Literature Analysis #2: The Catcher In The Rye

This story was set in Pennsylvania and New York City in the 1950's. Holden Caulfield is a sixteen year old boy who just got kicked out of his school Pency Prep. He can be bitter and have a negative outlook of the world. Holden doesn't like that his older brother D.B. is a writer because he feels he is giving his ideas away for money and refers to it as "prostituting his talents". Holden mentioned that he was recently at a mental hospital near L.A. getting checked out and having some tests done. Pency Prep is a high class school for smart, rich kids but it makes Holden feel like they're all being fake. Holden was failing four classes there.. all but English. Holden is alone a lot and always isolated. He goes to say goodbye to his history teacher Mr. Spencer because he won't be returning after Christmas break. Ackley is a really annoying kid that went to Holden's school with him. He has acne all over his face, never brushes his teeth, his ears are gross, and he always cleans his nails. Holden is pretty mean to Ackley sometimes. -"I don't feel like stepping on your crumbly nails all night." Holden is roommates with this other guy named Stradlater. Stradlater is taking out one of Holden's old friends Jane. Holden is very protective over Jane.. ever since they use to play chess together when they were little and Jane would keep all her kings in he back row, which fascinated Holden. Jane was also abused by her father when she was younger. Holden is lying in bed thinking about Stradlater on a date with her and he is cleary bothered by this idea. He knows Stradlater is kind of a cocky guy, and he doesn't want him to take advantage of Jane. While Stradlater is on his date with Jane, Holden begins to work on the English assignment Stradlater asked him to do. He didn't know what to write about so he starts talking about his little brother Allie's old baseball mit that had poetry written on it in green ink. Allie died of leukemia 3 years ago but it is clear that Holden hasn't moved on. When Stradlater comes home and reads it, he complains that it has nothing to do with the assignment and so Holden gets upset and rips it in half. They get into a fight and Holden ends up running out of Pency with a bloody face. He is tired of waiting and figures it's pointless to stick around because he's already been kicked out. Holden is crying when he leaves from all the built up emotions. While on the subway he meets this really nice old lady named Mrs. Morrow. He lies about every question she asks him because he doesn't know who he can trust. Once he tells one lie, they just start pooring out and he can't stop. Once he realizes how nice she was he starts to feel bad for lying. Holden is very respectful of girls in general. He doesn't want to make them do stuff they'll regret. He had plenty of oppertunities but when the girl says no he stops. Holden gets a hotel room and talks to some guy in the elevator who convinces him to get a prostitute sent to his room. When she gets there Holden is really surprised at how young she is. He tells her that he will still pay her but he only wants to talk. This just shows how lonely he really is that he needs to pay a prostitute to just listen to him talk. Another thing that just shows how lonely Holden is..is when he calls his old friend Sally and asks her on a date. The whole time he keeps saying how annoying she is. They go ice skating and then while they are eating in a diner Holden starts telling Sally how they could just run away together and get married! He is so desperate that he would marry someone even though they really annoy him. She thinks he is crazy. Eventually Holden makes it back home and finds his ten year old little sister Phoebe. She is so mature and very wise for her age. She is super happy to see him. Holden takes a trip to the Museum of Natural History. He loves that place because everything is the same. Nothing changes.. he is the only thing that is different from the last time he was there. Holden likes the stability he feels there. Holden tells Phoebe that he is leaving and she can't come with him. She starts to cry and so he brings her to the marry go round and watches her ride it. Holden ends the story by saying he is not going to tell us what happens next. He's not going to explain how he went home and got sick.. he just felt like stopping there.

Isolation is a major theme in this book. Holden always feels isolated and like can never belong anywhere. He is constantly lonely and searching for somewhere to fit in.

The author's tone really gives personality to the characters. Holden seems like he has given up and just doesn't really care anymore. -"I forgot to tell you about that.. they kicked me out." This just shows how careless he is. He forgot to say that he got kicked out of school! Holden also curses a lot and just has a negative attitude towards everything. He doesn't like change and is often his own worst enemy. He always says he is going to do something and then changes his mind and says he is not in the mood.

*Irony- Holden Caulfield calls everyone "phonies" because he feels like they are being fake or insincere. -"I'm the most terrific liar you've ever seen in your life." He gets mad at everyone else for being fake and yet he does it himself and admits it which is very hypocritical.

*Metaphor- the ducks at the pond is a metaphor because through out the book Holden keeps asking everyone where the ducks go when the pond freezes over. This relates to Holden because he feels lost and doesn't know where to go when things in his life start changing. The pond was -"partly frozen partly not frozen". This also relates to Holden's world. Part of it is changing and some parts are staying the same and he doesn't know how to deal with that.

*Symbol- Allie's baseball mit was a symbol for Holden because it reminded him of his past. His little brother Allie was a part of him. Even though Holden was older, he seemed to look up to Allie because he was supposedly the best child and always friendly and nice. When Allie died.. so did a part of Holden. The baseball mit represents all those old memories that Holden can't let go of.

