People in Catcher
The narrator & protagonist of the novel
Who is Holden Caulfield?
The novel begins at this boarding school.
What is Pencey Prep?
This item is a recurring symbol of individuality and protection.
What is Holden's red hunting hat?
The narrative point of view of the novel.
What is first-person narration?
(bonus points for past tense!)
This tone is often used when Holden describes adults.
What is cynical, critical, or sarcastic?
Holden's younger sister whom he cares for deeply.
Who is Phoebe Caulfield?
The New York City neighborhood Holden visits throughout the novel.
What is Manhattan?
The Natural History Museum represents this.
What is a world that doesn't change; permanence and safety?
This is a prominent feature of Holden's narration style.
What is a conversational/colloquial tone?
Holden's frequent use of digressions and anecdotes affect the pacing and realism of the narrative in this way.
What is slows formal plot progression but increases realism and character depth.
The former roommate at Pencey Prep whom Holden dislikes and refers to as "phony."
Who is Stradlater?
The hotel Holden stays in when he arrives in New York.
What is the Edmont Hotel?
The ducks in Central Park represent this idea.
What is change, uncertainty, and questions about where to go during transitions?
What is to make Holden's voice authentic, shows his age and attitude, and creates immediacy.
This is an example of irony in Holden's narration, as well as why it is ironic.
What is Holden calls others "phony" but lies and acts hypocritically himself?
Holden's former English teacher at Pencey Prep who disappoints him morally.
Who is Mr. Spencer?
Holden visits this place after failing to meet his sister, but is unable to go inside.
What is the Museum of Natural History?
This location represents phoniness.
What is Radio City Music Hall?
Explain the effect of Holden's repetition of "phony."
Salinger uses contrast between adult behavior and childlike behavior to reinforce themes in the novel in this way.
What is by contrasting adult hypocrisy and superficiality with children's honesty and wonder (e.g., Phoebe, carousel) to highlight themes of innocence and loss?
Jane Gallagher is important to Holden for this reason.
What is representing a genuine, non-phony connection and Holden’s memory of innocence.
This symbolic location gives the novel its name.
What is a field of rye near a cliff where Holden protects children from falling?
The carousel scene at the novel's end symbolizes this.
What is an acceptance of growing up; understanding that children will grow and that Holden cannot stop that process.
The novel’s use of first-person unreliable narration affect the reader’s understanding of events in this way.
What is making readers question Holden’s account and consider his bias, selective memory, and mental state.
Salinger's sentence structure (short, fragmented sentences mixed with longer ones) contributes to the portrayal of Holden's mental state and voice in this way.
What is by mixing short, fragmented sentences and longer reflective ones to create an intimate voice that reveals anxiety, confusion, and authenticity?