Motif Work: Red Hunting Cap

Better late than never?

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Red Hunting Cap

- Symbol of Holden's uniqueness and individuality (shows he wants to be different from everyone around him, so much so he needs a corporeal object to portray that desire with, ironically- the hat barely serves its purpose as Holden; throughout the duration of the novel seems to be reluctant to be seen wearing the cap)
- He always mentions when he wears it
- He doesn't wear it if he is going to be around people he knows.
- Materialises Holden's inner conflict with his need to prove himself worthy of his own thoughts versus his desire to feel connected with someone other than himself.
- The hat shares the color of Allie and Phoebe's hair- perhaps shows his desire to create a link with them he can see and feel.
- He always mentions the cap in a very specific manner; the fact that its a HUNTING cap or hat. He never refers to it as just a hat, or a cap.
- In chapter 3: "I shoot people in this hat" shows the length of Holden's contempt for his surroundings.
- A cap is worn around the head. Holden wears the hat when reading or as warmth against the cold. Either way the hat protects Holden's head. He wears the hat to feel comfort, and to feel secure- as if he's almost.... scared that he'll lose his mind if he doesn't.
- Its a hunting cap- Holden is hunting something.

- He wears the bill pointing backward, the way he likes it. This is reminiscent of catchers on a baseball field. Also a long bill might obscure his vision. Holden values his observation skills, he doesn't want to lose what he feels to be his strongest connection to the world. What he sees.

- In chapter 13, he wears it walking to the hotel, after which Holden goes off on a colossal tangent about his yellowness; it is during this tirade that Holden is honest with himself; without caring for the implications of the realization that he would rather walk away than get into a fist fight as is the manly way he would stick to his guns- appearances in society wouldn't matter more than his own morals (being a pacifist), ironically- self-importance is still an issue. ALSO; here, he stops himself before he can make excuses about why he acts the way he acts- he is self aware that his behaviour isn't any better than many of the people, though many times, he makes excuses for it (its the only way to survive);
one) "I'd probably go down to the can and sneak a cigarette and watch myself getting tough in the mirror" rather than engaging in physical combat.
two) "I never seem to have anything that if I lost it I'd care too much. Maybe that's why I'm partly yellow. It's no excuse though. It really isn't"
Perhaps Holden also bought the cap to hunt for something he'd care for if he lost it. Grief and perhaps guilt is evident here- ALLIE- maybe he is regretful of not appreciating his time with his brother, he never knew what he had until it was gone.

- "I didn't give a damn how I looked. Nobody was around anyway" Holden wants to be an individual, but he's scared of the implications that come with becoming one.

- Holden is implied to be a dark haired Caufield sibling, yet it is made clear that Phoebe and Allie were both redheads. This might be because D.B. - wasn't specified whether he had dark hair or red hair- has a similar color to Holden's. Holden doesn't want to follow in D.B.s footsteps- he doesn't want to sell out to "Hollywood"( society), and he doesn't want to prostitute himself. Again, the hunting cap being red can be seen as a way to be closer to both Phoebe and Allie. This is also social commentary as Allie and Phoebe are both the younger half of the Caufield siblings. Holden is portrayed to be in a hurry to become an adult- maybe he sees it as a way to be truly independent or as a way to escape from the uncertainty that comes with the adolescent age- and yet, he seems to admire both Phoebe and Allie's innocent, untainted, childish characteristics more so than D.B's adult conformity. Yet again, Holden is shown to be a paradoxical character.

- In the middle of the book, during Holden's lonesome adventure in the adult world, the red hunting cap protects him from various maelstroms of weather. This is symbolic of how when faced with problems in society, the only thing an individual can do is depend on themselves. Also, as the hunting cap is seen by Holden as a rather juvenile item, the fact that he clings to it hesitantly represents how unready he is to be by himself, to become an adult.

- When Phoebe is shown running towards Holden wearing the Red Hunting Cap near the end of the book, Holden is discouraged from running away from home because he sees that someone he knows- someone he is close too shares something with him and when Phoebe puts it on his head, she reassures him that she does love him, individuality, corniness and everything in between.

