The Catcher in the Rye
Test your knowledge with 45 questions across 3 challenge tiers
Master These Concepts
Review these key terms before taking the quiz
Holden Caulfield
The sixteen-year-old narrator telling his story from a mental health facility after a breakdown
Holden recounts the days after being expelled from Pencey Prep wandering New York City
Phony
Holden term for people and behaviors he sees as insincere fake or hypocritical
Holden calls nearly everyone phony – actors teachers classmates and social conventions
The Catcher in the Rye
Holden misremembered image of someone saving children from falling off a cliff in a rye field
Holden dreams of being the catcher protecting children from the fall into corrupt adulthood
Phoebe
Holden ten-year-old sister who represents innocence intelligence and genuine love
Phoebe is the person Holden most loves and who challenges him to name something he likes
Allie
Holden younger brother who died of leukemia and whose death haunts Holden
Allie red hair and poetry-covered baseball mitt symbolize lost innocence
Mr. Antolini
Holden former English teacher who offers advice but whose ambiguous touch disturbs Holden
Antolini warns Holden about a terrible fall and represents complicated adult guidance
Select a Quiz Tier
Complete each tier to unlock the next and earn your badges.
Fundamentals
TIER 1 • READER BADGE
Deep Dive
TIER 2 • SCHOLAR BADGE
Expert
TIER 3 • MASTER BADGE
