The Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 23 quiz
From The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Chapter 23 of The Catcher in the Rye: Holden dances with Phoebe, hides from their parents, borrows her Christmas money, cries, and gives her his hunting hat.
13 questions · about 14 minutes
Questions and answers
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Question 1. Who does Holden call at the beginning of Chapter 23?
- D.B., his older brother who is writing movies in Hollywood
- Carl Luce, his former student advisor at Whooton
- Correct answer: Mr. Antolini, his former English teacher at Elkton Hills
- Mr. Spencer, the history teacher he visited at Pencey Prep
Holden phones Mr. Antolini, his former English teacher, who now teaches at New York University; Holden says he was about the best teacher he ever had.
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Question 2. Why does Holden respect Mr. Antolini so deeply?
- Antolini helped Holden get admitted to Pencey Prep
- Antolini was the only teacher who never gave Holden a failing grade
- Antolini gave Holden the highest grade in English class
- Correct answer: Antolini covered James Castle's body with his coat after Castle's fatal fall
Holden calls him about the best teacher he ever had, and remembers that he covered James Castle's body with his coat and carried him to the infirmary.
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Question 3. What do Holden and Phoebe do together when he comes back to D.B.'s room?
- Correct answer: They dance together to music from the radio
- They read aloud from one of Phoebe's school books
- They play a board game together quietly
- They watch television while their parents are out
Holden and Phoebe dance in D.B.'s room to the dance music on the radio, which she has turned on low so the maid won't hear. They dance about four numbers, and Holden says she is "really damn good" and "can follow anything you do."
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Question 4. Where does Holden hide when his parents come home?
- In the foyer closet beside the apartment entrance
- Correct answer: In the closet in D.B.'s room, holding his shoes
- Underneath the gigantic bed in D.B.'s room
- In the bathroom, with the door securely locked
When Phoebe hears the front door, Holden turns off the desk light, jams out his cigarette, fans the smoke away, grabs his shoes and shuts himself in the closet, desperately trying to avoid being discovered.
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Question 5. How does Phoebe explain the cigarette smoke to their mother?
- She denies smelling any smoke and changes the subject quickly
- She says the smoke drifted in from a neighbor's apartment
- Correct answer: She claims she took one puff of a cigarette and threw it away
- She tells her mother she was burning incense for a school project
Phoebe tells their mother she took one puff of a cigarette and threw it away, a quick-thinking lie that protects Holden from being discovered in the closet.
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Question 6. How much of her Christmas savings does Phoebe give Holden?
- Five dollars she received from her grandmother
- Correct answer: Eight dollars and sixty-five cents of her Christmas savings
- Just two dollars, because Holden says he does not need all of it
- Three dollars and fifty cents from her piggy bank
Phoebe first says eight dollars and eighty-five cents, then corrects herself to sixty-five cents because she spent some; it is all of her Christmas money, which she was saving for presents.
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Question 7. What is Holden's emotional reaction when Phoebe gives him her money?
- Correct answer: He begins to cry uncontrollably, startling Phoebe
- He becomes furious when she admits she already spent some
- He jokes cheerfully about the amount she has already spent
- He politely thanks her and promises to repay her immediately
After Phoebe insists he take all of her money, Holden suddenly starts to cry and can't stop for a long time. He does it so nobody can hear, but it scares Phoebe, who comes over and puts her arm around his neck.
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Question 8. What does Holden give Phoebe before he leaves the apartment?
- Half of the Christmas money she has generously lent him
- A letter for their parents explaining his departure
- The broken pieces of the record he purchased for her
- Correct answer: His red hunting hat, though she does not want to take it
Holden takes his hunting hat out of his coat pocket and gives it to Phoebe. She doesn't want to take it, but he makes her, and he bets she slept with it on.
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Question 9. Which of the following events actually happen in Chapter 23?
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Holden and Phoebe dance together in D.B.'s room.
Happened
Phoebe turns dance music on low on the radio, and Holden takes off his shoes and dances about four numbers with her in D.B.'s room.
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Holden's father discovers him hiding in the closet.
Didn't happen
Only his mother comes into the room, and she never finds him; he stays in the closet until she leaves.
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Phoebe lies to their mother about the cigarette smoke.
Happened
Phoebe tells their mother she lit a cigarette for one second, took one puff and threw it out the window.
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Holden calls Mr. Antolini and is invited to come over.
Happened
Mr. Antolini tells Holden he can come right over if he wants to.
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Holden rides the elevator down to the lobby when he leaves.
Didn't happen
He walks all the way down the back stairs instead of taking the elevator, and the elevator boy never sees him.
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Question 10. Which of these details about Chapter 23 are accurate?
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Phoebe gives Holden her entire Christmas savings.
Happened
Phoebe hands Holden all of her Christmas money, eight dollars and sixty-five cents, and won't take any of it back.
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Holden gives Phoebe his red hunting hat before leaving.
Happened
Holden takes the hunting hat out of his coat pocket and makes Phoebe take it before he leaves.
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Mrs. Caulfield discovers Holden in the apartment.
Didn't happen
His mother comes into the room and talks with Phoebe, but she never discovers Holden hiding in the closet.
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Holden mentions that Mr. Antolini covered James Castle's body.
Happened
Holden recalls that Mr. Antolini put his coat over James Castle and carried him all the way over to the infirmary.
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Holden tells Phoebe he will have to miss her Christmas play.
Didn't happen
Holden promises he won't go away before the play; he says he will probably stay at Mr. Antolini's until about Tuesday night and then come home.
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Question 11. What does 'inferiority complex' mean when Holden pretends Phoebe's forehead is getting hot?
- A minor illness that causes a slight fever and chills
- Correct answer: A lasting feeling of being less worthy or capable than others
- An unusually high opinion of one's own talents and importance
- A complicated set of rules that is difficult to follow
An inferiority complex is a lasting feeling of being less worthy than other people. When Phoebe says she is making her forehead feverish, Holden tells her he thinks it's starting to, because he didn't want her to get an inferiority complex.
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Question 12. What does 'infirmary' mean when Holden recalls Mr. Antolini carrying James Castle?
- Correct answer: A room or building where sick or injured people are treated
- An office where a school keeps its official records
- A physical weakness caused by illness or advanced age
- A small chapel where a school holds funeral services
An infirmary is a place where sick or injured people are cared for, such as a school's sick room. Holden recalls that Mr. Antolini put his coat over James Castle and carried him all the way over to the infirmary.
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Question 13. What does 'jitterbug' mean when Holden describes dancing with Phoebe?
- To lean backward while a partner supports one's weight
- To glide elegantly across the floor in a formal manner
- To tremble nervously, as if shaking with fear
- Correct answer: To dance in a fast, energetic style to swing music
To jitterbug is to dance a fast, energetic swing dance. Holden says Phoebe dances so well that he can do dips, jitterbug a little, or even tango, and she stays right with him.
Read the passage
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