Catcher in the Rye Characters: Holden Caulfield & Cast

Catcher in the Rye Characters

Holden Caulfield

Holden Caulfield: Depressed, tall sixteen-year-old who smokes, underwent trauma, and cannot socialize. Very passive, and distrusts adults.

Allie Caulfield

Allie Caulfield: Holden's brother. Died before the story began. His death has a lasting effect on Holden. Red-haired and left-handed. Wrote in green ink. Special because of those two traits. Very smart and sweet.

Phoebe Caulfield

Phoebe Caulfield: Younger sister to Holden; very smart; writes her own stories; an awesome dancer and writer.

D.B. Caulfield

D.B. Caulfield: Holden's older brother, an author who writes movies in Hollywood. Was traumatized in the war.

Mr. Caulfield

Mr. Caulfield: A wealthy corporate lawyer; invests money in Broadway shows that flop; used to be a Catholic.

Mrs. Caulfield

Mrs. Caulfield: Holden's mother; dresses nicely.

Dr. Thurmer

Dr. Thurmer: The headmaster of Pencey Prep. Classified by Holden as a phony.

Selma Thurmer

Selma Thurmer: Pencey's headmaster's daughter; nice but not conventionally pretty; she knows her dad is a phony.

Mrs. Spencer

Mrs. Spencer: The history professor's wife; known for her forbearance, kindness, and hot chocolate.

Ackley

Ackley: Holden's next-door neighbor in his dorm at Pencey; has halitosis and pimples, a dirty face, and is generally unkempt. Catholic with no sense of personal space.

Stradlater

Stradlater: Holden's roommate at Pencey; dates Jane Gallagher; handsome and popular.

Jane Gallagher

Jane Gallagher: One of the few girls that Holden respects; dated Stradlater.

Mr. Antolini

Mr. Antolini: Holden's former English teacher at Elkton Hills who now teaches at NYU.

Sally Hayes

Sally Hayes: Holden's date to a matinee on Sunday; attractive but shallow and artificial.

Maurice

Maurice: The elevator operator at the Edmont Hotel, who procures a prostitute for Holden.

Sunny

Sunny: A teenage prostitute at the Edmont Hotel; she is frightening despite her "little bitty voice."

Mr. Spencer

Mr. Spencer: Holden's history teacher at Pencey who tries to help Holden get it together.

Faith Cavendish

Faith Cavendish: Holden calls her to set up a date but it's too late; she sounds nice.

Ernest Morrow

Ernest Morrow: Holden meets his mother; tells her that Ernest is popular and sensitive when he's really the biggest bastard.

Mrs. Morrow

Mrs. Morrow: Holden meets her on the train and tells her lies about how well her son Ernest is doing.