Shayan

Chapter 4: Summary and Analysis
SUMMARY
The chapter begins as Holden accompanies Stradlater to the can and they converse while Stradlater shaves himself in preparation for a date. Holden then enters a mental soliloquy in which he compares Stradlater’s unhygienic personal habits with those of Ackley, concluding that Stradlater is more of a “secret slob” (pg23). Holden’s mind then directs itself towards criticising Stradlater’s obsession with his physical appearance. His thoughts are interrupted by Stradlater who asks if Holden can write a composition for him. Holden doesn’t give a definitive response, instead he inquires about the subject matter of the composition. Stradlater’s responds by saying “anything descriptive” (pg23), “just don’t stick all the commas and stuff in the right place”(pg23). This response provokes, within Holden, another mental comparison between Stradlater and Ackley, who both view things superficially. Holden then begins to tap dance but is soon hindered by his lack of breathe. He introduces his red hunting hat to Stradlater and they enter another conversation regarding Stradlater’s date. Holden suddenly feels the urge to wrestle Stradlater and he immediately concedes to it, however, he is easily overpowered. The two then resume their previous conversation and Stradlater reveals that his date is Jane Gallagher. Holden is shocked by the revelation and he enters a frenzied state in which he bombards Stradlater with details of Jane and his experiences with her. Stradlater ignores most of the details, but shows interest in one of the more sexual details. Holden’s mind becomes dominated by thoughts of Jane and the threat that Stradlater poses to her innocence. Holden’s thoughts become more frantic as Stradlater leaves but he is soon conveniently distracted by Ackley’s entrance.
ANALYSIS
This chapter relate to the concept of the individual and society by reiterating the values of society that Holden does not conform to and is alienated by. He groups Stradlater and Ackley together by criticising their simplified and superficial view of things. Stradlater says “don’t stick all the commas and stuff in the right place” which conveys his superficial understanding that good writing is defined by correct grammar. Meanwhile, Ackley explains a basketballer’s talent with “Coyle had a perfect build for basketball” (pg25). This again, conveys a superficial view of a subject. Holden replies to these views with “God, how I hate that stuff” (pg25) and by grouping Stradlater and Ackley together through something he detests, he alienates himself from both.
Holden’s wrestle with Stradlater is also a metaphor for his struggle with society. Stradlater, who easily overpowers Holden, symbolises society. This metaphor helps emphasise a non-conforming individual’s struggle against a society which has more power to enforce its intentions.
Holden also describes Jane Gallagher “She wouldn’t move any of her kings” (pg27), “She’d get them all line up in the back row” (pg27) this is a metaphor for innocence as it suggests a need to be protected because once a king is out on the field there is a risk of it being taken. Jane requires protection from corruption in the form of sexual contact. Jane’s innocence is further espoused when Holden says “she just liked the way they looked” (pg27). This conveys Jane’s innocence through her childish admiration for the appearance of something which is morally correct (i.e. celibacy).
The three aforementioned quotes are juxtaposed with the line “Stradlater didn’t say anything. That kind of stuff doesn’t interest most people” (pg27). This juxtaposition highlights the rift between Holden and society by contrasting Holden’s obvious interest with Jane’s kings (innocence) and “most people’s” (society’s) disinterest in the issue.
Holden is frenzied because he fears for Jane’s innocence as she might fall for (and conform to) Stradlater’s (who symbolises society) seduction the same way he was overpowered during his wrestle with Stradlatter.

