In Class Essay

The speaker in this poem has very complex emotions towards desire. The author uses many metaphors to express the speaker's emotions. "Dregs of scattered thoughts" is what he compares to desire. This quote is what first sets the tone of the poem. The speaker sees desire as hopeless, useless scattered thoughts. Desire is unimportant and bad.
The speaker's thoughts of desire is keeping him up at night. Repetition is used to express his thoughts of desire. The thoughts of desire have been with him too long. Snap horses is also used to express the vanity he feels towards desire. He wants to get rid of his thoughts of desire. He desires to kill desire.
The author's use of diction and imagery play a role on how the speaker feels about desire. He uses words such as band, cradle, and web. Band can symbolize the coming together of all of his thoughts of desire. His mind cradles these thoughts without a care in the world. Web how's the complexity of the meaning of the word desire but also the speaker's emotion towards it.
The speaker hates desire so much he wants to get ride of it. He annoy get any thoughts of desire out of his mind. He will always have desire.

Poetry Essay Prompt #3

2004 Poems “We Grow Accustomed to the Dark” (Emily Dickinson) and “Acquainted with the Night” (Robert Frost)

Prompt: The poems below are concerned with darkness and night. Read each poem carefully. Then, in a well-written essay, compare and contrast the poems, analyzing the significance of dark or night in each. In your essay, consider elements such as point of view, imagery, and structure.

Prewrite 

                                                                                  Comparison                                           Contrast 

We Grow Accustomed to the Dark           Feel themselves in the dark                Third person

Acquainted with the Night   Talk about the main character in the dark       First Person

In Class Essay

     In the novel "Great Expectations" by Dickens the main character is greatly influenced by his surroundings/ Pip lives in a time where if you were part of a lower class then you stayed in the lower. By everyone who surrounded him, he was only expected to be a commoner and work the rest of his life. It was a tradition for many people who where born into a high and wealthy class than you were expected to go to school and become great.
     With the cultural influence Pip's great expectation was to become a worker and stay in his lower class to die. This affected him in many ways. Such as at first he could not believe that he himself would be able to become a gentleman. He was also shot down by the girl of he loved because he was not of good enough standards for her.
     The setting of this novel affected the main character Pip because in that time period people were not expected to go anywhere. If the setting had changed to present day then Pip would be an ordinary person with a greater chance to become who he wants to be.  
     With all these surrounding Pip's moral grew stronger. He wanted better for himself. He accomplished becoming a gentlemen and also getting the girl of his dreams.

1999 Essay Question 3

Ophelia from the Shakespeare play Hamlet is a character with a conflict of whether to listen to her heart or her father. Her heart is telling her that her one and only true love is Hamlet. Hamlet is pretending to go crazy and she believes that she can fix him. Her father thinks that she cannot help and that he is not the right man for her.
Between her father and her heart she becomes very conflicted. She does not know what to do. She understands that her father only looks out for her best interest like any other father would. Her heart is telling her to choose Hamlet because it will ultimately make her happy.
With these two opposing forces it was very hard for her to make a decision. It was either to follow her heart and choose Hamlet the one she loved romantically of her father whom she loved and respected dearly. With these two opposing forces she became crazy. When she became mad she floated down a river and drowned.    

1999 Essay Question 2

      McCarthy used a lot of imagery to convey the experiences of the main character. "The eye turned to fire gave back no light he closed it with his thumb and sat by her and put his hand on her bloodied forehead and closed his own eyes so that he can see her running through the mountains." In this sentence you can see that the main character is mourning a loss of someone. Even though they are covered in blood he can still see her in a living state. The fact that her eye gave back no fire gives a sense that the main character and the coyote had a connection.

     The author's diction with the help of imagery helps with the setting of this passage. By using the words talus and escarpments you know that he is in the wild. Talus is a slopping mass of rock debris at the base of a cliff. Escarpments are steep slopes. By using these words he is able to set the setting and the tone of the passage. The main character is in the wilderness and in a peaceful place where he encounters death.

     By encountering death the readers are able to sense the tone of the main characters experiences. The death of the coyote affected the main character in ways that you suspect that he had a connection with her. The tone is very calm and mourning.

Poetry Essay Prompt #2

2004B Poem “Crossing the Swamp” (Mary Oliver)

Prompt: Read the following poem carefully. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze the techniques the poet uses to develop the relationship between the speaker and the swamp.

                   Speaker                                                                                    Swamp 

  "here is swamp, here is struggle" -Anaphora 

 "Here is the endless wet thick                             

 cosmos, center of everything"-imagery

Poetry Essay Prompts #1

1997 Poem: “The Death of a Toad” (Richard Wilbur)

Prompt: Read the following poem carefully. Then write a well-organized essay in which you explain how formal elements such as structure, syntax, diction, and imagery reveal the speaker’s response to the death of a toad.

Prewrite: Response to Death of a Toad: 

Syntax and Diction: By using the words sanctuaried and using the phrase as still as stone you know that the toad will die. 

Structure: The poem is laid out in the steps of the death of a toad

Imagery: Chewed and clipped of a leg, with a hobbling hop has got,In the gutters of the banked and staring eyes. He lies As still as if he would return to stone,And soundlessly attending, dies

 

Gridlock

A Dream Within A Dream by Edgar Allan Poe

TPCASTT:  Poem Analysis Method:  
title, paraphrase, connotation, diction, 
attitude, tone, shift(s), title revisited and 
theme

Titleof poem means-The speaker says that everything is merely a dream

Paraphraseparts of the Poem- In the first stanza the speaker is leaving someone. He says that everyday and everything he sees is just a dream. In the second stanza the speaker is standing on a beach seeing everything and asking God why can't he grasp the grains of sand tighter. 

Connotationof some of the words – changing literal meaning to implied or associated values- 

AttitudeWhat is the attitude of the author, characters or yourself?- In the first stanza the attitude of the author is confident in himself and what he thinks. He believes that everything is a dream. In the second stanza the attitude changes. He begins to question what he believes and question God. 

ShiftAt first we think or feel one way – then there is a shift:  identify the shifts and explain them-The shift is in between the two stanzas. At first you are comfortable with the fact the everything is just a dream. After the shift the speaker begins to question it and why it cannot be stopped. In the first stanza he seems to be having a good dream which then turns bad.

Title revisitedAny new insights on meaning or significance of title?- Not everything is what it may seem like.

Theme- The theme is that there are good dreams and bad dreams. Sometimes you may question them. 

Carrie Multiple Choice Questions

1)What does Chris think is possible on prom night? (from Part 1: Page 74-120)

a)That people will have a bad time since Chris won't be there and she's the life of the party usually.

b)That Sue will help her get her revenge against Mr. Morton.

c)That Chris will be allowed to go to the prom.

d)That Tommy and Carrie would be crowned king and queen.

2)How does Annie's mother feel? (from Part 3)

a)Peaceful.

b)A little scared.

c)Terrified.

d)It is not mentioned.

3)What does Carrie try on while her mother watches? (from Part 2: Page 121-188)

a)Her prom dress.

b)Her school uniform.

c)Her choir outfit.

d)Her new earrings.

4)What does Billy put on ice? (from Part 1: Page 74-120)

a)Coke.

b)Beer.

c)The meaet he buys at the grocery store.

d)Two buckets of blood.

5)What does Carrie think her date is doing? (from Part 2: Page 121-188)

a)She does not know.

b)Having second thoughts in the driveway.

c)Playing a practical joke on her.

d)Taking someone else to the prom.

6)What do Carrie and her grandmother have in common? (from Part 2: Page 121-188)

a)Their looks.

b)The same power.

c)Their slight build.

d)Nothing.

7)What does Annie do during a game? (from Part 3)                       

a)Gets upset easily.

b)Nothing.

c)Gets anxious.

d)Makes the playing pieces levitate.

8)What is the overall consensus of the town? (from Part 3)

a)That many people were to blame for the tragedy.

b)That Carrie was mentally unstable and cruelty pushes her over the edge.

c)That Carrie White is a devil and the murderer of their children.

d)That Carrie knows exactly what she was doing at the time.

9)Who does Billy decide must pull the string to dump the pig's blood? (from Part 2: Page 121-188)

a)Miss Desjardin.

b)Himself.

c)Mr. Morton.

d)Chris.

10)What does Carrie feel as she dons her special bra? (from Part 2: Page 121-188)

a)Pretty.

b)Acceptable.

c)Both shame and excitement.

d)Normal.

11)What does Carrie ask of her mother? (from Part 2: Page 188-242)

a)For understanding.

b)For punishment.

c)For forgiveness.

d)For help.

12)Where does Carrie go when Tommy is killed? (from Part 2: Page 121-188)

a)Outside but then back inside the building again.

b)To the hospital.

c)Home.

d)To the police.

13)What is Carrie doing as she waits for her prom date? (from Part 2: Page 121-188)

a)Singing.

b)Watching the clock.

c)Practicing dancing.

d)Admiring herself in the mirror.

14)What is on the White residence? (from Part 3)

a)A sign.

b)Nothing.

c)A banner.

d)A plague.

15)Why is Billy excited? (from Part 1: Page 74-120)

a)At the idea of paying back Tommy.

b)At the upcoming cookout with the steak he buys.

c)He is not excited; he's angry.

d)At the idea of giving pig's blood to a pig.

16)What does Cora want to know? (from Part 2: Page 188-242)

a)How to stop any other dangerous people like Carrie.

b)How Carrie gets such powers.

c)Why her daughter is one of the few to survive.

d)Where are daughter's remains might be.

