Final Essay: The Catcher in the Rye

The transition between childhood and adulthood and the process of gaining maturity are themes that have been written about in a positive way countless times. J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye does just the opposite; it portrays the loss of innoncene and the perversions of adulthood through the eyes of it’s antihero adolescent protagonist, Holden Caulfield. Holden’s opinions about growing up are an important aspect around which the whole storyline revolves, and this essay will concretely demonstrate the presence of this theme throughout the book.

First of all, the most evident portrayal of the importance of children’s loss of innocence in the novel is it’s title, The Catcher in the Rye, and the explanation surrounding it in chapter 22, when Holden tells his sister Phoebe about a dream he has. The dream goes as such: "Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody's around - nobody big, I mean - except me. And I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff - I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it's crazy, but that's the only thing I'd really like to be." This dream of Holden’s is an elaborate metaphor; his dream of catching children before they fall off a cliff and die represents his desire to stop children from growing up, to stop their childhood from dying. Thus, to him, adulthood is something completely negative, like death, which should be prevetend.

Second of all, the negative side of gaining maturity is represented in the book through Holden’s resistance against this natural process. Although he has some adult sides to him, for example calling a prostitute, drinking and wandering throughout New-York alone, he continually denies his adulthood and thinks like a child, concrete examples of this being his straightforward comments about everything and anything and his random wonderements about where the ducks go when the pond freezes over in the wintertime. Furthermore, Holden sees the world in black and white, with no shades of grey in the middle, as children do. For example, to him all adults are ‘’phonies’’ and hypocrits and childhood is a perfect state, with no room for honest adults or the bad aspects of being a child between this. Also, he resists maturity by only confiding in his younger sister Phoebe and putting her on a pedestal; except for her, Holden is close and honest to no one.

To conclude, in writing this novel J.D. Salinger was able to represent the difficulties of letting go of our past as children and the feelings of loss and alienation that go hand in hand with this process. Although this novel was written over 50 years ago, Holden’s thoughts and loneliness defy time as they still mirror most adolescents’ inner feelings, as is proved by the fact that this classic is read in almost all high schools throughout North America. This book therefore reaches out to people, because as Mr. Antolini said to Holden, he’s not "the first person who was ever confused and frightened and even sickened by human behavior."

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Book Report: The Catcher in the Rye

Everyday, books are published all over the world. Many of these books will go unnoticed, many others will have their fifteen minutes of fame and a rare few become classics, books which some commit to memory and which are part of many people from many countries' personal libraries. J.D. Salinger's tale of the trials and tribulations of a young adult, The Catcher in the Rye, is one of these books. The following book report will briefly summarize this grand novel and introduce its main character, Holden Caulfield.

The plot is a very important aspect in every novel, and The Catcher in the Rye’s plot is no exception to this rule. The story begins while Holden is at Pencey Prep, a school which he has been expelled from. After getting in a fight with his roommate, Holden leaves the school in the middle of the night. He then heads for New-York city, where he ends up spending two days. During these days, Holden meets up with old acquaintances, spends an evening with a prostitute who he is unable to fully pay and thus gets a beating, visits his sister Phoebe, the person he is closest too, and spends the night at an old teacher’s house who seems to make sexual advances at him. All of these events only seem to make Holden more lonely, dazed and confused. Holden spends another afternoon wandering around the city, depressed by the fact that the world, full of phoniness and perversion, isn’t a good place to grow up. He then imagines himself as the catcher in the rye who would keep children from falling off a cliff at the end of a field, a metaphor for being a protector of the children, a guard at the gates of childhood. The book ends with Holden watching Phoebe on the merry-go-round in the park, reaching out to grab the golden ring. Holden is scared that his sister will fall off but finally realizes that being a catcher is impossible, that children must inevitably grow up on their own.

Another important part of a book is its protagonist who, in this case, is Holden Caulfield. Holden is a 16 year-old anti-hero and cynic who, by his descriptions of events and the people surrounding him, appears to be troubled and depressed, a feeling that grows in importance throughout the story. Furthermore, although the reader knows that Holden is telling his story from some sort of institution, he never gives much insight into his current state of mind or the events surrounding his going into the institution.

To conclude, J.D. Salinger’s novel is one which is well worth reading, having stayed relevant even though the times have changed since it was first published. Proof of this is the movie Igby Goes Down, which was produced in 2002 and was inspired in theme, plot and protagonist by The Catcher in the Rye.

