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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. What does Holden think Mr. Spencer yelled at him as he shut the door?

2. What does Pencey Prep serve for dinner on Saturdays?

3. Who does Holden say was elected class president?

4. How did Holden comfort Jane when she cried during the checkers game?

5. Who does Holden run into at Ernie's?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Holden ask Ackley about joining a monastery?

2. Compare and contrast Ackley and Stradlater, according to Holden's descriptions.

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

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

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

6. Why does Holden think Jane cried when her stepfather asked about his cigarettes?

7. What does Holden think of his siblings?

8. Why does Holden shout to the boys in his dorm as he leaves?

9. How is Allie's baseball mitt described?

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 theme of innocence in The Catcher in the Rye. How does the author address the theme? How does the theme affect the events in the novel?

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

Describe Holden Caulfield. What conflicts are there between what Holden says about himself, and his words and actions? Why do these conflicts exist? What do these conflicts reveal about Holden?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 553 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample