Kia Warren

Catcher in the Rye Quiz

Knowledge Questions

a)
b)
c)
d)

Based off of the quote, what is the definition of the underlined word?
His name was Bob Robinson and he really had an inferiority complex. (pg 150)
Being superior to someone or something
Being higher in status or quality
An inability to feel or do something
Being lower in status or quality

a)
b)
c)
d)

Who was Holdens roommate at Pencey?

Stradlater
Ackley
Jane
Maurice
Comprehension Questions

a)
b)
c)
d)

Compare and Contrast the difference between Holdens personality in the beginning and end of
the book.
First he is more depressed and then he transitions to be angry at everything
There is no change in his personality
First he is more angry towards people then things start to strangely depress him
You can never tell because of his mental disabilities

a)
b)
c)
d)

How does the last line of the book contribute to the overall tone of the book?
Dont ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.
It was a direct reflection on the events that Holden told us about
It shows the tone of depression that carries through the book
It was said by Holden after he got home
It shows the theme of taking advantage of things through the book

Which quote accurately displays the meaning of being yellow?

a) Who's there? I said. I was pretty scared. I'm pretty yellow about those things.
b) I think maybe Im just partly yellow and partly the type that doesnt care if they lose their
gloves.
c) What you should be is not yellow at all. If you're supposed to shock somebody in the jaw...you
should do it.
d) Its a funny kind of yellowness, when you come to think of it, but its yellowness, all right.

Application Questions
When Holden and Phoebe finally meet at the museum, what was ironic about their encounter?

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What does the following line demonstrate about Holdens perspective of the world?
Stradlater always looked good when he was finished fixing himself up, but he was a
secret slob anyway, if you knew him the way I did.
a) He was jealous of how Stradlater looked.
b) A person had to work up his reputation.
c) He thought the world was full of fake people who would act like a person they werent.
d) It was depressing how a person would have to look a certain way to get attention of a girl.
Using context clues give an example of something ironical from your personal life.
I was sixteen then, and Im seventeen now, and sometimes I act like Im about thirteen.
Its really ironical, because Im six foot two and a half and I have gray hair.

Make a conclusion based off of comparing and contrasting, about the way Holden talks about
the Catholics versus the way he treats the nuns on the bus.
a) He treats the nuns very badly and respects the catholic religion.
b) He talks very highly about nuns but never actually sees any except for on the strip of New
York.
c) The Catholics are always trying to convince you to join their religion while the nuns werent
phony and easily gained respect from Holden.
d) The amount of respect he has for the Catholic religion is way less than the way he treasured
the nuns.
Why is the red hunting hat significant?
a) It makes Holden feel important and more like himself.
b) People thought it was cool when he wore it.
c) Phoebe liked it and wanted to wear it.
d) It was Allies old hat.

Analysis Questions
What evidence can you find in the book that proves Holden has almost no cares about his high
school career?

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Classify Maurices character traits based off of the scene on page 114 where he says Go
ahead. Yell your goddam head off. Fine.
a) He was a crazy middle aged man who is a prostitute agent.
b) He was one of the boys at Pencey that would give Holden a hard time at school.
c) He was a tricky guy who worked at the hotel and scammed Holden for the money for Sunny.
d) He was one of the many taxi drivers that Holden trusted and had deep conversations with; he
was just a little crazy because of his past experience.
Examine how the tone of the book changes when Holden enters the Lavender Room. What
happens here that almost makes him happier?
a) He sees a famous celebrity that makes him find hope in the world.
b) Once he enters he only gets more depressed because nobody is his age.
c) There was nobody taking identification so he drank way too much and got too drunk to
remember anything sad.
d) There were three ladies who proceeded to dance with him through the night.
Analyze the quote and how it relates to the meaning and use of the word yellow throughout the
book.
Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules.
a) If you werent yellow than you wouldnt play life by the rules and you would do things the way
you wanted to.
b) This quote only relates to yellow people because they are the only ones who need to hear it.
c) Yellow people dont apply here because they take life the way they think it should be.
d) Without this rule people that seem to be yellow would have no idea what to do because
there would be no guidance for them to live by.
Which of the following lines provide an example of hyperbole?
a) Id be a phony if I let them put me in a movie short.
b) But I didnt kid her much though.
c) Her mouth sort of went in fifty directions.
d) I improved her game immensely though.

Synthesis Questions
Predict what theme Salinger was trying to portray by adding this line into the book.
SOME THINGS ARE HARD TO REMEMBER.
a) It relates to the last sentence where Holden talks about his memory or lack of.
b) Something about Holden doesnt seem right and this quote helps the reader notice that.
c) There is no meaning behind it, it happens to everyone.

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d) The depressing tone in the book is expressed through short phrases that make the reader
confused; this is one of them.
If the plot of the novel were to be rearranged, how would the outcome of the book change?
What would it be like if it was from Stradlaters point of view?

Visualize the Ducks in the pond that Holden randomly mentioned. Do those have any specific
meaning? If yes describe what you think the meaning is.
a) Yes.
b) No.

Evaluation Questions
Based off of the line from the book, what is most important about the scene where Holden
comes home to Phoebe?
Then, all of a sudden, I started to cry. I couldnt help it.

Do you agree that the help that Mr. Antolini gave Holden was Creepy or Too nice? Use a
quote in your answer.