Inherit the Wind

Characters

• Bertram Cates: main character, young teacher (believes in Darwin's theory of evolution), defendant
• M.H. Brady: politician, considered the town "hero", Christian fundamentalist (opposes Darwin's theory of evolution), prosecutor
• H. Drummond: defense attorney, believes in the right of free speach, against fundamentalism, city man
• E.K. Hornbeck: cynical journalist, against Brady's fundamentalism
• Rev. J. Brown: pastor, Christian fundamentalist, preaches "fire and brimstone"
• Rachel Brown: Rev. J. Brown's daughter, Bertrand Cates' lover, internal conflict (should she accept Cates' belief in evolution or her father's belief in fundamentalism)
• Judge: should be impartial but shows favoritism towards M.H. Brady, open to free thought and speach
• Townspeople: Christian fundamentalists, in constant evolution but maintain good values

Questions

1. Not revelent to the version of the play we saw.

2. This makes it evident that Cates is not a threat and that the atsmosphere is very easy-going.

3. It's very religious and proud of their beliefs.

4. Their relationship makes Brady seem very insecure (he needs his wife's approval)

5. Their relationship makes Brady seem very manipulative and sly.

6. They say Drummond is a heathen (heretic) and unethical. At first this seems true but later we are proven wrong.

7. Hornbeck is a troublemaker, a cynic and a non-believer who supports Drummond. He is also self-centered, close-minded and condescending.

8. Fair element: The judge also names Drummond colonel. Unfair element: The judge disregards all of Drummond's witnesses.

9. She is probably motivated to ask this of Cates because even though she loves him and understands the fact that he believes in the evolutionist theory, she comes from a religious family and a religious town where not believing in creationism is a sin.

10. His intervention shows that he is not as "extremist" in his religious views as one might of thought. Even though he is against the teaching of the evolutionist theory, he doesn't believe that those who preach this theory should die, as the reverend seems to think.

11. Drummond is arguing for freedom of speach and thought.

12. No, I don't think it is fair that Drummond is refused all of his witnesses. It does not make sense that he is expected to defend his client accurately without any witnesses.

Hills Like White Elephants

Author

Vocabulary

Introduction

Thesis statement: "Though the word “abortion” is nowhere in the story, it is doubtlessly understood through Hemingway’s powerful use of two literary elements: setting and symbolism."

Paragraph one

Topic sentence: "From the first paragraph the setting immediately introduces the tense atmosphere that will surround the rest of the story."

Supporting evidence: "The hills across the valley of the Ebro were long and white. On this side there was no shade and no trees and the station was between two lines of rails in the sun. […] The American and the girl with him sat at a table in the shade, outside the building. It was very hot and the express from Barcelona would come in forty minutes. It stopped at this junction for two minutes and went to Madrid."

Supporting evidence: "The couple is in the middle of making a drastic decision where there are only two choices, two directions, just like the two rail lines that pass by the station."

Supporting evidence: "The openness and loneliness around the railroad station imply that there is no way to back out of the problem at hand and that the man and the girl must address it now."

Supporting evidence: "The heat turns the scene into a virtual teakettle, boiling and screaming under pressure. "

Paragraph two

Topic sentence: The main idea of this paragraph is the symbolism behind the girl saying that the hills "look like white elephants."

Supporting evidence: "As she observes the white hills she foresees elatedly the birth of her baby – something unique like the uncommon white elephant."

Supporting evidence: "The color white symbolizes the innocence and purity of her unborn child."

Midterm Writing Test

103A Midterm Writing Test

Part A

1. What is Louise Mallard's opinion of marriage?
   
   Louise Mallard views marriage as being a constrictive bind: a union where she is to live for someone else, subjected to their will. Her opinion is clearly stated in the thirteenth paragraph, where she says, ''A kind intention or a cruel intention made the act seem no less a crime as she looked upon it in that brief moment of illumination,'' thus comparing the act of forcing your own will upon someone else (in this case your spouse) to a criminal act.
   
   
2. How does she feel about her future as a widow?
   
   Louise Mallard feels that her future as a widow will be one where she is free to live for herself, to do what she fancies and most importantly, one where she does not need to obey the will and demands of somebody other than herself. Her feelings are clearly revealed in the story: ''Spring days, and summer days...''
   
   
3. How does Louise's sister and her friend, Richards, feel about the Mallard's marriage?
   
   Josephine (Louise's sister) and Richards are under the impression that the Mallard's marriage is a happy one, where both husband and wife love and care for each other. They think that if Louise hears about her husband's death too abruptly, she will be so crushed by the news that her heart will fail. When Louise dies, they are certain that it is because joy overcame her when she saw her husband was still alive.
   
   
4. Explain how Louise can feel joy and sadness at the same time.
   
   In the short story, Louise feels joy and sadness at the same time. On one hand, the death of her husband, her companion has just been announced to her; therefore, even though she didn't always love him, she is sad at the idea of never seeing the man with whom she spent her life. On the other hand, freedom in the form of a life all to herself has been handed to her; thus she feels immense joy at the idea of doing what she pleases for the remainder of her life.

