Holden Caulfield, if you’re out there, know that I love this book because of you and not in spite of you.
And I want to share the eight best Catcher in the Rye activities – freebies included!
Catcher in the Rye Overview
If you haven’t yet read Catcher, or if it’s been a while, it’s really important you have a baseline before selecting your Catcher in the Rye activities.
J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye is one of America’s quintessential novels. It follow the experiences of Holden Caulfield as he navigates a handful of days in New York City on his own. What makes the story so interesting is Holden is a teenager. And a disenchanted, rebellious one at that.
In a lot of ways, it’s a coming-of-age story that resonates deeply with audiences for the sympathy we feel for Holden. And in other ways, it’s a metaphorical middle finger to 1950s America and the unrealistic expectations placed on the youth.
Holden’s voice is unforgettable as he narrates the novel to make sense of his world in a way that is both grating and endearing. Readers feel like they’re right there with him as he navigates love, loss, and deep-seeded loneliness.
I have always loved this book. I go back to my Master’s program when I designed an entire unit around it. And it now feels full circle as I read it with my seniors and create meaningful Catcher in the Rye activities. Here are some of my favorites.
Psychoanalyze Holden
Right off the bat, the reader can tell something is a bit “off” about our protagonist. But that’s part of why we find him so endearing.
For the first project on the Catcher in the Rye activities list, students can dig deeply into Holden’s subconscious. I recommend making students aware of their options at the start of reading the novel so they can purposefully track evidence along the way.
For this activity, have students make note of Holden’s rapidly declining attitude towards living. At first, he skirts around the idea that he doesn’t feel quite right. Eventually, he romanticizes visions of his own death.
You could also have them track specific moments when he seems to beg for help. When he speaks with Luce, for example, they talk about the fact that Luce’s father is a therapist. Or Holden calls himself a “wounded sonuvabitch.”
Of all the Catcher in the Rye activities, this one is definitely designed for those who enjoy psychology. The end result could be a variety of creative presentations. Perhaps you have students put Holden’s “case file,” invoking the use of manila folders and prop prescriptions.
Or you could have students present their findings in the form of a digital presentation or a tri-fold poster.
Allie's Mitt
When I student-taught, I created something very similar to this activity. I still remember the effects it had on some of my more reluctant learners.
For the next of the Catcher in the Rye activities, encourage students to find an object that is meaningful to them (and that they are permitted “deface” in a sense). The idea is to replicate the look and symbolic value of Allie’s mitt.
In the novel, Holden speaks a handful of times about his brother Allie’s baseball mitt. On it, Allie had scribbled various quotes and poetry.
For this project, students could find a similarly-valuable item and keep track of important quotes from the book. Encourage analysis by having students also write what the quote means in the context of Holden’s life and their own. They could do this on the item itself or in a separate log.
I also encourage students to incorporate quotes and tidbits from their own lives. Those might include quotes from their favorite songs or public personalities.
The idea with this activity is for students to appreciate what Allie’s mitt meant to Holden and to make personal connections with the book themselves.
Tracking Holden for one of the Catcher in the Rye Activities
Another cool option in the list of Catcher in the Rye activities is for students to keep detailed track of Holden’s whereabouts in the novel.
From Pencey to his hotel to the clubs on the streets of New York to his apartment: Holden covers a lot of ground in his few days on his own.
Again, there’s a lot of value to introducing this activity (and others) before students read the novel.
Interestingly enough, there are a lot of similarities between Holden and, say, Odysseus. Each character embarks on his own quest with life-changing encounters along the way. Even though Holden is far from your typical hero, his quest is noteworthy.
Important to note in one of these Catcher in the Rye activities is what Holden experiences and learns at each of his stops. For this activity, have students track those locations in order to make sense of each.
Life-Size Character Cut-Out
Another one of the think-outside-the-box Catcher in the Rye activities is the life-size character cut-out. There’s an inside joke that runs through my family. It started with a grandmother’s 80th birthday party and a cardboard cut-out of Elvis. That very same Elvis makes its way to just about any and every family function at this point.
That’s basically the inspiration for this Catcher activity. But instead of Elvis, well, it’s Holden.
Your artists will love the opportunity to bring the character to life – almost literally. Encourage them to use both textual evidence and their imagination for what our protagonist might look like. I encourage my students to give him props, too. Like his red hunting hat. And maybe a copy of D.B.’s The Secret Goldfish.
You can add rigor, too, by having students supplementing the cut-out (or perhaps filling the back) with character traits that best define Holden. Those should be quotes from the book, events that shape him as well as his hopes and his fears.
Graphic Novel
Definitely one of the more artistic of the Catcher in the Rye activities is the graphic novel. Remember my suggestion to introduce this early on. This project follows suit.
I encourage students to carefully track the events of every chapter. When they’ve read two or three, have them step back and evaluate what happened and how they might artistically represent that.
Catcher has a hearty twenty-six chapters, so there’s definitely a lot to run with if you have students design a full-page spread for every two chapters or so.
A lot of times it can be difficult to distinguish between a graphic novel and a comic book. But I think Catcher is a really convenient way to remember that graphic novels are darker and often denser. What do I mean by that?
Graphic novels go deep, exploring the rich symbolism and darker motifs of a story in an effort to draw out the larger themes.
Catcher has a ton of that, and it definitely has the grit that I connote with graphic novels.
Poetry Anthology
I’m starting to sound like Phoebe’s shattered record, but I cannot stress strongly enough tuning students in early with these Catcher in the Rye activities.
For the poetry anthology option, students would stop and reflect after each of the twenty-six chapters in Catcher and write a piece of poetry.
Encourage them to locate a central idea, motif, or symbol from which they can draw inspiration.
