Name: _________________________

Hour:__________

Date:______________

Catcher in the Rye Test

1. What major theme is presented in the passage below AND explain why:
Then all of sudden, something very spooky started happening. Every time I stepped off the
goddam curb, I had this feeling that Id never get to the other side againEvery time Id get
to the end of a block Id make believe I was talking to my brother Allie. Id say to him,
Allie, dont let me disappear. Allie, dont let me disappear. Please, Allie. (pg. 257)
A) Innocence is being portrayed, because Holden is pretending to talk to his younger brother,
Allie.
B) Death is being portrayed, because Holden is pleading/praying to stay alive.
C) Innocence is being portrayed, because Holden is scared of getting lost.
D) Death is being portrayed, because Holden mentions the feeling of anxiety.
2. I know old Jane like a book. I really did. She was a funny girl, old Jane. I wouldnt
exactly describe her as strictly beautiful. She knocked me out though. She was sort of mucklemouthed [and] that killed me. (pg.100)
Jane has a close bonded relationship with Holden. However they did not pursue further
into it. Choose the best fitted change in Holden if the two had formed an intimate relationship
together.
A) Holden would be more fascinated with Jane and the things she do.
B) Holden would not change, because Jane is only a memory and does not affect his thoughts
C) Holden would become more sensitive to the thoughts and feelings of the people around him.
D) Holden would likely be more composed when it comes to letting things go.
3.

3. Boy did he depress me! I dont mean he was a bad guy- he wasnt. All you have to do
to depress someone is give them a lot of phony advice (pg.219)
Which of the following shows the difference between Holdens view of life and the
people of whom he interacts with?
A) He views life as hard and demanding, its why he keeps failing out of schools.
B) He views life as a safe place; a place where he can be himself.
C) He views life as a corrupt place; a place that has no honest affection amongst the people.
D) He views life as an adventure and goes to travel around the city.
4. I felt like marrying her the minute I saw her. Im crazy. I didnt even like her that
much, and yet all of a sudden I felt like I was in love with herShe got away with it because she
was so damn good-looking. (pg.162)
What is the authors purpose in including Holdens mixed feeling about Sally?
A) It is to show his complex mindset of not wanting to fit in, by being himself and getting Sally
to like him for who he is.
B) It is to show Holdens attraction to many girls, because he is outgoing.
C) It is to show his complex mindset in wanting to fit in, while also trying to be himself by
building his attraction for girls like Sally Hayes.
D) It is to show Holdens attraction to many girls, but hes afraid of rejection.
5. Select the tone of the paragraph below AND the example of that tone being used:
Then I thought about the whole bunch of the sticking me in a cemetery and all People
coming and putting a bunch of flowers on your stomach on Sunday and all that crap. Who
wants flowers when youre dead? Nobody. (pg.201)
A) Hopeful: Boy was I scared. I thought I was going to choke to death or something.
B) Sarcastic: We went out with all the other jerks for a cigarette. What a deal that was. You
never saw so many phonies in all your life.

C) Sarcastic: [The] closets full of hanger that rattle like madmen when you open the door, so I
left it on.
D) Hopeful: Id ask them to come visit me sometime if they wanted, but I wouldnt insist or
anything. What Id do, Id let old Phoebe come out and visit me
6. Holden characterizes the word phony to be associated with what type of people?
old Ernie turned around on his stool and gave this very phony, humble bow. (pg.74)
A) Those who are fake their actions in order to impress someone.
B) Those who are being mean and rude to people.
C) Those who are rich and have lots of money
D) Those who are true in their actions and try to be themselves.
7. Which best shows an example of the use of persuasion?
A) I figured Id write her a note telling her where to meet me so I could say good-by to her.
B) He wanted you to think the only reason he was lousy at writing compositions was because he
stuck all the commas in the wrong places.
C) You could go there a thousand times, and the Eskimo would still be just
D) She was smart even when she was a very tiny, little kid.
8. Which event below does not contribute to Holdens mistrust in others?
A) When Holden stays at Mr. Antolinis house.
B) When Holden gets robbed of five dollars in the hotel.
C) When Holden sneaks back home to visit his younger sister, Phoebe.
D) When Holden has fun dancing with blonde at hotels club.
9. What idea best depicts the meaning of this quote:
Then what she did- it damn near killed me- she reached into my coat pocket and took
out my red hunting hat and put it on my head. (pg.274)