17)Who wonders if she had reached out to Carrie she could have made a difference? (from Part 3)

a)Miss Desjardin.

b)Carrie's aunt.

c)Sue.

d)Carrie's grandmother.

18)Where is Sheriff Doyle when everything starts with Carrie? (from Part 2: Page 188-242)

a)At the jail.

b)At home asleep.

c)Out of town.

d)In the State capitol.

19)What is the name of the Jenks' baby girl? (from Part 3)

a)Sally.

b)Annie.

c)Caralyn.

d)Betty.

20)Where is Carrie buried? (from Part 3)

a)She is cremated as no cemetery will have her.

b)The book does not say.

c)She is buried beside her mother and father in an unmarked grave.

d)She is sent to be buried where her grandmother lives.

21)What does Billy do about his friends and gloves? (from Part 2: Page 121-188)

a)Nothing.

b)He tries to get them to wear gloves but they won't.

c)He has them wear gloves.

d)He makes sure they don't wear gloves.

22)Who is Mrs. Cora Simard? (from Part 2: Page 188-242)

a)A woman who survives the attack outside a church.

b)Carrie's favorite teacher.

c)Carrie's mother's only friend.

d)Carrie's neighbor.

23)What does Miss Desjardin tell Carrie? (from Part 2: Page 121-188)

a)That Sue Snell has been kept from the prom.

b)That Chris has been kept from the prom.

c)That she is pretty.

d)That Miss Desjardin is sorry for what happened in the gym.

24)What is the path of destruction that Carrie walks? (from Part 2: Page 188-242)

a)A path from school to Billy's house.

b)A path from school to Chris's house.

c)A path from school to home.

d)A path from school to Sue Snell's house.

25)Who goes with Billy? (from Part 1: Page 74-120)

a)A few of his friends.

b)Chris.

c)No one.

d)Tommy.

1.        D

2.        B

3.        A

4.        D

5.        C

6.        B

7.        D

8.        C

9.        D

10.    C

11.    D

12.    A

13.    B

14.    A

15.    D

16.    A

17.    A

18.    C

19.    B

20.    B

21.    D

22.    A

23.    C

24.    C

25.    A

Senioritis

Ohhh senioritis. I feel all of us will be like "commmmme ooonnnn" "Do we have to?" I know we will all hesitate but we all just end up doing the truffle shuffle until we end the year. So lets get through this. I also thought my blog needed a little laugh.

March Lit. Analysis

I have choosen to read Catcher in the Rye because I have read it before but now that I know more literary techniques and elements I wanted to re-read it to see how my thinking would change by reading it again. I have taken active reading notes.

Chapter 1-3

Plot Summary:

            In this chapter Holden is a young boy who recently got kicked out of Pencey for not having the correct grades. The only A he has is in English, then he reveals that he loves to read. He talks to Mr. Spencer his history teacher about leaving school. After leaving Mr. Spencer’s house he returns to his room where he talks to Ackley, a school mate.

 

Characters:

·        Selma Thurmer- headmaster’s daughter who was pretty in her own way. She also did not deny the type of person her father was. She had a big nose and she chewed her nails. (pg 3 paragraph 1)

·        Holden Caulfield- Is the narrator of the story who recently got kicked out of Pencey for not having good grades. (pg 4 paragraph 1) He is pretty healthy boy, although he used to be a heavy smoker. From time to time he still smokes. (page 5 paragraph 2)Holden is a six foot two, seventeen year old boy with gray hairs. Although he has an A in English he does not have good vocabulary and acts very immature. (pg 9 paragraph 2) He admits to being a big liar even when there is no reason to lie. (pg 16 paragraph 1) He loves to read and has many favorite authors, one of who is his brother. (pg 18 paragraph 2) When in the mood he can be very sarcastic towards other people, especially Ackley.(pg 21 paragraph 4)

·        Robert Tichener- A nice boy who threw around a football with Holden. (page 4 paragraph 3)

·        Paul Campbell- A nice boy who threw around a football with Holden.     (page 4  paragraph 3)

·        Mrs. Spencer – Wife to Mr. Spencer. She likes Holden but is deaf when he asks her questions.(page 6)

·        Mr. Spencer- He was Holden’s history teacher who was about 70 years old. He had a horrible posture. (page 6) When trying to talk to Holden about school he has a very sarcastic tone. (page 12 paragraph 1)

·        Robert Ackley- A senior who roomed next to Holden. He was a peculiar guy who stayed in his room most of the time. He was about six foot four with round shoulders, lousy teeth and pimples.(page 19 paragraph 2) He did not have very good hygiene, for example he cuts his toenails in Holden’s room. He hates Stradler, Holden’s roommate. (page 24)

 

Setting:

            The setting starts off at Pencey Prep in Agerstown Pennsylvania around December. Holden leaves campus to visit Mr. Spencer. After visiting Mr. Spencer he returns to his dorm room.

