it, its significance to him, and the page you found it on. Think of the images that keep recurring in the novel, the places Holden travels to, and anything he collects. This project will be assessed based on the amount of memorabilia collected and its presentation. As a benchmark, expect to get at least ten pieces of memorabilia for your scrapbook.
7. The Secret Goldfish: We hear a brief description of the plot of Holden's brother D.B.'s story "The Secret Goldfish" early in the novel. Try your hand at short fiction, as you use the details from the description and write a three-page story out of it. Requirements: Title page, 4 pages minimum, typed.
8. Ordinary People and Holden Caulfield: Rent the 1980 Robert Redford film Ordinary People (winner of four Academy Awards, including Best Picture). It is the story of a family struggling to deal with the accidental death of a teenage son. Compare the situations in the film with the situations that occur with the Caulfields in The Catcher in the Rye. How much of Holden's behavior has been affected by the death of Ally? Compare and contrast Conrad's grief with that of Holden. Requirements: Title page, 3 pages, typed.
9. Finding Salinger: Interview the author: As we already know, J.D. Salinger is a brilliant recluse who does not often participate in conversations about his life and work. Imagine, however, that somehow you have been granted the first interview with Salinger in decades. He invites you into his home and promises thorough answers to five questions. In your write-up for People magazine, you will want to explain what his house looked like, how he looked when he greeted you, if he had any pets, etc - then, you will write your five questions and their answers. Lastly, you will write a conclusion. This will include your impressions of the author or any interesting facts that you learned from the interview that were not mentioned in your five questions. You could even compare and/or contrast J.D. Salinger to Holden Caulfield in your conclusion. Requirements: Title for article, Introduction, five questions and thorough answers, conclusion.
10. The tool of madmen?: Mini-research project: John Hinkley, who attempted an assassination of Ronald Reagan in 1981, and Mark David Chapman, who murdered John Lennon in 1980, both brought The Catcher to the Rye into the national spotlight. Hinkley told the court that his defense could be found in the novel's pages, while Chapman had asked Lennon to sign his copy of the book earlier in the same day he killed him. Find what you can about both of these instances - how was The Catcher in the Rye involved in each? Requirements: Title page, 3 pages, typed, proper documentation, good mechanics.
11. Censorship and Catcher in the Rye: Mini-research project: Chart the censorship of The Catcher in the Rye since its publishing. What reasons have there been for the challenges the book has faced throughout the years? Requirements: Title page, 3 pages typed, proper documentation, good mechanics.
12. Be the Teacher: You will teach for a 30-minute period in which you lead a discussion on a particular set of themes or some other focused topic as it relates to The Catcher in the Rye. During this 30-minute period, you will prepare and be ready to do the following: facilitate a discussion on selected, important themes; introduce your lesson with some opening remarks; use visual aids - video clips, handouts, posters, and overheads - to help the class think about and understand the ideas you present; and write a brief (about 1 page) follow-up analysis of what you set out to accomplish, how well they/you accomplished this goal, and what you learned from the whole experience.