The Catcher in the Rye Final Study Guide Finals Schedule

Thursday, May 26th Period 1: 8:15-10:15 Period 3: 10:45-12:45 Friday, May 27th Period 2: 8:15-10:15 Period 4: 10:45-12:45 Tuesday, May 31st Period 5: 8:15-10:15 Period 7: 10:45-12:45 Wednesday, June 1st Period 6: 8:15-10:15 Period 8: 10:45-12:45

The Final Exam will include the following:

• Matching & Multiple Choice • Short Answer • Critical Essay (4 paragraphs)

OVERVIEW:

1. Know the Characters (character traits & relationship to the protagonist):

Holden Ackley James Castle Phoebe D.B. Jane Gallagher Allie Sally Mr. Spencer Stradlater Luce Mr. Antolini

2. Full understanding of the plot of the novel

3. Major Themes & Motifs:

Phonies Societal Pressures Identity Formation Adolescence & Loss of Innocence/Coming of Age Perception of Truth Conformity vs. Resistance

4. Major Symbols: Pencey Prep The Red Hunting Cap

The Carousel The Museum of Natural History The Catcher’s Mitt The Ducks in Central Park Pond

5. Critical Essay: In a well-developed four-paragraph essay, you will write on one of the following prompts on the day of our final:

Prompt 1: James Bryan notes that Holden “is poised between two worlds, one he cannot

return to and one he fears to enter.” In what ways does Holden embody the limbo between childhood and adulthood?

Prompt 2: Salinger weaves a variety of symbols into The Catcher in the Rye, including (but

not limited to) the red hunting hat, the ducks in Central Park, Allie’s mitt, the Natural History Museum, the carousel. Select and analyze one to two symbols that Salinger uses in the book. Explain how Salinger develops this object(s) as a symbol throughout the story. Discuss the symbol’s meaning and significance, and explore its contributions to the overall message of the novel.

Prompt 3: Critic Maxwell Geismar writes, “The Catcher in the Rye protests, to be sure,

against both the academic and social conformity of its period. But what does it argue for?” Write an essay to explain what the book argues for. What might Salinger have been trying to communicate to his readers through this novel, and how does he do so?