 Symbolism:

            Holden’s hunting hat seems to define who he is as a person. Everyone seems to acknowledge the fact that he has a new hat. On page 4 Holden talks about only having an A in English. Later on in the book he talks about his brother who was a really good writer.

 

Figure of Speech:

            “Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules.” (Page 8) Mr. Spencer is saying that there are rules that need to be followed in order to be successful.

 

Point of View:

            The story is told in first-person with Holden Caulfield as the narrator of the story. Throughout the book he refers to himself as I or me. The story is not told in third-person because when he talks to other characters he does not know what they are thinking or feeling. He also does not relate to their feelings.

 

Conflict:

            The main conflict in this chapter is that Holden has been kicked out of school.  He has to talk to Mr. Spencer who tries to help Holden. Holden does not want to accept his help because he already knows what type of person he is and he does not want to keep trying. He has already been kicked out of four different schools, so he does not see the reason to keep trying.

 

Imagery:

          “You couldn’t see the grandstand too hot, but you could hear them yelling, deep and terrific on the Pencey side…the visiting team had hardly ever brought many people with them.” (page 2 paragraph 3)  Holden is describing the football game that is going on at Pencey. “The arms were in a sad shape, because everybody was always sitting on them, but they were pretty comfortable chairs.”  (page 18 paragraph 1) Holden is describing the chair that he is sitting in and reading his book.”

 

Chapter 4-6

Plot Summary:

          After Holden talks to Stradlater about his date with Jane, he realizes that she used to be his neighbor. He remembers so many things about her, all the things she liked, her home life, and the way she played checkers. Knowing what kind of guy Stradlater was he began to worry about her. Even though he is worried about Jane he still decides to do Stradlater’s assignment as a favor. Instead of staying in his room the rest of the night he goes to dinner and then into Agerstown with Mal Brossard and Ackley. When he comes home he meets up with Stradlater and has a big argument about his date with Jane.

Characters:

·       Ward Stradlater- Holden’s roommate who is a secret slob. He always fixed himself to look good, he was in love with himself. Even if he shaved himself with a rusty razor he was still handsome and he knew it. (page 27 paragraph 2) He always stroked his chest and stomach to show that he was mad about himself. (page 41 paragraph 1) He was the type of boy who could get any girl and do anything, for example he would borrow a teachers car to take girls out. (page 43 paragraph 1)

·       Holden Caulfield- Just to amuse himself he begins to tap dance and imitating a guy from a musical, he does not like to be bored. ( page 29 paragraph 2) 

 

 

 

Setting:

          After dinner Holden, Ackley and Mal go to Agerstown to have a few hamburgers and play pinball. Then they return back to Pencey where they spend the rest on the night. Holden stays in his room or go to the bathroom to talk to Stradlater.

 

Symbolism:

          When Holden decides to write about Stradlater’s paper he writes about his brother, Allie’s, baseball glove. He chose to write about it because of the affect on him. He loved the poems that his brother wrote on them. Through writing about his brother’s death he tells us about his breakdown. After finding out his brother died he broke all the windows in garage just for the hell of it. Since this was a big and traumatic event in his life, it may affect the person he is today. 

 

Figure of Speech:

          “I went right on smoking like a madman.”-Holden. He was smoking a lot.

 

Point of View:

The story is told in first-person with Holden Caulfield as the narrator of the story. Throughout the book he refers to himself as I or me. The story is not told in third-person because when he talks to other characters he does not know what they are thinking or feeling. He also does not relate to their feelings.

 

Conflict:

          The main conflict in this chapter is Stradlaters and Holden’s argument about Stradlater’s date with Jane. The fight begins when Holden does Stradlater’s English homework but not to the standards he wants it. Holden writes it about a baseball glove and not a house. Holden rips up the assignment and begins to question Stradlater about his date. When he refuses to give up any details about his date, Holden begins to get even more upset. He starts to throw punches. The fight ends when Stradlater hits Holden in the face and he begins to bleed.

 

Chapter 7-9

Plot Summary:

          After getting to the hotel he decides to change and got down to the Lavender Room to try to drink. Throughout the chapter he is trying to get drinks in order to not feel depressed, even though he is a minor.  He meets three girls who he dances with but soon leaves. He still continues to think about Jane. He remembers the times they would play golf or checkers and the day he say her cry. He takes a cab to another club where he talks to Lillian Simmons, his brother ex-girlfriend.

