The Catcher in the Rye:
Chapters 1-3
Choose one question to respond to in your
notebook. Write up to a full page.
Then choose a few questions to discuss in
your group. Make sure you use evidence from
the book as you are discussing.
1) How does Holden change when he visits Mr. Spencer? Do you think
Holden is being fake?
2) What is significant about Dr. Thurmer’s comment: “Life is a game that
one plays according to the rules" (8)? What is Holden’s opinion on this
statement?
3) Is Mr. Spencer like Bill from The Perks of Being a Wallflower? If so,
how?
4) Why does Holden leave Elkton Hills?
5) Holden says: “I am quite young for my age,” and “I told him I was a real
moron and all the stuff” (9, 12). What do these statements tell you
about Holden?
6) Why does Holden characterize himself as a liar at the beginning of
chapter 3? What does he lie about? Why do you think he lies?
7) What is ironic about Holden’s statement, “I’m quite illiterate but I read
a lot” (18).
8) What is Holden’s attitude / how does he feel about Ackley?
9) How is Stradlater characterized according to Holden and Ackley?
10) Is feeling sorry for something the same as caring?
11) What do you make of all the “phoniness”? Are Holden’s claims valid or
is he being phony?
Fill in the blanks below:
1. Black is a symbol of ___________________.
2. Red is a symbol of ____________________.
3. Roses are symbols of __________________.
4.
aare symbols of __________________.
5.
are symbols of _____________________.
6. A chain can symbolize ____________________________.
7. A ladder can symbolize ____________________________.
Mind Spark: Who is Holden?
What is his truth?
Free-write for 10 minutes about one part in
chapters 4-7 that stood out to you and that might
lead you to answer the MindSpark.
 Look at a quote, a passage, or a moment you
want clarification in
 (Hints: Jane, Allie, Fight with Stradlater, etc).
Unreliable Narrator
Either from ignorance or self-interest, this narrator
speaks with a bias, makes mistakes, or even lies. It is
kind of like advertisements — there is a manipulation
a half truth - there's a real story in there somewhere,
but you're left to piece it together through all the
lies, half-truths, and mistruths.
Part of the pleasure and challenge of these firstperson stories is working out the truth, and
understanding why the narrator is not
straightforward. It's also one tool an author uses to
create an aura of authenticity in his or her work.
Preparing for Discussion
• Bring in a quote that you want to interpret
• Find a passage that you want to dissect
• Make a point of clarification about a
confusing moment
• Ask a question
• Link your annotations to a theme
** Have Page Numbers readily available
** You can use your reading responses as reference
Sample Questions
• Level 1 or Thin Questions: Who is Allie?
• Level 2 Questions: What might Allie mitt
symbolize?
• Level 3 or Thick Questions: What effects
might Allie have on Holden? How might a
death of a sibling affect a teenager?
Preparing for Discussion:
Independent Work
• Make a list of thin and thick questions based
on various passages, sections or quotes in the
book.
• Be sure to write the page number
• If you have composed an array of questions
answer a few of them and try to come up with
overall ideas about Holden’s personality and /
or about prevailing themes
 During Discussion
 Share the airspace.
 Do not raise your hand to speak. Listen for periods, and then join the
discussion.
 Careful listening to others and connect or build on someone’s ideas
 Paraphrase and seeking clarification.
 Respectful disagree by using “I” statements.
 Being specific and accurate. For example, use the text “On page… it
says that…”
 Resist saying “anything that comes to mind;” instead work to link clear
statements, claims and evidence.
 Invite people into the conversation “Laura, what do you think?”
 If you are mad, think first, speak third
 Rewind, reword
 Participate in the discussion
 During Discussion:
Use the following prompts to help guide your
contributions
•
•
•
•
•
“I agree with ______ because ______”
“I disagree with ______ because ________”
“I believe ____ because ____”
“________, could you please clarify what you mean by ____?”
