The Catcher in the Rye: Chapters 12-16

by J.D. Salinger
In J.D. Salinger's classic novel, Holden Caulfield leaves his prep school and experiences disillusionment and alienation while wandering around New York City.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1-5, Chapters 6-11, Chapters 12-16, Chapters 17-21, Chapters 22-26

Here are links to our lists for Salinger’s short stories: A Perfect Day for Bananafish,
Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut, Just Before the War with the Eskimos, The Laughing Man, Down at the Dinghy, For Esmé–with Love and Squalor, Pretty Mouth and Green My Eyes, De Daumier-Smith's Blue Period, Teddy
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. nonchalant
    marked by casual unconcern or indifference
    I just got very cool and nonchalant.
  2. sophisticated
    having worldly knowledge and refinement
    I read this book once, at the Whooton School, that had this very sophisticated, suave, sexy guy in it.
  3. chateau
    an impressive country house (or castle) in France
    He had this big château and all on the Riviera, in Europe, and all he did in his spare time was beat women off with a club.
  4. recuperate
    get over an illness or shock
    "I'm still recuperating," I told her.
  5. premature
    too soon or too hasty
    "I thought I'd be feeling a lot better than I do. I was a little premature in my calculations. No kidding. I'm sorry. If you'll just get up a second, I'll get my wallet. I mean it."
  6. frock
    a one-piece garment for a woman; has skirt and bodice
    She sort of shrugged her shoulders, the way she did before, and then she said, very cold, "Do you mind getting me my frock? Or would it be too much trouble?"
  7. atheist
    someone who denies the existence of god
    In the first place, I'm sort of an atheist.
  8. gory
    covered with blood
    I didn't want a bunch of stupid rubbernecks looking at me when I was all gory.
  9. spendthrift
    someone who spends money freely or wastefully
    I'd spent a king's ransom in about two lousy weeks. I really had. I'm a goddam spendthrift at heart. What I don't spend, I lose.
  10. inferiority
    the state of being lesser
    What I did, I finally put my suitcases under my bed, instead of on the rack, so that old Slagle wouldn't get a goddam inferiority complex about it.
  11. complex
    a combination of emotions and impulses influencing behavior
    What I did, I finally put my suitcases under my bed, instead of on the rack, so that old Slagle wouldn't get a goddam inferiority complex about it.
  12. bourgeois
    conforming to the conventions of the middle class
    He kept saying they were too new and bourgeois.
  13. prejudiced
    showing bias or bigotry or influenced by preconceived ideas
    Not that he was prejudiced or anything, but he just wanted to know.
  14. swanky
    impressively fashionable and elegant
    She'd hand in her basket and then go someplace swanky for lunch.
  15. mushy
    very sentimental or emotional
    She sings it very Dixieland and whorehouse, and it doesn't sound at all mushy.
Created on Thu Mar 14 02:53:58 EDT 2013 (updated Wed Jul 02 14:08:42 EDT 2025)

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