How old is Holden's sister Phoebe, according to the text?

• A. 12 years old
• B. 10 years old
• C. 11 years old
• D. 8 years old

Answer: (B)

Phoebe is ten years old. The text keeps her as Holden’s younger sister who is still in early childhood, and this is stated through descriptions and scenes that portray her as a child of about ten. The age matters because it reinforces Holden’s view of innocence and his wish to protect children from adulthood’s phoniness, a contrast that drives his emotional connection with Phoebe and his overarching fantasies about the “catcher in the rye.” If she were older, the dynamic with Holden would feel different, and if she were younger, the scenes with her would read as more diminutive. The narrative consistently presents Phoebe at the ten-year-old mark, making ten the best answer.