“In this moment ____, I noticed ________________, so I think
_______”
• “On this page it says _______, so I think _______”
I wonder why…
I have a question about…
• That reminds me of…
I don’t understand this specific section
From this moment I predict…
I figured out…
I liked/disliked when….
Freewrite: Answer for Homework
• Who is Holden? What truths can we discover
about Holden and/or themes in the book?
Chapter 8-9 Questions
LIES
• Why does Holden tell such outrageous lies? Why choose
the janitor’s name for his own? – What is he connecting
with more than his classmates? Why a brain tumor?
WOMEN
• What does Holden say about women. Make a list of the
diction he uses to describe women. (Be Specific: provide
direct words/phrases and page numbers.)
• Based on your list, how does Holden view women?
WOMEN: CHAPTERS 8-11
• What does Holden say about women. Make a
list of the diction he uses. (Be Specific: provide
direct words/phrases and page numbers.)
• Based on your list, how does Holden view
women?
• What might this say about society in the
1950s?
• How does Holden describe Jane versus other
women? (end of 10-11)
ANSWER AT LEAST 2-3 OF THESE QUESTIONS (from chs 11-13) IN
YOUR GROUPS:
1) What did he always do with Jane that felt comfortable?
2) Where does Holden go after he leaves t he Lavern Room in the Hotel?
3) What does Holden request of the cab driver? (Hint: What does he want to go see?)
4) What do they symbolize?
5) Holden admires people who go to Ivy League Colleges. True or False?
6) Who does Holden bump into at the club?
7) Holden gets mad when he bumps into someone he knows and has to leave the club.
Then he says, “ People are always ruining things for you” (87). What do you make of this
statement? Do you agree that people are always ruining things for Holden? Explain.
8) Holden says, “ Sometimes you get tired of riding taxicabs like you get tired of riding
elevators” (88). What do you think he means by this?
9) What does Holden agree to do when he gets back to the hotel?
10) When Holden gets back to the Hotel, he says, “it was against my principles and all but
I was feeling so depressed I didn’t even think” (91). What do you make of this statement?
What principles is he referring to? Is he just making excused or is he truly depressed?
Analyze this quote and tell me something about Holden’s character.
11) What would Holden rather do when the woman arrives in his hotel room?
12) Does Holden go through with what he agreed to initially planned on doing in his
hotel room? Why do you think he made that decision?
“Rules of Setting”
… are “rules” for a particular time and place,
such as the 1950s.
EXAMPLES: They are rules/codes of behavior,
dress, speech, relationships...They are what is
considered acceptable/usual/normal...
What are some “Rules of Setting” for today?
TURN AND TALK
Expert on
“Rules of Setting:” 1950s
 The Group you are currently sitting in, will be your “Home
Team”
 Each of you will be assigned a number and you will proceed to
the appropriate station.
 Rotate once or twice. (For example, if you are assigned the
number 2, you will most likely visit stations 2, and then 3,
possibly 4).
 Once you are at a station, research/analyze the aspect of the
1950’s, You must create a worksheet to organize your thoughts.
Be creative! The worksheet can be anything you want it to be—
an outline, a summary, a picture.
 You will become experts of your station and will need to
teach your Home Team!!! So, use a writing format that works
for you.
Example of Outline:
How might “rules of
setting influence
Holden?”
STATION
Rules of Setting
Educational Videos
- Restrictive codes, order, - He might want to rebel
structure, very rigid &
against all the imposed
strict.
and superficial discipline.
-
Fashion
Historical Background
GO BACK TO YOUR HOME BASE
and REPORT WHAT YOU LEARNED!
Remember, you are the expert!
CONCLUDE: How might the “rules”
of setting influence Holden?
Bring in answers to this question tomorrow. You can use in
our classroom discussion.
Aim: How do the “rules” of setting
contribute to an individual’s “truth”
(personality, motivations, intentions,
conflicts)?