 

Characters:

·       Phoebe- Holden’s ten year old little sister. She was skinny and pretty with red hair and smart with straight A’s.  (page 67 paragraph 2) She was very emotional for a little girl, but she wrote many books. (page 71 paragraph 1)

·       The girls from the Lavender Room-Marty, Laverne, and Bernice were from Seattle. They all danced with Holden but did not have respect for him. When he would talk they would ignore him and try to find movie stars or celebrities. (page 74) They all had no manners; they left the bill to Holden and did not offer to pay. (page 75 paragraph 3)

·       Holden- Reveals that he is a good golfer and tennis player. (page 76 paragraph 1)

·       Jane Gallagher- She liked athletic sports like tennis and golf. She also liked to play checkers. (page 76 paragraph 1)She was beautiful and trustworthy. Holden told her about Allie’s baseball glove, she was the only one he told. (page 77 paragraph 2)

                                                             

Setting:

            In these chapters Holden walks down to the Lavender Room to drink and dance. Soon he leaves and rides a cab to a different club, Greenwich Village.

         

Symbolism:

          The Lavender Room is a symbol because the color lavender represents romance and love. The color could represent what Holden feels for Jane since he cannot get her off his mind.

 

Figure of Speech:

·        “You had to twist their arms”-Holden. It was hard to get them to talk.

·        “Old Marty was like dragging the Statue of Liberty around.”-Holden. She was not a good a dancer.

·        “All of them laughing like hyenas…”-Holden. They were laughing very loud and uncontrollably.

 

Point of View:

The story is told in first-person with Holden Caulfield as the narrator of the story. Throughout the book he refers to himself as I or me. The story is not told in third-person because when he talks to other characters he does not know what they are thinking or feeling. He also does not relate to their feelings.

 

Conflict:

          The main conflict is between Holden and his thoughts about Jane. He cannot seem to escape them. No matter what he continues to think about her. He remembers all the things they did together. He remembers every detail of everything they did.

 

Imagery:

          “The cab I had was a real old one…..hen someone laugh very late at night.” Holden is describing the cab he is in and everything he sees when riding in the cab.  It is very late at night in New York.

Chapter 10-12
 

Plot Summary:

          After getting to the hotel he decides to change and got down to the Lavender Room to try to drink. Throughout the chapter he is trying to get drinks in order to not feel depressed, even though he is a minor.  He meets three girls who he dances with but soon leaves. He still continues to think about Jane. He remembers the times they would play golf or checkers and the day he say her cry. He takes a cab to another club where he talks to Lillian Simmons, his brother ex-girlfriend.

 

Characters:

·       Phoebe- Holden’s ten year old little sister. She was skinny and pretty with red hair and smart with straight A’s.  (page 67 paragraph 2) She was very emotional for a little girl, but she wrote many books. (page 71 paragraph 1)

·       The girls from the Lavender Room-Marty, Laverne, and Bernice were from Seattle. They all danced with Holden but did not have respect for him. When he would talk they would ignore him and try to find movie stars or celebrities. (page 74) They all had no manners; they left the bill to Holden and did not offer to pay. (page 75 paragraph 3)

·       Holden- Reveals that he is a good golfer and tennis player. (page 76 paragraph 1)

·       Jane Gallagher- She liked athletic sports like tennis and golf. She also liked to play checkers. (page 76 paragraph 1)She was beautiful and trustworthy. Holden told her about Allie’s baseball glove, she was the only one he told. (page 77 paragraph 2)

                                                             

Setting:

            In these chapters Holden walks down to the Lavender Room to drink and dance. Soon he leaves and rides a cab to a different club, Greenwich Village.

         

Symbolism:

          The Lavender Room is a symbol because the color lavender represents romance and love. The color could represent what Holden feels for Jane since he cannot get her off his mind.

 

Figure of Speech:

·        “You had to twist their arms”-Holden. It was hard to get them to talk.

·        “Old Marty was like dragging the Statue of Liberty around.”-Holden. She was not a good a dancer.

·        “All of them laughing like hyenas…”-Holden. They were laughing very loud and uncontrollably.

 

Point of View:

The story is told in first-person with Holden Caulfield as the narrator of the story. Throughout the book he refers to himself as I or me. The story is not told in third-person because when he talks to other characters he does not know what they are thinking or feeling. He also does not relate to their feelings.

 

Conflict:

          The main conflict is between Holden and his thoughts about Jane. He cannot seem to escape them. No matter what he continues to think about her. He remembers all the things they did together. He remembers every detail of everything they did.

 

Imagery:

          “The cab I had was a real old one…..hen someone laugh very late at night.” Holden is describing the cab he is in and everything he sees when riding in the cab.  It is very late at night in New York.

Chapter 13-14

Plot Summary:

          Holden continues to feel depressed. He does not want to eat or sleep.  He walks back to the hotel and thinks about how “yellow” he is. When he decides to ride the elevator back to his room he orders a prostitute. He orders the prostitute because he is a virgin and just wants to get it over with. He has many chances to but when a girl said no he respected it.

