The Catcher in the Rye - Chapter Summeries

Chapter 1

$ Talking about what had happened to himself last Christmas

$ Brother, D.B. sold out to Hollywood

$ story starts at Pencey Prep

$ he was failing 4 of 5 subjects the only one being English

$ he got kicked out of school

$ was manager for the fencing team

$ even though he hates the school he still saying goodbye to it

$ he going to say bye to his history teacher

Cues:

$ Where is he talking from?

$ Why doesn’t he want to talk about his past?

$ Why was he not applying himself?

$ Why was he already a heavy smoker?

$ Out of all his teachers, why did he choose to go to Mr. Spencer?

Summary:

$ Holden is talking about what had happened to him last Christmas. He first starts off talking about his school, and then while watching the football game he says bye to the school and goes off to see his history teacher, Mr Spencer.

Chapter 2

Notes

$ goes to teacher’s house

$ teacher is old guy, sick, but still nice guy to Holden

$ he is on friendly terms with the history teacher

$ talks to him about school, what he is failing and how he is feeling

$ “Life is a game boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules.”

$ Teacher tells him to start thinking about his future.

Cues:

$ Why doesn’t Holden take anything seriously?

$ What made him come to his history teacher’s house?

$ Why does he make up lies while thinking about something else?

$ What does he consider to be phony?

$ Did he have a problem because Haas had never talked to his parents?

$ Why does he not feel much concern for his future?

Summary:

Holden went to his history teacher’s house. While he is there his teacher talks to him about school and why he is failing. Also he talks to him about his future and if he is even thinking about his future at all. After listening to the lecture and making up some lies, Holden leaves to go and pack but this was also a lie.

Chapter 3

Notes

$ considers himself to be a terrific liar

$ lives in a dorm named after a former student

$ has a red hunting hat

$ another student, Ackley, lives next door

$ Holden doesn’t like him very much, no one likes him

$ Ackley is dirty, irritating and doesn’t like Stradlater

$ Holden’s roommate is Stradlater

$ Ackley leaves the moment Stradlater comes in

Cues:

$ Why is he proud of the fact that he is a great liar?

$ Why does Holden take everything so seriously and because of that think that everyone is phony?

$ What does the hat mean?

$ Does the colour have any special significance?

Summary:

Holden comes into his dorm and sits down with his red hat and starts to read. While he is reading, Ackley comes and starts bothering him. Ackley isn’t a great guy and he doesn’t like Holden’s roommate Stradlater. Once Stradlater enters, Ackley leaves.

Chapter 4

Notes

$ Holden stays with Stradlater while he shaves

$ Stradlater is a clean guy on the outside but everything he uses is dirty

$ Stradlater is a secret slob

$ Stradlater is a good guy who is pretty generous

$ He asks Holden if he can do his composition

$ Holden finds out that Stradlater’s date is a girl that Holden knew very well

$ Holden seemed to have like that girl

$ Holden talks about Jane and how she was

$ Stradlater finishes cleaning himself up and leaves with Holden’s jacket

Cues:

$ Did Holden ever like Jane?

$ Why did he feel it was necessary to talk about why the kings were always in the back?

$ Why doesn’t Stradlater change or wash his razor?

$ Why didn’t Holden ever answer immediately when Stradlater asked him to do his composition?

Summary:

Holden goes to the washroom to talk with Stradlater about his date that night.