Catcher in the rye-FISHBOWL
• Holden Caulfield is an alienated youth
who isolates himself as a form of
protection. Identify who it is that he is
alientated from, and discuss why he is
alienated.
• Critic David D. Galloway said, “Wherever
Holden turns, his craving for truth seems
to be frustrated by the phoniness of the
world.” Analyze Holden’s use of the word
“phony.” What does the word mean in the
context of the book, and does Holden offer
any alternative to phoniness? Is Holden
himself guilty of being a phony? How
does Salinger want readers to judge ideas
about phoniness?
• Throughout the book, Holden longs for
intimacy with other human beings.
Discuss the different types of relationships
Holden attempts and the different types of
intimacy in the book. What is the role of
sexuality in The Catcher in the Rye? How
do Holden’s sexual relationships differ
from his nonsexual encounters?
• Critic Maxwell Geismar writers, “The
Catcher in the Rye protests, to be sure,
against both the academic and social
conformity of its period. But what does it
argue for?” Write an essay to explain
what the book “argues for.” What might
Salinger have been trying to communicate
to its reader through this novel, and how
does he do so?
• 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? What do these
moments reveal about his character and
his psychological problems?
• Some critics suggest that Holden’s
problem is that he is too sensitive and that
he is unable to deal with the pain and
ugliness of modern life. Others suggest
that Holden is simply afraid of growing
up. Choose on of these ideas and defend
it, or come up with your own explanation of
Holden’s problems and support it.
• Holden Caulfield experiences a “loss of
innocence” in his journey. Cite those
incidents in the novel that support this
point, also cite the significance of the title
and show how it relates to this theme.
• On a number of occasions in the novel,
Holden tries to make human contact but
fails. Identify at least four times in the
novel that this occurs. Be sure to provide
enough specific details about the incident
you are citing.