Motivate them to be unafraid of their emotions, as unconventional as they might be (just like Holden himself).
Lead them to include a variety of poetic styles from free verse (an homage to Holden himself). Or blackout poetry (for the illustrious D.B.). And to sonnets (for Jane).
At the conclusion of the text, when students step back, they’ll have an anthology of twenty-six powerful poems.
Have students go back and edit their work. And the final project should be bound like a published book would be. Canva can be a great place to start when designing a neat book jacket.
It may seem paradoxical that someone as withdrawn and reclusive as Holden would have so much to say. I would venture a guess that you’ll similarly have students speak what’s on their mind and make powerful connections to Holden himself.
Modern Comparison
We aren’t done yet with the list of Catcher in the Rye activities. This one is definitely for those who aren’t afraid to take on a heavier workload.
For this Catcher activity, encourage students to study an additional work they feel was heavily influenced by Salinger’s work. This can be a novel or a film.
As far as novels, The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky is a solid suggestion if students wonder where to start. Both novels feature isolated protagonists struggling with mental health issues in a coming-of-age atmosphere. Plus, the book has been adapted into a film, which is a bonus.
You could also have students compare Catcher with Garden State, a 2004 film starring Zach Braff. Again, the protagonists share an existential angst and use their lack of emotions (at least, at the surface) to combat the struggles they so deeply combat.
Of course, these are just two ideas to get you started. Other, lighter options exist. Like Ferris Bueler’s Day Off. I encourage you and your students to check out what other bloggers have said about works inspired by Catcher.
How students showcase what they found is up to you. You could definitely encourage a traditional essay that compares and contrasts Catcher and a selected work. They could present their findings through a slideshow or a tri-fold poster. Or find a blank bulletin board in your room or hallway and have them decorate it based on what they found.
A Freebie to round out the catcher in the rye activities
Last but not least on the list of Catcher in the Rye activities is the choice board. This is the freebie on the list and it’s a keeper. Generally, students peruse their list of options before settling on seven or eight items. Those range from sketching settings to imagining conversations between characters. Or maybe students choose the Q&A option where they can envision an interview with J.D. Salinger himself.
I love this activity for the utility it provides, especially if I have an unplanned absence towards the middle to end of the unit.
The idea with the choice board first and foremost is voice and choice. Students can choose how they want to demonstrate their knowledge.
Speaking of …
I love choice boards for quick, informal assessment. It’s so much more creative than a quiz, test, or even an open-ended response.
And I love that this activity can be as formal or as informal as you want. I’ve used it both as quick end-of-lesson summarizers that require no coloring. And I’ve worked it in as a larger assessment that requires time and more effort.
Check it out here. (Pssst, it’s free!)
If You Feel Inspired by These Catcher in the Rye Activities
I hope at least one of these ideas has sparked creative thoughts in you.
If you like what you read here, I ask that you take a few minutes to check out some of the resources I’ve made that are ready-to-go.
- Catcher for ELL Students: This abridgement and translation is a MUST-HAVE resource if you have ELLs in your classroom. All twenty-six chapters are abridged and translated. Plus, they feature comprehension questions and pictures to aid understanding
- Teacher Summary Booklet: If it’s been a while since you’ve read Catcher, or if you have a bit too much going on to reread the text, you need this booklet. All twenty-six chapters are summarized briefly but comprehensively. Plus, each chapter comes with suggested questions and topics for discussion
- Activators and Summarizers: I’ve organized Catcher into eight reading chunks (approximately three to four chapters at a time) and this resource features thought-provoking and creative activators and summarizers that are ready-to-go and sure to spark meaningful conversations
- Student Reading Journal: I’m a big advocate for No Busy Work. What my students sometimes don’t like to hear is, “That doesn’t mean no work.” This journal helps students read with purpose without bogging them down in useless minutiae. All twenty-six chapters come with their own journal page. Each journal page asks students to summarize the chapter in their own words and consider important quotes. Some chapters have the quote provided for analysis and others encourage voice and choice as students find their own. Plus, you’ll empower your students as they can identify what they want to talk about with their classmates. But they’ll appreciate the safety net of suggested topics to know.
- Catcher in the Rye Project: All of the wonderful Catcher in the Rye activities detailed in this blog post (with the exception of the choice board) are offered in my class as culminating project options. This resource features an overview of those options plus a rubric that’s ready for you to use today.
- Simplify Your Life with the Bundle: If you really like what you’re reading and are considering purchasing multiple products, why not save a buck or two? This bundle includes the Journal, Teacher’s Booklet, Activators and Summarizers, and Project and Rubric.
Concluding Thoughts
I’ve given a lot of thought to Holden Caulfield lately. And not just because I’ve been planning these Catcher in the Rye activities.
I think today, more than ever maybe, we need Holden Caulfield. It’s pretty impossible, as teachers, to bury our heads in the sand, as much as we might want to from a therapy standpoint. Who wouldn’t want to ignore the mass shootings and political drama and ravaging warfare? As a mother and a teacher, my heart weighs more heavily knowing my children will one day have to navigate an ever-changing and oftentimes cruel world. Just like Holden Caulfield did.
I can’t help but feel a deep connection with him when the world became too much to bear. I, too, find myself coping by retreating. And how many of our students does this fit?
And speaking of our students, how many of them are misguided and misunderstood — just like Holden? I’m sure you, like me, can easily think of at least one student who would be easier to ignore because to zero in on their hurt means it becomes your hurt.
If you are lucky enough to teach The Catcher in the Rye, I hope you are able to do one of the world’s great protagonists justice. He’s tough to love, I’ll admit it. But he’s so worth it.
