Name:___________________________________________
Mrs. Daniel Block ______________________________
English 11H
Date:_____________________________________________
The Catcher in the Rye Chapters 13-15 Discussion Questions
Chapter 13
1. How do Holden’s thoughts & actions in this chapter continue to show his emotional decline?
In other words, what clues do we get in this chapter that Holden is feeling more and more
emotionally unstable and depressed?
2. While talking about the gloves of his that were stolen, Holden says he never cares about
things he loses because, “I never seen to have anything that if I lost it I’d care too much”
(100). Do you think this comment is true, given what we have seen of Holden thus far in the
novel?
3. Why do you think the image of Sunny’s green dress makes Holden so depressed?
Chapter 14
4. How does Holden react to his encounter with Sunny and Maurice in this chapter?
Chapter 15
5. When Holden calls Sally Hayes to make a date, he says he didn’t really want to talk to her
but they, “chewed the fat for a while”. What literary term is this an example of, and what
does he mean when he says this?
6. After his meeting with the nuns, Holden goes on a tangent about not liking when people talk
about religion in casual conversation. He alludes back to another tangent, where he talked
about a prior roommate of his who had cheap suitcases, when he says, “It’s just like those
suitcases I was telling you about, in a way. All I’m saying is that it’s no good for a nice
conversation. That’s all I’m saying.” Why might topics like wealth, status, and religion make
Holden so uncomfortable?
Final Analysis: By examining who or what Holden views as “phony” and by examining those he
actually respects, one can determine just what Holden values. What exactly does Holden value in
people? Use specific examples from the novel to support your answer. 10 point SUMMATIVE