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Difficult Literature Trivia: The Catcher in the Rye | 25 Questions

"The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger has become a permanent staple not only in the 7th Grade English Curriculum, but also in a generation of people that know exactly what it is trying to say.

A multiple-choice quiz by Bernstein. Estimated time: 8 mins.

Author
Bernstein

Time
8 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
174,927

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
25

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
11 / 25

Plays
1384

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 25

1. In Holden's opening monologue (the giant first paragraph on pages 1-2) which of these facts do we NOT learn about him? Hint

He hates the movies

His parents are nice and all

D.B. wrote short stories

Holden attended Pencey

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Question 2 of 25

2. What is the name of Robert Ackley's roommate? Hint

Herb Gale

Anthony Wayne

Mal Brossard

Ward Stradlater

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Question 3 of 25

3. After Holden is beaten by Stradlater, he goes into Ackley's room and offers to play what game? Hint

Poker

Backgammon

Craps

Canasta

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Question 4 of 25

4. Before Stradlater tells Holden that he is dating Jane Gallagher, Holden assumes that the girl is whom? Hint

Fitzgerald

Jones

Thurmer

Simmons

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Question 5 of 25

5. Who teaches Holden and Stradlater English at Pencey?

Answer: ((One Word--8 Letters))

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Question 6 of 25

6. What was the occupation of Jane Gallagher's stepfather? Hint

He is unemployed

Lawyer

Writer

Actor

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Question 7 of 25

7. Early in the novel, Holden was planning on going to Agerstown with Ackley and someone else. Who was it? Hint

Paul Campbell

Robert Tichener

Mal Brossard

Ed Banky

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Question 8 of 25

8. Where does Mr. Spencer live? Hint

Smith Roberts Avenue

Silver Fisher Avenue

Bruce Lockwood Avenue

Anthony Wayne Avenue

9. There is a description in the novel (given by Holden) in which he loses fencing equipment for the school's team when they were in New York to face another school. What was the name of the other school? Hint

Whooton

McBurney

Tulliver

Mcluskey

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Question 10 of 25

10. When Holden sells his typewriter to Frederick Woodruff, how much does he receive? Hint

Twenty Dollars

Nothing--He gave it away

Thirty Dollars

Forty Dollars

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Question 11 of 25

11. How long does Holden have to wait for the train to New York? Hint

20 Minutes

15 Minutes

10 Minutes

The train pulled in just as he reached the station

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Question 12 of 25

12. When Holden is on the train, what does he buy from the man going up and down the aisle? Hint

A ham sandwich

Nothing

A magazine which he promptly throws away

A cup of black coffee

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Question 13 of 25

13. When Holden is "shooting the bull" with Mrs. Morrow, he tells her that Ernest Morrow, her son at Pencey, would have been elected Class President if it wasn't for the fact that he is "so darn shy and modest and all". According to Holden, what was the name boy that got elected in the end?

Answer: (Two words, first and last name)

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Question 14 of 25

14. Where is the Morrows' summer home? Hint

Aspen

Cape Cod

Gloucester

Bridgehampton

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Question 15 of 25

15. When Holden gets off the train, which of these people does he NOT think of calling? Hint

Carl Luce

D.B.

Jane Gallagher

Sally Hayes

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Question 16 of 25

16. Who gave Holden Faith Cavendish's phone number?

Answer: (Two words, first and last name)

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Question 17 of 25

17. At one point, Holden narrates how he took Phoebe to see two movies that she loved. Many people remember that one was "The 39 Steps" --but what was the other? Hint

Ways of Love

The Baker's Wife

Small Change

Marius

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Question 18 of 25

18. Which of these was not the name of one of the three women with whom Holden danced at the Lavender Room? Hint

Gilda

Bernice

Marty

Laverne

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Question 19 of 25

19. From which city did the three ladies mentioned above come? Hint

Cleveland

Seattle

Chicago

Los Angeles

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Question 20 of 25

20. Which of these things does Holden not observe about Sunny at first glance? Hint

She had dyed her hair

She wasn't wearing a hat

She had a very small voice

She was wearing lipstick

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Question 21 of 25

21. What reason does Holden give to feel embarrassed about discussing "Romeo and Juliet" with two nuns? Hint

He can't remember any character names

He feels the play is too erotic

He has never read it

He hates it

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Question 22 of 25

22. Who sings, "Little Shirley Beans"? Hint

Shirley Jamison

Estelle Fletcher

Margorie Redmond

Dina Smith

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Question 23 of 25

23. What college does Carl Luce attend? Hint

Columbia

Harvard

Yale

Stanford

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Question 24 of 25

24. What was the relationship between Holden and James Castle prior to his death? Hint

He lent Holden a chemistry textbook

He and Holden were partners on the debate team

He copied Holden's English Essay

His name was right before Holden's on the Elkton Hills roll call

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Question 25 of 25

25. In his closing statement, which of these people does Holden not mention missing by name? Hint

Ackley

Maurice

Sunny

Stradlater

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In Holden's opening monologue (the giant first paragraph on pages 1-2) which of these facts do we NOT learn about him?