*Characterization- Throughout the book you can definately see different sides of Holden. He is a dynamic character. In the beginning he seemed really negative and rude. He didn't seem to care about anything or anyone. As the story went on you saw a different side. When he goes to talk to his History teacher he says-"It is alright with me if you flunk me though.. as I am failing everything else except English anyways." This shows that Holden has compassion and he cares about his teacher's feelings. Holden also really cares about young people. He wants to be a catcher in the rye because he wants to protect little kids and if they are about to fall off the edge.. he will catch them. Holden also shows that he has a lot of respect for women. You learn throughout the book that Holden has his negative views because of events that have happened in his life but those don't have to define you. He also has good qualities and is respectful. You can see Holden discover who he is and realize that the choices he makes can affect everyone else around him.

*Tone- Throughout the story Holden's tone is very casual. He can be mad or happy but either way he acts like he doesn't care about what might happen. I think he does this as a defense mechanism because he is scared of getting hurt. Deep down Holden is his own worst enemy because he wants to be with someone so bad and he is so tired of being alone, but he is too scared of losing someone else he cares about so he pushes people away. By the end of the book Holden learned that certain things in your life will always hurt. Sometimes the pain doesn't heal in time, and keeping memories doesn't help because it just reminds you of the pain you felt when you lost it the first time. Everyone is different and they handle life in different ways.

"Tools That Change the Way We Think"

"Back in 2004, I asked [Google founders] Page and Brin what they saw as the future of Google search. 'It will be included in people's brains,' said Page. 'When you think about something and don't really know much about it, you will automatically get information.'

'That's true,' said Brin. 'Ultimately I view Google as a way to augment your brain with the knowledge of the world. Right now you go into your computer and type a phrase, but you can imagine that it could be easier in the future, that you can have just devices you talk into, or you can have computers that pay attention to what's going on around them and suggest useful information.'

'Somebody introduces themselves to you, and your watch goes to your web page,' said Page. 'Or if you met this person two years ago, this is what they said to you... Eventually you'll have the implant, where if you think about a fact, it will just tell you the answer."

-From In the Plex by Steven Levy (p.67)

It seems like the extensive internet/media/technology use is basically helping us become lazier. It is replacing our thoughts with computers that can think for you. However, it also makes it a lot easier to obtain information that I would have otherwise been too lazy to figure out. By the click of a button I can have my questions answered. It makes learning more appealing because it is simpler. I have also noticed that I become impatient when the computer is going slow. It annoys me and I feel like I'm just waisting time. In reality when you think about it.. waiting a little longer for the internet is still so much faster than going to the library and looking something up. It is hard to stay concentrated on subjects that don't interest me. I get bored very easily. I actually like thinking and analyzing things, and I feel like the internet makes it a lot easier to access useful information. According to http://lang-8.com/31381/journals/90875 the social issues in our society at that time have a great affect on the generation. It said that we are a more open-minded and clever generation, but it also says how we have an easier way of life and are given more facilities than previous generations got. Because of this it is said that we are less likely to value and enjoy the simple things in life. Which I think is true to a point.
Nicole Anderson
Period 2

"In Search Of"

I actually learned a lot from this video. I found out that we don't really have a say in what gets edited out for us on the internet. The internet is running on algerithms and showing us what it has caluculated that we want to see. It throws off the balance because it's mainly looking at the first thing we click on. I also learned that two people could look up the same thing at the same time and get different results. That was really weird to me.
  This makes me question what I see online now. I'm not going to feel like I am getting a good sense of what is going on because I don't know what has been specifically edited out. It makes me feel like I am being closed off to parts of the public life.
  When it comes to the internet in general.. I just wonder how far this "filter bubble" thing will go. Like the video said, you can't have a functioning democracy if people didnt get a good flow of information. It also makes me wonder how many people are clueless to the fact that this is even happening.
  When I search for something now I am going to make sure I have gotten a well rounded understanding on what I am looking for. It might mean I have to go to more than one sight and look up multiple things. I also need to be more aware on the specific things I click on because that will effect what pops up next time.

When I re-did my Shakespeare search I payed more attention to the suggestions that popped up as I was typing. It said some weird things.. that didn't even make sense. I was also more careful as to what I clicked on because I wasn't sure how that would affect my "filter bubble". I realize now that the internet is always being edited to fit me better. In the video it said the best editing gives us a little of both sides and has variety. This made me think about the Hamlet search I just did because the first thing I saw was the argument that Edward De Vere was the real Shakespeare. I had to look a little harder to find actual info on Shakespeare which just made me wonder if it was my computer and "filter bubble" that made it do that.