 

Characters:

·        Holden- He says he is a “yellow guy” he does not like to fight; he just wants to stand there and look tough. (page 88 paragraph 2) He does not care much about anything, especially when he loses stuff like money or clothes. (page 89) He admits he does not like fist fights because he does not like to look at the other guy’s face when he hits him. (page 90 paragraph 1)

·        Sunny- She is a prostitute who seemed very young and said things that a kid would say.  All she wanted to do was get her job done and get out. (page 94 and page 95)

·        Maurice- The elevator guy who supplied Holden with the prostitute.  He was very tough and sharp. He was able to tell that Holden was only a kid. (page 102)

 

Setting:

          In these chapters Holden decides to walk home back to the hotel. There he takes the elevator back to his hotel room.

 

Symbolism:

          A main symbol in this chapter is when Holden decides to ride the elevator. It is important because the reason he walked home was because he was tired of taking cabs. Just like when he would always take stairs because he did not like riding elevators. By riding the elevator he was doing something different.

 

Figure of Speech:

          “I’d bet a thousand bucks that Jesus never sent old Judas to hell.” Holden is trying to prove a point.

 

Point of View:

          The story is told in first-person with Holden Caulfield as the narrator of the story. Throughout the book he refers to himself as I or me. The story is not told in third-person because when he talks to other characters he does not know what they are thinking or feeling. He also does not relate to their feelings.

 

Conflict:

          There are two conflicts in this chapter. Holden is dealing with his depression and when he argues with Maurice. Throughout the chapter Holden feels very depressed. So he orders a prostitute to help him get his mind off of it. He also wants to lose his virginity. He had many chances to but when a girl would say stop he stopped. The second conflict is between him and Maurice.  They get into an argument about how much Holden should have paid the prostitute. In the end, after hitting Holden, Maurice gets more money than Holden had to give him.

 

Imagery:

          On page 104, after Maurice hits Holden he is in extreme pain. He feels as if there is a bullet in his gut. He holds onto his stomach because of the pain. Through the pain he begins to think about many different things. For example,  having a gun to shoot Maurice.

 

Chapter 15-16

Plot Summary:

          After waking up the next day he is still thinking about Jane, but ends up calling Sally Hayes. He sets up a date with her to go say I Know My Love. He packs up his bags and decides to go to the station to eat and store his bags. He sits next to two nuns and begins to talk to him. After breakfast he decides to go to the park before his date. He sees a little girl and asks her if she knew his sister Phoebe. The he walks past his favorite museum.

 

Characters:

·       Sally Hayes- She talked a lot, especially about guys who liked her. Even though she bugged Holden she was still good-looking. (page 106 paragraph 3)

·       Two nuns- He met two nuns. One nun taught English and had a very long conversation with Holden. The other nun taught history and government. (page 109 paragraph 2) The nun who taught English was very nice and carried on a conversation with Holden.

·       Holden- He reveals that he comes from a wealthy family. His father is a corporation lawyer. (page 107 paragraph 1) Holden’s father was Catholic before he met his mother and that he comes from Irish descent. (page 112 paragraph 2)

 

Setting:

          In these chapters the story takes place in a diner in the train station where Holden east breakfast on a Sunday morning. Then he decides to walk to the park.  After seeing the park he walks to a museum where he wishes he sister was at.

 

Symbolism:

          One symbol is the Catholic nun who teaches English.  Which seems to very ironic because he is somewhat of an atheist, but he loves to read. Another symbol is the kid singing on the curb. With so much going on around him and no one listening to him he still continues to sing. That makes Holden feel better.

 

Figure of Speech:

·        “But we chewed fat for a while”- They continued to talk after he was done talking.

·        “I’d spent a kings ransom is about two lousy weeks.”-Holden spent a lot of money.

 

Point of View:

The story is told in first-person with Holden Caulfield as the narrator of the story. Throughout the book he refers to himself as I or me. The story is not told in third-person because when he talks to other characters he does not know what they are thinking or feeling. He also does not relate to their feelings.

 

Conflict:

          The biggest conflict Holden has to deal with is what to do with his time. He really wants to call Jane. Instead he decides to go on a date with Sally. Before he goes on his date he decides to get some breakfast.

 

Imagery:

          On page 108(paragraph 2) Holden notices the type of suitcases the nuns have. He notices that they are not high quality like his and he begins to feel bad. He describes theirs and then describes the ones he has.

Chapter 17-19

 

Plot Summary:

            Holden waits for his date Sally to arrive, and then they take a cab to the play. During the intermission of the play, Sally introduces Holden to her friend. He thinks he is very phony. After the play they decide to go to the ice skating rink. Holden thinks up a plan to leave New York with Sally, when she says no he leaves. He goes to the drugstore and thinks about Jane and her ex-boyfriend. After Jane does not pick up her phone he calls Carl Luce to have a drink with him. Holden goes to the movie and then meets up with Carl.

