Catcher in the Rye Chs. 1-2 Quiz & Close Reading Bundle

Measure reading comprehension and support analysis of Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger (chapters 1-2) with this bundle, which features a plot-based quiz and close reading exercises. Answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in both Word Document and PDF formats.

This resource may serve as the basis for small-group discussions. Through these discussions, students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development, demonstrating an ability to analyze how complex characters transform and advance the plot and themes by applying logic and citing compelling, meaningful textual evidence. They will also evaluate their peers’ reasoning and use of rhetoric to advance claims, clarifying or challenging unclear ideas. Using this resource for structured guidance, students will present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly, concisely, and appropriately, thereby helping their peers comprehend their thinking.

Copyright restrictions prohibit the inclusion of complete literary works, so the purchaser is responsible for providing students with access to the novel.

By engaging in these exercises, students will:

• Articulate what the text states explicitly and implicitly
• Explain the significance of a given detail
• Write with clarity, logic, and precision
• Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims
• Analyze the author’s craft to discern how language contributes to the narrator’s psychological state
• Explore character motivations
• Analyze the author’s craft to discern how Holden attempts to control the readers’ impressions of him
• Analyze the significance of Holden’s allusion to David Copperfield in terms of how it establishes his character
• Analyze Holden’s use of figurative language to discern meaning
• Identify the factors that contribute to Holden’s perceptions of Selma
• Consider plot developments from Holden’s point of view, articulating why it is not a big deal that he has been expelled from school
• Identify several examples of colloquial language
• Apply knowledge of literary devices including metaphor and overstatement
• Identify textual details that convey Holden’s sense of isolation
• Identify context clues that suggest Holden’s family is wealthy
• Articulate what makes Holden’s visit to see Mr. Spencer unsettling
• Explore how Holden’s interactions with adults contribute to his self-worth
• Interpret idiomatic expressions in context
• Analyze Mr. Spencer’s motivations
• Analyze Holden’s curiosities about ducks and what they reveal about his moral compass
• Identify and explain an example of situational irony
• Infer how Holden feels about the idea of getting older
• Analyze the phrase “good luck” from Holden’s perspective
• Articulate a primary function of chapter two