1. Every setback is an opportunity for a comeback. Apply this
quote to Holdens life. Choose three events from Holdens life that you would identify as setbacks. These events can occur in his past or during the three days after he leaves Pencey Prep. Explain how these events are opportunities for Holdens comeback. For each setback, provide a quote to support your choice. 2. Most people have vivid memories of certain events from their childhood or adolescence. Choose three vivid memories from Holdens life and explain their relevance. The events must occur in his past. Why did he choose to share these particular memories with his audience? What is their importance to his life? How do they make Holden who he currently is? For each memory, provide a quote to support your choice. 3. Salinger weaves a variety of symbols into The Catcher in the Rye, including (but not limited to) the red hunting hat, the ducks in Central Park, and Allies mitt. Select and analyze three symbols that Salinger uses in the book. Explain how Salinger develops these (objects) as a symbol throughout the story. Discuss the meaning and significance of the symbols and explore their contribution to the overall message of the novel. 4. Holden narrates the story of The Catcher in the Rye while he is recovering from his breakdown. Do you think the promise of recovery that Holden experiences as he watches the carousel at the end of the novel has been fulfilled? Specifically, has Holden gained a more mature perspective on the events that he narrates? Give three reasons why. 5. Holden often behaves like a prophet or a saint, pointing out the phoniness and wickedness in the world around him. Is Holden as perfect as he wants to be? Are there instances where he is phony and full of hypocrisy? Consider three moments in the novel. What do these moments reveal about his character and his problem(s)? 6. Discuss the novel as a coming-of-age story. How does Holdens character change during the course of the novel? What does the reader, Holden, or both learn about life? Give three examples to support your answer. 7. In a well-written essay examine Holdens behavior and relationships at school and at home to determine what is wrong with him. Is Holden an insane person in a sane world, or is he a sane person in an insane world? What are the criteria for insanity or sanity? How does his world and Holden reflect the criterion as you define them? Support your ideas with at least three examples.
8. It seems as if Holden is searching for something throughout the course
of the novel. Some might argue that he is trying to find comfort and love from others. Using three examples from the text, state and defend your view of what Holden was searching for and what might have given him true peace and comfort. 9. Many novels and plays focus on individuals involved in a struggle to
find themselves or to seek a purpose in life. Sometimes the effort pays
off; sometimes it does not. Considering three moments or events from the novel, write an essay in which you explain Holdens search or struggle throughout the novel, assess to what extent it succeeds, and analyze how it contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.