 

Characters:

·        Holden-Throughout this chapter he thinks many people are phonies, he really does not like anyone. (page 124 paragraph 2) He also admits to hate living in New York and everything in it. It seems as if he hates the world. (page 130 paragraph 6)

·        Sally Hayes-She is a very social person, everywhere she seems to go she knows someone there. (page 127) She is also very self-confident; since everyone else thinks she is pretty she knows she is pretty. (129)

·        D.B- Holden’s other brother served in World War II and hated it. He said it was full of fake people. (page 140 paragraph 2)

·        Carl Luce- He is the type of person who seems to everything about anything; such as sex and whether people are “flits” or not. (pg 143) He thinks he is mature person for having had sex a lot and with older women. (page 145 paragraph 6)  He also likes to be the center of attention because once he is done talking he wants everyone else to be done as well.

 

Setting:

          There are many different settings in the section of the story. After he meets Sally they take a cab to the play. After the play they go to the ice skating rink at Radio City. Holden leaves to the drugstore and watches a movie at Radio City. Then he goes to Wicker bar on 54^th street at the Seton Hotel.

 

Symbolism:

            Holden hating New York is a symbol because it seems that after his brother’s death he hates everything. He begins to think everyone is a phony or fake. Since he hates living and everything in New York, it seems as if everything in New York reminds him of his brother. Since his brother’s death he seems to hate the world.

 

Figure of Speech:

·        “His mother is blind as bat”- He is saying she does not have very good eye sight. (page 139 paragraph 2)

·        “She was about a kindhearted as a goddam wolf”- He is saying the she is very kind and gentle. (page 140 paragraph 1)

·        “I have to tear”-Carl is saying he has to leave. (page 148 paragraph 6)

 

Point of View:

          The story is told in first-person with Holden Caulfield as the narrator of the story. Throughout the book he refers to himself as I or me. The story is not told in third-person because when he talks to other characters he does not know what they are thinking or feeling. He also does not relate to their feelings.

 

Conflict:

            The two main conflicts are between Holden and himself and Holden and Sally. Holden hates everyone and everything in New York. He just wants to leave, but that might not be the right answer. After deciding he wants to leave he asks Sally to come with him. She refuses and says no. They get into a big argument and he leaves her.

 

Imagery:

            “I said no, there wouldn’t be marvelous places to go...I mean it all”(page 133 paragraph 3) Holden is describing how if they wait to leave everything would be different. They would not be able to just get up and leave. Everything would be set out the way it’s supposed to be done right. He wants him leaving to be spontaneous.

 

 

Chapter 20-22

Plot Summary:

          After Carl leaves Holden stays and continues to drink until he is drunk. Again he feels like there is a bullet in him. He decides to call Sally and try to tell her that he is still coming over and Christmas Eve. After leaving the bar he goes to the park. He is soaking wet and he is scared he is going to get sick and dies of pneumonia. After leaving the park he goes home and wakes up Phoebe to talk to her. 

 

Characters:

·        Phoebe- She like everything to be spread out and all the room she has. (page 159 paragraph 1) She is very organized and not a slob, she also dresses very well for her age. (page 159 paragraph 3) She is also very affectionate when she gives Holden a hug. (page 161 paragraph 4)  

 

Setting:

            The main settings of the story are in Wicker Bar, Central Park, and at his own home.

 

Symbolism:

            Holden decides to go the park because he has gone to it many times as a child. He knows where everything in the park is. This is a symbol because there he captures many memories. For example his brother funeral or when him and D.B would take Phoebe there. This park is a main part of his childhood.

 

Figure of Speech:

·        “But my parents, especially my mother, she has ears like a goddam bloodhound.”- Holden is saying that his mother is very good in hearing little things.

·        “You can’t hit my father over the head with a chair and he won’t wake up...”-Holden is saying that his father is a very deep sleeper, and that nothing can wake him up.

·        …”this big, gigantic bed that’s about ten miles wide and ten miles long….” –Holden is saying that D.B’s bed is very big.

 

Point of View:

The story is told in first-person with Holden Caulfield as the narrator of the story. Throughout the book he refers to himself as I or me. The story is not told in third-person because when he talks to other characters he does not know what they are thinking or feeling. He also does not relate to their feelings.

 

Conflict:

            In this section Holden is very depressed and feels like he wants to die. He thinks he can’t because his mother has still not gotten over Allie’s death. Then after waking up Phoebe he has a big argument with her about him getting kicked out of school and him hating everything. Phoebe seems to right about Holden hating the world.  Holden that realizes that all he wants to be is a catcher in the rye.

 

Imagery:

          “It was dark as hell in the foyer...but you always know your home.” Even though Holden comes inside his house with all the light off he still know it is his home. He can tell by the smell and the things he can make out in the room. 

Chapter 23-24

Plot Summary:

          After Holden is done talking to Phoebe he calls up and old teacher of his, Mr. Antolini.  He tells Holden that he can come whenever he wants to stay the night. Before he leaves he stays and dances with Phoebe. Phoebe also gives him some of her Christmas money. When he arrives at Mr. Antolini’s house they stay up and talk about Holden and his life. During the middle of the night Holden is woken up by Mr. Antolini’s hand that is patting him. Scared he leaves and spends the rest of the night at the station.

