The Catcher in the Rye

Grade Levels

Excerpt

• Holden admits to being a liar, but he constantly says he hates “phonies.” Do you think he sees a difference between lying and being a phony? Do you? Why or why not?
• Do you agree with Holden that Ossenburger’s speech, as he describes it, seems phony? How would you feel about a very wealthy person who acted like “a regular guy”? How would you feel about someone who repeatedly mentioned his expensive car while discussing the importance of prayer?
• Describe Holden’s room at Pencey Prep. How would you feel about living in such a room?

About

These eNotes Reading Response Prompts are designed to encourage your students to read more effectively and with more pleasure by giving them interesting subjects to write about after they have read. Many of the prompts will take them directly into the text, while others will give them an opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings and to reflect on their own experiences.

A second purpose of the eNotes Reading Response Prompts is to facilitate instruction in ways that work for you in the classroom. The organization of the prompts makes them easy to use, and the content and construction of the prompts are designed to develop students’ knowledge and academic skills.