Part B

Death has always been interpreted in many ways : as a deliverance, as a curse, as a path to eternal life. If we take a closer look at the idea of deliverance, it is usually viewed as freedom for the deceased, not the people left behind; nonetheless, this is the case in Kate Chopin’s Story of an Hour. It is therefore very ironic in it’s depiction of marriage, death and our views of others, an element of the story I will demonstrate in the following text.

First of all, irony is used to establish the message of the story, which is that not everything, not everybody are what they seem. Indeed, throughout the story, friends and family of the supposedly newly widowed Louise Mallard believe that the news of her husband’s death will kill her, when in fact, the idea of spending her life alone overjoices her. When it is revealed that her husband is still alive, Louise Mallard dies of heart failure, her friends now believing that she has died of happiness. This is clearly stated in the last sentence of the story : ''When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease—of the joy that kills.'' This message, and the author’s opinion on how we judge people, is revealed to the reader in an ironic fashion; her friends, incorrectly assuming that she loves her husband, try to shield her from the news of his death but fail to realize that it is the news of his being alive they should have shielded her from, thus proving that they don't know their friend as well as they think they do.

Second of all, the author’s depiction of death and being a widow is very ironic. Usually, death is considered a portal to freedom for the one leaving this world but in this story, the one receiving freedom is the widow. Instead of falling into depression and torment, Louise Mallard proclaims, ''Free! Body and soul free!'', an exclamation of profound joy very contrary to what is expected; therefore, it is a clear indication of irony. Furthermore, as previously stated, instead of dying out of sadness at the loss of her husband, Mrs. Mallard dies out of sadness at the loss of her newly-found freedom when her husband is found to be alive and in good health. Yet again, this is an opposite reaction to what is normally expected from a widow. Hence, in her story, Kate Chopin portrays death and it’s implications on others in a very unpredictable, very ironic manner.

Using Quotes

With a complete idea

Hemingway often uses dialogue to emphasize a character trait: ''The girl looked at the bead curtain, put her hand out and took hold of two of the strings of beads.''

With an incomplete idea

ex: In Hemingway's story, Jig said, ''They look like white elephants.''

Inside a sentence

ex: The girl in Hemingway's story remarked, ''Everything tastes of licorice,'' revealing her attitude toward life.

With an incomplete quote

ex: Hemingway's story takes place ''between two lines of rails in the sun.''

With an ellipsis

ex: Hemingway often uses dialogue to emphasize a character trait: ''The girl looked at the beads...''

Within a quote

ex: Hemingway wrote, '' 'They're lovely hills,' she said,' They don't really look like white elephants.' ''

Writing Exercices

1.

• She went to bed early, but it took hours for her to fall asleep.
• She went to bed early; however, it took hours for her to fall asleep.

2.

• She wants to lose weight, so she has gone on a strict diet.
• She wants to lose weight; therefore, she has gone on a strict diet.

3.

• The night air was very still, and a light rain had begun to fall.
• The night air was very still; moreover, a light rain had begun to fall.

4.

• Her friend did her best to learn to cook, but nothing she prepared came out right.
• Her friend did her best to learn to cook; however, nothing she prepared came out right.

5.

• Our team learned that the train would be very late, so we decided to take the plane.
• Our team learned that the train would be very late; therefore, we decided to take the plane.

6.

• The girl can sing very well, and she is a talented actress.
• The girl can sing very well; moreover, she is a talented actress.

7.

• Their basement was damaged by the flood, but they can't afford to fix it now.
• Their basement was damaged by the flood; however, they can't afford to fix it now.

8.

• My boss wants to live like a millionaire, so he bought an expensive mansion in an exclusive area.
• My boss wants to live like a millionaire; therefore, he bought an expensive mansion in an exclusive area.

9.

• Their army lost the last few battles, but they kept on fighting.
• Their army lost the last few battles; however, they kept fighting.

10.

• Capital punishment is often applied unfairly, so a mistake is sometimes made.
• Capital punishment is often applied unfairly; therefore, a mistake is sometimes made.

11.

• The boy has been absent from class many times, so the principal called him to his office for an explanation.
• The boy has been absent from class many times; therefore, the principal called him to his office for an explanation.

