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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why does Holden think Ernie is a phony?

2. What is Phoebe's favorite movie?

3. Who does Holden call from his hotel room?

4. Whose car did Stradlater use for his date?

5. Where does Holden decide to go at the end of the chapter?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Holden feel sad when he shakes Mr. Spencer's hand to say goodbye?

2. Why does Holden feel bad about not telling Mrs. Morrow his real name?

3. Why does Holden decide not to have sex with Sunny? What does he tell her?

4. Why does Holden get nervous when he talks to Stradlater in the bathroom?

5. Why do the girls say they have to leave the Lavender Room so abruptly? Why do they really leave?

6. Why does Ackley get on Holden's nerves?

7. Why does Holden like that Jane puts her hand on the back of his neck?

8. How does Holden wish he had handled his missing gloves as opposed to how he would likely have handled it?

9. Why does Stradlater criticize Holden's composition about Allie's baseball mitt?

10. Why is Holden so upset when he discusses Stradlater's date?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the final chapter of The Catcher in the Rye. Is this a satisfying ending? Why or why not? What, if any, unanswered questions does the author leave the reader with? Why?

Essay Topic 2

Identify the point of view of The Catcher in the Rye. How is the point of view identified? How does the point of view affect the novel? Why does the author use this point of view to tell the novel?

Essay Topic 3

Identify the climax of the novel. How do you know this is the climax? Could any other scenes be considered the climax? If so, which ones, and why? How does the beginning of the novel lead up to the climax? How is the novel resolved after the climax?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 641 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample