- Year Published: 1951.
- Pages: 214.
Catcher in the Rye Summary of Chapters
Chapter 1-4
Holden Caulfield, a 16-year-old student, tells his story from a hospital. It starts in his departure from Pencey Prep School, Pennsylvania where he is expelled for poor performance. His teacher, Mr. Spencer, asserts that he needs to work hard to succeed in life. Holden has an ugly, disgusting and annoying neighbor called Ackley who pays him a pestering visit. His roommate is contrastingly neat and handsome – Stradlater. He comes home and asks Holden to write a composition for him while he goes on a date with Jane – Holden’s secret crush.
Chapter 5-9
Holden tries to write Stradlater’s composition, but can’t. So he writes about his late, younger brother Allie’s baseball glove instead. Stradlater returns, reads the composition, is infuriated and insults Holden. Holden asks him about his date but Stradlater refuses to give details. They fight and Holden is overpowered. He leaves for Ackley’s room where he contemplates about his tough school life. He decides to pack and go back home early. He catches a late night train and spends the night at Edmont Hotel.
Chapter 10-13
Holden gets restless so he goes out to the Edmont’s Nightclub. Before he leaves, he remembers his little sister, Phoebe, and whether he should call. At the Nightclub, he entertains three ladies from Seattle but it ends badly. So Holden takes a cab to Ernie’s, where he frequented with his brother DB. He gets bored there and leaves when he sites DB’s x-date. He walks 41 blocks to the hotel thinking of his cowardice. The hotel elevator operator offers him a prostitute for 5 dollars and he accepts. The prostitute shows up at his room Holden gets flustered. He sends her off paying 5 dollars. The girl asks for 10, but Holden refuses.
Chapter 14-17
Holden is smoking in his room thinking about Allie when the elevator operator comes by with the prostitute claiming the remaining 5 dollars. He pins Holden to the ground and takes the money from his wallet. Holden staggers to bed and sleeps. The next morning, Holden checks out and arranges for a date with Sally Hayes in the afternoon. He thinks about his parents and how the news of his expulsion will affect them and goes to have breakfast where he entertains 2travelling nuns. He forces them to take 10 dollars as they left and regrets not giving