A) Holdens hat is a symbol of anger. It holds the meaning of loss and destruction caused by
everyone.
B) Holdens red hat is a symbol of youth. It holds the meaning of childhood innocence in being
whatever you want to be, which includes the act of forgiveness.
C) Phoebes actions represents mistrust. It is because she had taken Holdens hunting hat without
permission.
D) Phoebes actions represents kindness. It is because her character symbolizes the bonding of
relationships.
10. What does Holdens use in informal language tell about his character?
theyre nice and all, But Im not going to tell you my whole goddam autobiography or
anything (pg.105)
A) He is a pensive person, who likes to use repetitive words for emphasis.
B) He is an undereducated teen, whos too lazy in using sophisticated language.
C) He is an undereducated teen, whos angry at many things.
D) He is a pensive person, who ponders and dwells on little details.
11. Then a funny thing happened. When I got the museum, all of a sudden I wouldnt
have gone inside for a million bucks. It just didnt appeal to me- and here Id walked through the
whole goddam park and looked forward to it and all. (pg.159)
The museum suggests a relative meaning of importance to Holden. Which explanation
identifies the museum and its connection to Holden?
A) Holden sees the museum as a happy past memory where things never change. Yet, it doesnt
appeal to him now because he views himself as the figure of change.
B) To Holden the museum holds pieces that fascinate him, however it doesnt appeal to him
because he realizes his curiosity is on something new.
C) Holden sees the museum as a sad past memory where things never change. This doesnt
appeal to him because he thought he was strong enough to face them, but he still is not.

D) To Holden the museum has old memories of him in school. Yet, it doesnt appeal to him now
because he remembers he dropped out at Pency.
12. Then she leftI told each other we were glad tove met each other. Which always
kills me. Im always saying Glad tove met you to somebody, I not at all glad I met. (pg.114)
Which person does Holden NOT sustain a bonded relationship with?
A) Phoebe Caulfield
B) Lillian Simmons
C) Jane Gallagher
D) Ernests mother
13. What characteristic is seen from Holden through his fight with Stradlater?
I cant remember what all I said to him. I told him he thought he could give the time to
anybody he felt like. I told him he didnt even care if a girl kept all her kings in the back row or
not, and the reason why he didnt care was because he was a goddam stupid moron. (pg.57)
A)
B)
C)
D)

Holden despises those who comment and his looks and ways in which he acts
Holden doesnt like being around undereducated people.
Holden despises those who uses people/things in order to get what they want
Holden doesnt like people who dont pay close attention to details.
14. These intellectual guys dont like to have an intellectual conversation they always want
you to shut up and go back to your roomThe thing was he was afraid of was that

A)
B)
C)
D)

somebodyd say something smarter than he had. He really amused me. (pg.191)
Holden favors intellectual conversations. Identify the cause for his attraction:
He supports those who have formal speech, because he wishes to be like them.
He thinks that intellectual people are more brave and strong over everyone else.
He supports those who sound smart, because he admires their vocabulary.
He thinks that intellectual people have a reasonable goal and direction in life.
15. Which speech dialogue below show the distinguishment of social class perceived through
Holdens eyes:

A) its really hard to be roommates with people if your suitcases are much better than theirs if
yours are really good ones and theirs arent.

B) My mother has terrific taste in some things. Shes no good at buying ice skates or anything
like that, but clothes, shes perfect.
C) I have this grandmother thats quite lavish with her dough.
D) That depressed me. She had bought me the wrong ice skates- I wanted racing skates and she
bought hockey.
16. Compare Holdens way of thinking from the beginning of his narrative to where he is
now (in this crumby place):
A) He was annoyed by everything at his school and then he ended up apply at another school.
B) At the beginning he had loathed most things and towards the end his viewpoint did not
change.
C) He was fascinated by everything at his school. Even though he had flunked Holden became
determined to start again.
D) At the beginning he had loathed the people at his school, only to come home and miss them.
17. Which of the following show the difference between Holdens goal in life to that of
the people around him:
A) He is still searching for one and for now is just living life to get by. Everyone else, to him,
seems like they are searching for a good reason to stay alive too.
B) Everybody around him has determined goals and he does too; to copy them.
C) He is still searching for one, while everyone else has set goals and he is failing at life.
D) He is not searching for a goal, because everyone else has one and he wants to be different.

18) Holden saw a bad word written on Phoebes school steps. He AGAIN sees this word
when:
A) He crosses the street and sees it written in the road, and ignores it.
B) He sits in the front of the school, sees the word, and quickly rubs it away with his finger.
C) He went down a staircase and sees it, but cannot get it off because it is scratched into the wall
D) He sees it written in one of the bathroom stalls at Phoebes school.
Essay Writing:
19) Defend whether Holden is a dynamic character who has changed from the beginning
of the novel to where is at now in life. Use examples to show whether or not he still retains the
same opinions and feelings from before, or whether he has been changed.
(Defense an argument using at least two specific examples and thorough explanations)
20) Select two parts or events in Holdens narrative that also connects to the significance
of the carousel scene to Holden. Explain why.
(Identifies the significance of the scene, while using two specific evidence that connects
to the meaning. Uses thorough explanations)