"Notes on Hamlet"

Up until the latest discussion of Hamlet I pretty much had the same way of thinking.. Hamlet couldn't make up his mind and make a decision. Was Hamlet crazy?? How do we know? I realize now after completing act 3 that what Hamlet was doing took tramendous patience. He is actually very cautious with his actions. My view of him changed from someone who wasn't sure whether to kill himself or not, to a guy who is willing to take time to make sure something is done right. Creating the play within the play to see Claudius's reaction took a lot of effort on Hamlet's part. Also, the main driving force since the beginning was that Hamlet was seeking revenge on Claudius for killing his father and seducing his mother. Seeing his father's dead ghost wasn't enough for Hamlet, he wanted reassurance. Then once he saw his uncle's reaction to the play he still didn't kill him when he had the chance because Claudius was praying and asking for forgiveness which means he would go to heaven and that is not sufficient revenge. If anything, I have realized that Hamlet has a lot of restraint and knows what he wants. He isn't willing to settle. In a way Hamlet has created the perfect situation because Claudius knows that Hamlet knows but Hamlet hasn't actually said he knows yet. Claudius is basically stuck so it will be interesting to see if/how he can get out of it.

"Who Was Shakespeare?"

When I did my search on Shakespeare, I went to google.com and typed in "who was Shakespeare". A bunch of options come up and I scrolled down until I found one that seemed decent. After reading about him, I realize just how respected Shakespeare was as a playwriter. He was referred to as "the greatest poet and dramatist the Western world has ever seen" by About.com. The questioning of Shakespeare strikes up a lot of controversy which might be a reason for his popularity. I also found that no one really knows very much about his life. We know that William Shakespeare was an incredible writer but how did he become that? What life experiences made him the way he was? Who shaped his writing? For the longest time when I would hear about Shakespeare in school I would instantly get bored. It just seemed like a bunch of old writing that I couldn't understand. I knew how famous he was for his writing but I just never took the time to figure out why. I still struggle now with the style of writing because it is challenging to understand, but I have a whole new appreciation for his works. Throughout high school I have had to read some of Shakespears stories and I really like them when I'm done. The idea that Shakespeare cared so much about every syllable he was writing really makes you think. I look at Shakespeare differently now because I'm not blinded by the weird writing and language anymore. I see that all his stories have deeper meanings and it can actually be really fun to figure out what they are.

"To Facebook or Not to Facebook?"

When I first joined facebook freshman year, I was a little hesitant to say the least. I was never good with technology so learning something besides Myspace seemed difficult. However, it was surprisingly easy for me to understand. I liked how simple things were and changing the settings seemed obvious. I understand that with any social networking site there comes a risk. I do think it is important to be of a certain age before you get a facebook. It reminds me of the journal we did today talking about "common sense". It does seem like younger kids might not have the same common sense to know what to post and what not to post. My little brother is 13 and just got a facebook, and sometimes he posts things that are just stupid. I definatley think it's risky to have facebook at a young age. I have also noticed that people take great pride in the number of friends they have. It almost seems like a popularity contest. I could see young people adding "friends of friends" just to increase the number.  It is also true that there are people out there who do not have your best interests at heart. You have to be very careful and I think the younger you are the easier it would be to fall into a trap. Also, there is so much cyber bullying going on.. which is why I wasn't allowed to have a myspace for so long. The problem with not allowing it though is that I also knew a lot of kids who would make Myspace accounts and not tell their parents. So it almost seems safer if they are going to have an account for the parents to just regulate it. Reading the article just made me realize how many young kids are on facebook. Technology has gotten so prevelant today. I couldn't believe that social media was illegal in Missouri. That seems like such a big part of our culture today, it would be weird not to have it. In the class discussion I felt like it was a little onesided because everyone basically agreed. I would have wanted to hear a little more about why having a facebook is a positive thing.

"(Don't) Be Hamlet"

   "To be or not to be, that is the question". In Hamlet's soliloquy it is evident that he is being torn in two different directions. He is struggling with what he wants to do and what he feels he should do. "Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them." Hamlet is basically saying life is hard. It is overwhelming, he is stressed, and the easy solution would be to take his own life. However, he feels a sense of responsibility because he is a prince in the noble family and wants to live up to his title. "-And by a sleep to say we end the heartache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to." If Hamlet were to die he feels his pain would end.
   "Who would Fardels bare to grunt and sweat under a weary life, but that the dread of something after death." Hamlet is concerned about the unknown. What if he dies..and it is worse than what he was dealing with in life? He is being forced by his own conscience to deal with the struggles of life because of his morals, and the question that the after life could be more painful. "Thus conscience does make cowards of us all."
    I definately think fear is a driving force for Hamlet. His beliefs are conflicting with his emotions and thoughts. The fear of damnation makes him reconsider his choices. The fear of letting people down and losing respect also causes him to second guess killing himself. I can relate to Hamlet in a way. I understand what it is like to not want to disappoint people, and I see how it affects the choices and decisions you make. Hamlet has a lot of pressure to deal with at a young age. The revenge he is seeking on his uncle for murdering his father, his mother's quick remarriage to his uncle, Hamlet seeing his father's ghost, and of course his love for Ophelia. I can understand why Hamlet is feeling overwhelmed. He has a lot on his plate, but I don't think suicide would solve his problems. That just seems like quitting to me. He will find out what death is like soon enough but he needs to realize that there is a purpose for the pain in life. Everything happens for a reason and Hamlet should not just give up when things seem to hard. He needs to overcome his challenges and see what the purpose of this whole ordeal was.