In these other 3 chapters, I learned a little more about Holden. Holden is somewhat of a loner as iI said in the previous post. In this section, Holden asks Ackley, “‘Listen. What’s the routine on joining a monastery?’ I asked him. I was sort of toying with the idea of joining one. ‘Do you have to be a Catholic and all?’” I think Holden is considering becoming a monk because he has no real direction in life, and I think he enjoys the simplicity and serenity of being quiet and alone. I also think it is because he hates all the “phonies”; the rich people who are completely fake to one another. I like that Holden is honest, and doesn’t put up with people’s crap. I also like that he is his own person, not trying to be like someone else, and he doesn’t care at all what people think. I don’t like that he is so negative, but I think that goes back to having his brother die at a very young age. That could have caused him to think the world is unfair and give him that really negative outlook on life. I also don’t like the fact that Holden keeps trying to get girls, like when he called that Faith Cavendish lady because he thought she would come over and sleep with him. That turns me off Holden, because that isn’t right, but I can understand that when growing up in an all boys school and having money that that idea is not completely out of the question for him.
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Today, I read Catcher in the Rye up to Chapter 6. The story went through Holden's night at the dorm. We met Ackley, one of his roommates, and we also met Stradlater, Holden's closest roommate. Holden to me is a very unique and intriguing character. I don't know too much about him quite yet, but I do know that he is somewhat of a free spirit, that he does what he wants and no one can really make him change. I also know that he doesn't really have any super close friends at Pencey. When he yelled and woke everyone up as he was leaving, it made me think that Holden just didn't care. It says, "I was sort of crying. I don't know why. I put my red hunting hat on, and turned the peak around to the back, the way I liked it, and then I yelled at the top of my goddam voice, 'Sleep tight, ya morons!' I'll bet I woke up every bastard on the whole floor." Also, when Holden talks about toying with joining a monastery, I realized something. Holden likes to be alone, and this book from his point of view sort of also proves that. I don't like how bitter he is about a lot of things, and how he does not speak his full mind if he has a problem, like when Stradlater went out with Jane. The video on the unreliable narrator does play a part here. I thought that the whole idea of Holden saying things about himself that weren't entirely accurate, but then Salinger coming in and giving hints to what were accurate was spot on. I think that I will find more evidence for this later on in the book as we learn more about Holden, but right now I can see how he could potentially be an unreliable narrator. The first chapter of The Catcher in the Rye was very interesting to me. I was immediately sucked in with the in depth descriptions. He describes everything in a sort of sarcastic tone, and that made me read more and more. Also, the way he spoke was alluring. He was very stereotypical teenager in that way, more negative about the world around him. That was very different for me than any other book I have ever read. Also, the language he uses is very different. The only time I have read more cursing is in Game of Thrones. The word crumby also made me think and put me in the shoes of a teenager in the 1950s. At this point in the novel, I can't tell if I like Holden or not, just that he is a teen that does not really care about his life, and has no plans at all for his future. Also, I know that he is quite careless and attends a prestigious prep school, paid for by his wealthy parents. I think that Holden is a person that is lost, and that has not ever been driven to do things and do well in life, because everything he ever wanted or needed was given to him. When the school kicked him out, he was so nonchalant about it. In the novel, it says, "I wasn't supposed to come back after Christmas vacation, on account of I was flunking four subjects and not applying myself and all. They gave me frequent warnings to start applying myself-especially around mid-terms when my parents came up for a conference with old Thurmer- but i didn't do it. So I got the ax." |
AuthorI am Andrew, a high school kid attending PVHS. I enjoy golf, track, Xbox, and skiing. I have a passion for cars. I love reading, and my favorite book is Game of Thrones. Archives
January 2017
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