(Remember: “Rules” of setting are the rules/codes
of behavior, dress, speech, relationships that are
what is considered acceptable/usual/normal in a
specific time period, like the 1950s)
Consider the following questions:
• What are you noticing about how women are portrayed in The
Catcher in the Rye? How does this relate to the “rules” of setting?
• How might the prevailing themes (loneliness, phoniness) be linked
to the “rules” of setting?
• What are some similarities and/or differences of the “rules” of
setting” in The Catcher in the Rye and The Perks of Being a
Wallflower?
DIRECTIONS: Free write for 7 minutes on 1 or more of these questions. As
you do so, come up with your own questions (or sub-questions) that you
have and bring into the discussion.
*** Be sure to reference page numbers, quotes, and/or passages as
evidence to support your questions & claims.
*** You will also be able to use the digital media we used yesterday as
your evidence. So think of the clips and pages you want to refer to!
Discussion Grading Rubric
Outcomes
Exceeds Standards
Communicate
Make ideas and information
understood, mindful of
audience, purpose, and
setting.
Listen and respond to what
others communicate
___Student enhances class discussion by
Argue
Build a case for and defend
conclusions reached, based on
sound logic and valid
evidence.
- Formulate and defend an
argument, using multiple
pieces of evidence
__ Talking point indicates a
s to the text and its central
meanings.
__ Students builds a case for an argument by using
to others and volunteers answers, offers
that support a claim or argument, and stimulate
thoughtful, well-reasoned ideas that yield discussions
about themes that are pertinent in the text.
___ Talking point attempts to connect material to
.
 During Discussion
 Share the airspace.
 Do not raise your hand to speak. Listen for periods, and then join the
discussion.
 Careful listening to others and connect or build on someone’s ideas
 Paraphrase and seeking clarification.
 Respectful disagree by using “I” statements.
 Being specific and accurate. For example, use the text “On page… it
says that…”
 Resist saying “anything that comes to mind;” instead work to link clear
statements, claims and evidence.
 Invite people into the conversation “Laura, what do you think?”
 If you are mad, think first, speak third
 Rewind, reword
 Participate in the discussion
 During Discussion:
Use the following prompts to help guide your
contributions
•
•
•
•
•
“I agree with ______ because ______”
“I disagree with ______ because ________”
“I believe ____ because ____”
“________, could you please clarify what you mean by ____?”
“In this moment ____, I noticed ________________, so I think
_______”
• “On this page it says _______, so I think _______”
I wonder why…
I have a question about…
• That reminds me of…
I don’t understand this specific section
From this moment I predict…
I figured out…
I liked/disliked when….
Debrief
• What worked well in the discussion?
• What might we want to improve on our next
discussion?
TURN AND TALK
Exit Slip:
• Answer Aim: How do the “rules” of setting
contribute to an individual’s “truth”
(personality, motivations, intentions,
conflicts)?
Please answer reflectively and thoughtfully on a
piece of paper.
2011: “These days, insecure in our relationships and
anxious about intimacy, we look to technology for
ways to be in relationships and protect ourselves
from them at the same time… Digital connections…
may offer the illusion of companionship without the
demands of friendship. Our networked life allows us
to hide from each other, even as we are tethered to
each other.”
___ Sherry Turkle: Why We Expect More
from Technology and Less from Each Other (pp. xii, 1)
1951: “I’m always saying ‘Glad to have met you’ to
somebody I’m not at all glad I met. If you want to stay alive,
you have to say that stuff, though.” ____ Holden, The
Catcher in the Rye Chapter 12 (pg. 87).
Compare the above quotes, separated by 60 years. Do you
agree or disagree with them? How are they related? How
might this connect with themes of loneliness and
phoniness?
Homework for Break
1) Read until page 200 in The Catcher in the Rye
2) Keep filling out characterization chart
3) Keep filling out Hunting hat and answer: What
does the Hunting Hat symbolize? (a few sentences is
fine)
4) One page response: What is Holden’s “truth”?
5) Critical Lens Essay (Optional)
(** Will most likely have a reading quiz when you get back)