Catcher in the Rye Test

a.
b.
c.
d.

1. What was the main idea behind Holden writing about Allies baseball glove?
To show a deeper, more emotional side of Holden
To show how bad Holden was at english
To show how much Holden hated Allie
To show how lazy Holden was

a.
b.
c.
d.

2. What was Mr. Antolini doing when he woke Holden up?

Drinking
Reading a book
Singing
Petting Holdens head

a.
b.
c.
d.

3. Analyze the tone of the quote:

I thought probably Id get pneumonia and die. I started picturing millions of jerks coming to
my funeral and all.
Happy
Mysterious
Depressing
Exciting

a.
b.
c.
d.

4.What conclusion can you draw from Holdens obsession with youth?
Holden treasures innocence
Holden thinks children arent phonies
Holden likes how honest children are
All of the above

a.
b.
c.
d.

5. What word would best replace the underlined word in the quote?
She called Janes mother and made a big stink about it.
Fuss
Party
Mistake
Laugh

6. Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules.
What is the tone of this quote?

a. Light
b. Serious
c. Happy

d. Angry

a.
b.
c.
d.

7. What fake name did Holden give the lady on the bus?
Ernest Marrow
Rudolf Schmidt
Carl Luce
Robert Ackley

a.
b.
c.
d.

8. What would you NOT use to describe Phoebe?

Loyal
Intelligent
Aloof
Compassionate

a.
b.
c.
d.

9. What is the significance of Holden refusing the prostitute?

It showed that he was weak
It showed that he wasnt a man
It showed that deep down hes actually a good person
It showed that he didnt deserve the prostitute

10. How would you classify this quote:

I kept trying to picture my mother or somebody, or my aunt or Sally Hayes crazy mother
standing outside some department store and collecting dough for poor people in an old beat up
straw basket.
a. Ethos
b. Pathos
c. Logos

a.
b.
c.
d.

11. How would you describe Holden and Phoebes relationship?

Loving and understanding
Difficult and awkward
Estranged and distant
Angry and uncooperative

a.
b.
c.
d.

12. How is Holdens hunting cap related to Phoebes want to change her middle name?
They want to be like a famous person
They just want to be weird
They arent related
They both want to be unique
13. Why was it important that Holden had a good relationship with his younger sister?

a.
b.
c.
d.

To stress his obsession with youth

To show that he gets along with everyone
To show that he loves his family
So the reader could see that Holden is well rounded

a.
b.
c.
d.

14. What is Holdens motive for buying Phoebe the record?

To try to get her to listen to music
To prove a point
To show how much he care for her
To show her his favorite artist

a.
b.
c.
d.

15. What is the meaning of the underlined word?

Im not too tough. Im a pacifist, if you want to know the truth.
Fighter
Peace-lover
Genious
Trouble maker

a.
b.
c.
d.

16. What would the result be if the setting hadnt been in a big city?
Holden wouldnt have gotten into so much trouble
It would have been harder for Holden to sneak out of Pencey
Holden wouldnt have encountered so many interesting people
All of the above
17. The best thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was.
Nobodyd move. . . . Nobodyd be different. The only thing that would be different would be you.

a.
b.
c.
d.

What is the tone of the quote?

Annoying
Persistent
Sad
All of the above

a.
b.
c.
d.

18. Which fact would support your understanding of Holdens obsession with innocence?
Holden ordering the prostitute
Holden talking to the little girl at the ice skating rink
Holden sneaking out of Pencey
Holden going to stay at Mr. Antolinis house

19. Do you think Holdens mental breakdowns throughout the book help him discover who he
really is? Give at least three specific details and describe two characteristics of Holdens true
self.

20. Does the way Holden reacts to specific events or people change throughout the novel? Give
at least four examples and describe how he changes.

Answer Key
1. (A) Holdens detailed description of his deceased brothers baseball glove lets the reader know
that Holden is a very sensitive person.
2. (D) Holden woke up because Mr. Antolini was petting his head.
3. (C) The quote is Holden describing the way hes going to die and his funeral which is depressing.
4. (D) Its all of the above because throughout the novel Holden is obsessed with youth and
innocence.
5. (A) Fuss is another word to replace stink.
6. (B) The quote is serious
7. (B) Rudolf Schmidt was the fake name Holden gave the woman on the bus whose son went to
Pencey.
8. (B) Phoebe is all those words, loyal, intelligent, compassionate but she is not aloof.
9. (C) The significance of Holden refusing the prostitute was so the reader could understand that he
is actually a good person.
10. (B) The quote would be classified as Pathos because it uses descriptive words that evoke people's
emotions.
11. (A) Holden and Phoebes relationship is very loving and they understand each other.
12. (D) Both Holden and Phoebe want to be different so they both come up with ways to be unique.
13. (A) Holdens relationship with his younger sister is just another way the author stresses his
obsession with youth and innocence.

14. (B) Holdens motive for buying phoebe the record was his way of showing her that he cares for
her.
15. (B) The definition of a pacifist is a peace-lover.
16. (D) If the setting of the novel wasnt in a big city Holden would not have had an easy time doing
all the things he did.
17. (D) If Holden had stayed at Pencey many things that would be influential in his life would not
have happened.
18. (B) When Holden stops to talk to the littler girl at the ice skating rink, this is just another
example of Holdens obsession with innocence and youth.
19. Give at least three specific details and describe two characteristics of Holdens true self.
20. Give at least four examples and describe how he changes.