Study Questions for Chapters 3 and 4 of “The Catcher in the Rye”

1. What important information do we get about Holden at the beginning of Chapter

3? How does this affect our view of him as a narrator?

2. What do we learn about the following characters in these chapters:

a. Robert Ackley
b. Ward Stradlater

3. What is Holden’s relationship with Ackley like? What about his relationship with
Stradlater?

4. Based on these chapters, how might others see Holden?

5. What is a sadist? Is Holden one?

6. In these chapters, Holden does things that he criticizes other people for doing.
Find 3 examples.

7. What do we learn about the guys’ attitude towards women?

8. Who is Stradlater going on a date with? What is Holden’s reaction to this?

9. What might be the importance of the hat that Holden wears in these chapters?

10.How are Holden and Ackley similar? (Hint: think about their surfaces and
relationships with other people.)