Answer: Holden attended Pencey

Holden does not mention attending Pencey until a few sentences later.

2. What is the name of Robert Ackley's roommate?

Answer: Herb Gale

According to Holden, not even Herb Gale, his roommate, ever called him by anything other then Ackley.
There's a possible error in the book - later on, after Holden has his fight with Stradlater, he goes into Ackley's room and asks if he can sleep on *Ely's* bed.

3. After Holden is beaten by Stradlater, he goes into Ackley's room and offers to play what game?

Answer: Canasta

Holden, being his own crazy self, wanders into Ackley's room and offers to play a game of canasta out of the blue.

4. Before Stradlater tells Holden that he is dating Jane Gallagher, Holden assumes that the girl is whom?

Answer: Fitzgerald

Stradlater then proceeds to tell him, but says "Jean Gallagher" instead of Jane.

5. Who teaches Holden and Stradlater English at Pencey?

Answer: Hartzell

According to Stradlater, Hartzell loves all of Holden's work, which is why he wants Holden to write his essay for him.

6. What was the occupation of Jane Gallagher's stepfather?

Answer: Writer

Holden mentions this while talking about what a strange person he is.

7. Early in the novel, Holden was planning on going to Agerstown with Ackley and someone else. Who was it?

Answer: Mal Brossard

Robert Tichener and Paul Campbell are only known as friends of Holden's on the first couple of pages. Ed Banky is the coach at Pencey who lets athletes borrow his car for extracurricular pursuits.

8. Where does Mr. Spencer live?

Answer: Anthony Wayne Avenue

This is mentioned fleetingly while Holden is running to see Mr. Spencer.

Answer: McBurney

Holden was "ostracized" for leaving the fencing eqipment on the subway. But, of course, he refused to blame himself.

10. When Holden sells his typewriter to Frederick Woodruff, how much does he receive?

Answer: Twenty Dollars

Holden would have taken anything for the typewriter to spend while he was in New York, but he didn't have to give it away.

11. How long does Holden have to wait for the train to New York?

Answer: 10 Minutes

"I only had to wait about ten minutes for a train" (Chapter 8)

12. When Holden is on the train, what does he buy from the man going up and down the aisle?

Answer: Nothing

Although he usually buys things, he doesn't feel like buying anything tonight.

Answer: Harry Fencer

Holden tells this to Ernest Morrow's mother, pretending that he was upset over her son losing to another boy.

14. Where is the Morrows' summer home?

Answer: Gloucester

Mrs. Morrow invites Holden to come up there at some point to see Ernest.

15. When Holden gets off the train, which of these people does he NOT think of calling?

Answer: Jane Gallagher

Holden actually thinks of calling Jane Gallagher's mother, to find out when she will be coming home.

16. Who gave Holden Faith Cavendish's phone number?

Answer: Eddie Birdsell

Faith Cavendish is angry at first for being woken up, but changes her tone when she hears Eddie Birdsell's name.

17. At one point, Holden narrates how he took Phoebe to see two movies that she loved. Many people remember that one was "The 39 Steps" --but what was the other?

Answer: The Baker's Wife

Phoebe loved this movie, with Raimu in it.

18. Which of these was not the name of one of the three women with whom Holden danced at the Lavender Room?

Answer: Gilda

Marty, Laverne, and Bernice were the three ladies who kept thinking that they saw Hollywood movie stars around town.

19. From which city did the three ladies mentioned above come?

Answer: Seattle

Holden "promises" that he will look them up in Seattle and call them when they get back.

20. Which of these things does Holden not observe about Sunny at first glance?

Answer: She was wearing lipstick

Whether she was wearing any or not, Holden never mentions, unlike the other three things.

21. What reason does Holden give to feel embarrassed about discussing "Romeo and Juliet" with two nuns?

Answer: He feels the play is too erotic

"I mean that play gets pretty sexy in some parts..."

22. Who sings, "Little Shirley Beans"?

Answer: Estelle Fletcher

Estelle Fletcher was a fabulous singer who sang very Dixieland and knew what she was doing.

23. What college does Carl Luce attend?

Answer: Columbia

"Certainly I like [Columbia]. If I didn't like it I wouldn't have gone there."

24. What was the relationship between Holden and James Castle prior to his death?

Answer: His name was right before Holden's on the Elkton Hills roll call

Holden almost didn't lend James Castle his sweater, simply because he didn't know him too well.

25. In his closing statement, which of these people does Holden not mention missing by name?

Answer: Sunny

"About all I know is, I sort of miss everybody I told about. Even old Stradlater and Ackley for instance. I think I even miss that goddam Maurice. It's funny. Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody."

Source: Author Bernstein

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor MotherGoose before going online.
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