Poetry

Diction

Figures of speech and rhymes

1. Simile: direct comparison using a comparitive term such as "like" or "as"

2. Metaphor: indirect comparison

3. Personification: giving human qualities or giving life to something

4. Alliteration: repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of a word

5. Assonance: repetition of a vowel sound

6. Consonance: repetition of a consonant sound

7. Apostrophe: adressing someone directy; calling out to someone

8. Hyperbole: exagerating something (ex: There were 5 million cars on the road tonight.)

9. Oxymoron: putting two opposite ideas together (ex: cruel kindness)

10. Connotation: suggestive meaning (ex: cool means hip, nice, good)

11. Denotation: litterary meaning (ex: cool means not warm)

12. Concreteness

13. Abstractness

14. Level of language (ex: child is formal, kid is informal, squirt is slang)

15. Imagery: relates to the five senses; sound, sight, touch, taste, smell

16. Irony

17. Symbolism

18. Pun: fun use of language (ex: An elevator makes ghosts happy because it lifts the spirits; I should have been sad when my flashlight batteries died, but I was delighted)

19. Euphony: pleasant or harmonious succession of words/sounds

20. Cacaphony: harsh discordance of sounds

21. Onomatopeia (ex: the buzzing of the bees)

Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge

Author Overview

Ambrose Bierce was born in 1842 in Ohio. He was an editorialist, short story writer and journalist, among other jobs. His most famous short story is "An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge", which was originally published in 1890. He is known for his use of dark imagery, vague references to time and war-themed pieces. In 1913, as he travelled to Mexico, Bierce disappeared, thus his year of death is unknown.
Ambrose Bierce's writing was influenced was influenced by his military career (he was a major) and his uncle who was an army general. He decided to start writing in part because his father owned a library, but mainly because he could not fight in the war any longer.

Story Overview

The story was published in 1890 and is set in the 1860s, during the Civil War, in Alabama. It's main character is Peyton Farquhar, a slave owner and Confederate sympathizer who is condemned to death by hanging.

Imagery

1. "They hurt his ear like the thrust of a knife."

2. "The wind made in their branches the music of Aeolian harps."

3. "Death is a dignitary who when he comes announced is to be received with formal manifestations of respect..."

4. "They seemed like streams of pulsating fire heating him to an intolerable temperature."

5. "...he swung through unthinkable arcs of oscillation, like a vast pendulum."

Vocabulary

1. Swift: moving or capable of moving with great speed or velocity; rapid

2. Stout: strong and thick or heavy

3. Sentinels: a solder stationed as a guard to challenge all comers and prevent a surprise attack

4. Secessionist: a person who secedes, advocates secession, or claims secession as a constitutional right

5. Chafed: to be irritated or annoyed

6. Driftwood: wood floating on a body of water or cast ashore by it

7. Ramification: the act or process of branching out or diving

8. Locusts: any of several grasshoppers of the family Acrididae

9. Oscillating: to swing or move to and fro, as a pendulum does

10. Ineffable: incapable of being expressed or described in words

The Nightingale and the Rose

Author Overview

The story was written by Oscar Wilde, an Irish playwright, poet, and author, born in 1854 in Dublin, Ireland. He was one of the greatest playwrights and celebrities of his time. One of his most popular plays is "The Importance of Being Earnest", which is still performed today. His story "The Nightingale and the Rose" was written for his two sons. Wilde was imprisonned for two years after being convicted for homosexuality. Following his release from prison, he left Britain and never came back. He died in 1900.

Symbolism

1. Student: The student, to me, symbolizes to things; first of all, he symbolizes young love, passionate love, and second of all, he symbolizes naivety.

2. Nightingale: The nightingale is a representation of the motherly figure, who would give her life in order to see her child, or in this case the student, happy and loved.

3. Oak Tree: The oak tree is a symbol for friendship, another form of love.

4. Princess: The princess is a symbol for materialism and how possessions and riches can surpass love in importance for some people.

5. Red Rose: The red rose represents love and how even though you must work hard to obtain it, it is easily thrown away.

Imagery

1. Personification: "But the Tree shook it's head."

2. Simile: "She passed through the grove like a shadow..."

3. Metaphor: "...the Sun in his chariot of gold..."

4. Alliteration: "...and I will sing you my sweetest song." (s)

5. Assonance: "...kisses the lips of the bride." (i)

6. Consonance: "Crimson was the girdle of the petals, and crimson as a ruby was the heart." (r)

Vocabulary

1. Opals: a kind of gem made from an amorphous form of silica, found in many varieties and colours

2. Cynic: a person who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions and who disbelieves in or minimizes selfless acts or disinterested points of view

3. Grove: a small wood or forested area, usually with no undergrowth

4. Spray: a single, slender shoot, twig or branch, with its leaves, flower or berries

5. Nipped: to affect sharply and painfully or injuriously, as a very cold temperature

6. Hawthorn: any of numerous plants belonging to the genus Cratageus, of the rose family, typically a small tree with stiff thorns

7. Chamberlain: a high official of a royal court

8. Girdle: anything that encircles, confines, or limits

9. Ecstasy: rapturous delight

10. Reel: a device, such as a cylinder, spool, or frame, that turns on an axis and is used for winding and storing rope, tape, film, or other flexible materials

WRITING