1. What kind of book "really knocks {Holden} out"? Why? What does this say about him?

1. To what extent do you accept Holden's assessment of himself: "I'm the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life." "I'm quite illiterate, but i read a lot"? Why? Why do you suppose he tends to evaluate himself negatively?

1. Do you evaluate yourself negatively? Is it more natural to evaluate ourselves from a negative perspective or a positive one?

1. What does Holden's new hat tell the reader about his personality? What might it represent in the novel?

1. Given Holden lies, hyperboles, and one-sided representations of phonies, how reliable a narrator do you think he is?

1. Is Holden a good friend and roommate? Why or why not?

1. How are Holden's criticisms of Stradlater consistent with what we have already come to know about Holden?

1. Why is the detail of Jane Gallagher's keeping all of her kings lined up in the back significant to Holden?

1. Reviewing chapters 1--4, in what ways is Holden a nervous guy? How might his nervousness be moving the plot forward?

1. What details does Salinger provide that establish the sixteen-year-old Holden and his school peers are of a different generation from the students currently reading the book? What details, if any, suggest that some aspects of adolescence remain the same across generations?

1. Chapter 3 focused on Holden's relationship with Ackley, and this chapter focuses on his relationship with Stradlater. How effective is Salinger's technique of revealing Holden's character primarily by contrasting him with others?