Dear snowed-in reader,
If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, an what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth. In the first place, that stuff bores me, and in the second place, my parents would have about two hemorrhages apiece if I told anything pretty personal about them. They're quite touchy about anything like that, especially my father. They're nice and all--I'm not saying that--but they're also touchy as hell. Besides, I'm not going to tell you my whole goddam autobiography or anything. I'll just tell you about this madman stuff that happened to me around last Christmas just before I got pretty run-down and had to come out here and take it easy.
Who am I? My name is Holden Caulfield and I am the storyteller and main character of The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, a controversial youth novel published in 1951 and being one of the best novels of the past century.
RESOURCES
The Catcher in the Rye v. On The Road, which we're going to read next week. They're both great books, but this is a great argument.
NOTE
on the first chapter:
STUDY QUESTIONS:
Chapter 1
1. What does Holden mean when he says that his brother D.B. is out in Hollywood "being a prostitute"?
2. Where is Holden as the story begins?
3. Where and what is Pencey Prep?
4. How did Holden let the fencing team down?
5. Why was Holden being kicked out of Pencey Prep?
6. What kind of health does Holden appear to be in?
Chapter 2
1. Who is Mr. Spencer and why does Holden visit him?
2. What did Spencer do that particularly annoyed Holden?
3. What does Holden give us as the reason for "leaving" Elkton Hills?
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| An alternative book cover by Rachel Anilyse |
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| An alternative book cover by Rachel Anilyse |
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