The Catcher in the Rye Study Guide

Character List

Holden Caulfield

The narrator of The Catcher in the Rye and its protagonist, Holden is the son of a wealthy New York family who moves from boarding school to boarding school as he is either expelled for failing classes or chooses to leave. Although he displays a number of typical teenage characteristics, but his adolescent foibles take a turn for the more disturbing throughout the novel, as he reveals himself to be self-destructive and dangerously cynical.

Phoebe Caulfield

Holden's nine year old younger sister, she is more mature and intelligent than her age implies and thus realizes how misguided her brother is behaving. Holden appreciates every minute detail of Phoebe's existence, such as her series of stories about "Hazle Weatherfield, Girl Detective" and treats Phoebe with more respect and kindness than he treats any other character in the story.

Mr. Antolini

Holden's former English teacher at Elkton Hills who now teaches at NYU, Mr. Antolini allows Holden to stay with him and his wife after Holden leaves his home. He tells Holden that he is headed for a fall and that he envisions Holden dying nobly for an unworthy cause. However, Holden awakes to find Mr. Antolini touching his head, which Holden interprets as a homosexual advance, and quickly leaves him.

Ward Stradlater

Vain, self-centered and arrogant but nevertheless a "secret slob," Stradlater is Holden's roommate at Pency Prep. He asks Holden to write an English essay for him, but then rejects the essay when it is not to his satisfaction. Holden gets into a fight with Stradlater after he suspects that Stradlater seduced Jane Gallagher.

Carl Luce

One of the most intelligent people that Holden knows, he was a student at Whooton when Holden attended, and then went to Columbia. He meets Holden at the Wicker Bar, where he chastises him for his immature behavior and recommends that he get psychiatric help.

Robert Ackley

A boorish, obnoxious student at Pencey, Ackley lives in a dorm room connected to the one where Holden lives. He is socially inept and physically disgusting; his complexion is horrible and Holden suspects that he never brushes his teeth.

Sally Hayes

Holden goes out on a date with this girl, whose pretentious mannerisms and affections Holden dislikes. Despite his contempt for her, Holden asks her to run away with him to New England, where they can live in a cabin in the wilderness together.

Mr. Spencer

Holden's history teacher at Pencey, he discusses Holden's expulsion with him before he leaves the school, and advises him to get some direction in his life.

Maurice

The elevator man at the Edmond Hotel who is also a pimp, Maurice assaults Holden after he refuses to pay a ten dollar fee to the prostitute he arranges for him.

Sunny

A prostitute whom Holden hires for the evening but then rejects, she demands a ten dollar payment when Holden believed that he was only required to pay five.

Bernice Krebs

A blonde woman from Seattle whom Holden meets at the Lavender Room, Holden dances with her but grows to dislike her because she displays too much enjoyment for being a tourist in New York City.

Faith Cavendish

A former burlesque stripper and supposed prostitute, Holden calls her late at night to set up a date, but she refuses him.

Lillian Simmons

One of D.B.'s old girlfriends, Holden meets her at Ernie's and promptly leaves to avoid her.

Lillian Antolini

The wife of Mr. Antolini, she is an older woman who married Mr. Antolini because they shared similar intellectual interests.

Horwitz

Holden argues with this cab driver on his way to Ernie's.

Allie Caulfield

Holden's younger brother, he died from leukemia. Holden often reminisces about Allie, particularly his baseball mitt, which Holden uses as the subject for Stradlater's essay.

Jane Gallagher

Stradlater's date for the evening, she was a close friend of Holden several summers before. Holden consistently reminisces about spending time with her. Jane is one of the few people whom Holden speaks about in entirely positive terms.

D.B. Caulfield

Holden's older brother, he is a war veteran who is currently a screenwriter in Hollywood.

Selma Thurmer

The daughter of the Pencey headmaster, she is a nice but unattractive girl, according to Holden, because she does not treat her father as a person to be admired.

Dr. Thurmer

The headmaster of Pencey, Dr. Thurmer gives Holden advice that "life is a game" when he expels Holden from the school.

Mr. Haas

Headmaster of Elkton Hills who, according to Holden, ignores "funny-looking" parents of Elkton students in favor of more elite parents.

Ossenburger

Wealthy undertaker and Pencey graduate who gives a speech to the Pencey student body in which he exalts his relationship with Jesus.

Edgar Marsalla

Holden tells how this Pencey student farted during the speech by Ossenburger.

Mr. Hartzell

Holden's English teacher at Pencey, he is the only teacher who did not fail Holden during the previous semester.

Mal Brossard

He accompanies Holden and Ackley into the city to see a movie the night before Holden leaves Pencey.

Ernest Morrow

According to Holden, Ernest is "the biggest bastard that ever went to Pencey." Holden meets his mother on the train to New York and lies about how popular and respected Ernest is at Pencey.

Rudolf Schmidt

The janitor at Pencey, Holden uses his name as a pseudonym when he talks to Mrs. Morrow on the train to New York.

Raymond Goldfarb

Holden remembers how he and this student at Elkton Hills got drunk together.

Dick Slagle

One of Holden's former roommates at Elkton Hills, Holden remembers him primarily because he had bad suitcases.

Harris Macklin

Elkton Hills; intelligent bore who whispers.

Al Pike

A former boyfriend of Jane Gallagher, Holden tells that he is an arrogant student at Choate who presumably suffers from an 'inferiority complex.'

James Castle

Holden tells a story about how this student at Elkton Hills committed suicide by jumping out of his window after an argument.

Phil Stabile

According to Holden, James Castle committed suicide after an argument with this student.