 

Characters:

·        Mr. Antolini- He is and old teacher of Holden. He has a big sense of humor. He is also very caring for his students. (page 174 paragraph 2) He is also a heavy drinker. (page 181 paragraph 3) He tries to give good advice to Holden because he is concerned about him and his life.  (page 186 paragraph 2)

 

Setting:

            In the section the setting takes place in his home, in his brother D.B’s room. Then he leaves to Mr. Antolini’s apartment to spend the night in Sutton place.

 

Symbolism:

            On page 174 Holden says that Mr. Antolini reminds him of his brother D.B. This is a symbol because he is comfortable in talking to him. He is the one person he called to talk too.  Since he does seem to hate everyone else.

 

 

 

Figure of Speech:

·        “She told me that I could sleep with her if I wanted to, but I said no, that id beat it…”-Holden says that he needs to go.  (page 180 paragraph 1)

·        “You could tell he was a little oiled up.”-Holden is saying that you can tell that he is drunk. (page 182 paragraph 2)

 

 

Point of View:

The story is told in first-person with Holden Caulfield as the narrator of the story. Throughout the book he refers to himself as I or me. The story is not told in third-person because when he talks to other characters he does not know what they are thinking or feeling. He also does not relate to their feelings.

 

Conflict:

            The main conflict Holden goes through is whether to take the advice of Mr. Antolini. He tells Holden that he just needs to find the shape of his mind and what interests him. He also tells him that once he gets past all the things he can learn to apply himself, if he so chooses.

 

Imagery:

“The elevator was finally there. I got in…I can’t stand it.” Holden is describing how shaken up he is about the thing that happened between him and Mr. Antolini. He just wants to leave and not think about it. (page 193 paragraph 5)

Chapter 25-26

Plot Summary:

            The next morning he wakes up at the station. He is feeling more and more depressed, not even a magazine can take his mind of off feeling depressed. He decides to go and get something to eat and walks down 5^th Avenue. He is thinking about leaving and bumming rides to the west. Before he does he buys a pad and pen to write a note to Phoebe so he can see her.  He takes the note to her school and tells her to meet him in front of the museum. When they meet Phoebe says that she wants to go with him. Holden says no and refuses to bring her so he takes her to the zoo. After watching his sister at the zoo he realizes he wants to stay home. He will be attending a different school in the fall. Holden then says not to tell anybody anything because then you will miss them.

 

Characters:

·        Holden- When he thinks of something it is very hard for him to get his mind of off it. (page 195) He also hates when people tell him good luck. I think it is because he just does not want people to be phonies about it. (page 202 paragraph 1) Holden shows his meaner side when he talks to Phoebe and tells her to shut up. He can get very angry. (pages 206 and 207)

·        Phoebe- When Holden talks to her in a very mean way she takes it to heart. She starts to be very snotty towards him. (pages 206 and 207)

 

Setting:

            After leaving Mr. Antolini’s apartment he spends the night in Grand Central Station. He walks down 5^th Avenue to Phoebe’s school.  He decides to meet her at the Art Museum not too far from the school. Then they both go to the zoo and back home.

 

Symbolism:

            One main symbol in this section is the “Fuck You” he sees everywhere he goes. This is a symbol because it seems to be putting Holden in a worst mood.  Holden does seem to realize that that has been his attitude all his life.

 

 

Figure of Speech:

·        “The principal didn’t seem to be around, but some old lady around a hundred years old was sitting that the typewriter.”-The lady is very old. (page 201 paragraph 2)

·        “It played that same song about fifty years ago when I was a little kid.”-It has been a long time since Holden has heard that same song that it was playing. (page 210 paragraph 2)

·        “Boy, it began to rain like a basterd. In buckets, I swear to God.” – The rain is coming down very hard at the zoo. (page 212 paragraph 6)

 

Point of View:

The story is told in first-person with Holden Caulfield as the narrator of the story. Throughout the book he refers to himself as I or me. The story is not told in third-person because when he talks to other characters he does not know what they are thinking or feeling. He also does not relate to their feelings.

 

Conflict:

            The main conflict Holden must go through is whether to leave or not. He wants to move to the west to escape everyone and everything. When he talks to his sister, she seems to hold him back from going. He starts to hate her for it but in reality he knows he cannot leave. After his sister stop giving him the silent treatment he know he has to stay and follow the advice of Mr. Antolini. Holden also comes to realizes that even though he hates most people he still misses them.

 

Imagery:

            “When I got outside, it was just getting light out. It was pretty cold, too, but it felt good because I was sweating so much.” Holden is describing the way the air feels outside and how thankful he is for it. (page 194 paragraph 1)