Rajneil

Chapter 21SummaryIn Chapter 21 Holden decides to go back home and check up on Phoebe. He arrives in hisbuilding and takes the elevator up. The elevator boy is not the usual worker and Holdentakes advantage of this by lying to him. This allows him to sneak into his apartment withlimited number of people knowing. He gets to his apartment and sneaks through theapartment as his mother is a light sleeper and commonly cannot get to bed. He realizesthat Phoebe sleeps in D.Bʼs bedroom when he is away. When Holden arrives in the roomhe pays attention to Phoebeʼs books before waking her up, they start to discuss variousthings including Phoebe in the school play, their parent are at a party and the recordHolden bought. The conversation changes when Phoebe asks why Holden is home earlyand she eventually figures out that he has been kicked out of school again. Phoebe getsangry repeating that father will get angry. The chapter ends when Holden goes out into theliving room to get some cigarettes.TechniquesSymbolism: “The one on top is called Arithmetic is Fun!”. Phoebeʼs books have interestedHolden. This is rather odd as Holden has no interest in his own studies. the book as asymbol may show his admiration for other intellectual people. It may also be a reminder ofAllie and his intelligence as Holden remembers it.Mood: “How come youʼre not home on Wednesday...you didnʼt get kicked out oranything...” This change in the mood is very sudden as Phoebe is reveled more in thestory, by figuring out Holden got kicked out we are shown her intelligence and she goes onby repeating “You did!”, showing her stubbornness. This use of mood has developedPhoebeʼs character more showing though she is very close to Holden she does have herdisagreements.Allusion: “...write a picture about Annapolis.” With the publication of The Catcher in the RyeAnnapolis was the capital of the United States temporarily and now is a town. Thecharacters talk about it being a movie and ironically in 2006 it did come out as a film.Though the tone of Holden towards Annapolis is very negative and judgmental, he wasjudgmental of the whole idea of D.B writing in Hollywood and despises the idea greatly.This can show Holdenʼs prejudice nature of various themes in the book, but mainly of D.Bwriting in Hollywood.Individual and SocietyHolden explores the concept of individual and society briefly in this chapter. However, andexample of his individualism is him lying to the elevator boy, this is probably the only timeHolden lies for effect. Him lying further alienates him from himself loosing his identitythrough “phonies”. At the end of the chapter he goes for some smokes, going for smokeseven at the oddest of times shows his desperation to fit into society, to be like everyoneelse, but he contradicts himself by calling all of them “phonies”.-Rajneil Prasad

James

Chapter Summary (20)
Holden keeps getting drunk. He makes a phone call late at night to Sally which angers her grandmother. Holden then tries to make a date with the hat-check girl. He drops Phoebe’s record. He went to the park to see if he could find any ducks but he couldn’t find any. He thinks about catching pneumonia, dieing and imagines his funeral, he missed Allie’s funeral but used to visit his grave but stopped. He then decides to go pay Phoebe a visit at home while he thinks he parents are sleeping.
Symbolism is used three times in this chapter. The first time is the “red hunting hat” which can be a symbol for Holden’s uniqueness and individuality as well as being red like Phoebes and Allie’s hair which can show that Holden looks up to them as they are not only his loved siblings but as they can be a sign of innocence to him. The second time symbolism is used is the ducks in the pond. The ducks can be a symbol of being a child which can mean that since they can’t be found, he isn’t a child anymore, or the ducks could be a symbol of the stableness of Holden’s mind and since they cant be found, it can mean that Holden isn’t very stable. The third symbol is the “Little Shirley Beans’ record” which can be a symbol of childhood for Holden, or for Phoebe. Since it breaks it can mean that Holden isn’t a child anymore, however it can also mean that he can’t stop Phoebe from growing up.
Repetition is used in this chapter several times. It is used to emphasis certain points but however it can also be used to show the fact that Holden’s mind isn’t very organized so he repeats himself a lot and doesn’t know exactly what he said. It also shows that he is rambling on about mostly minor things which can relate to how certain things affected his life, such as Allie’s death.
The motif of ‘death’ also appears in this chapter. Holden thinks about dieing from pneumonia and imagines his funeral; he also talks about Allie who is dead. This could be foreshadowing the fact that there is something in the ending that could be surprising, the fact that Holden is in an institution. The effect of this is that we can see him as more human and realize that he isn’t insane.
This chapter shows that Holden isn’t one with the society around him, and that he is an outcast. It shows us by showing us how unstable his mind is during the chapter by using repetition and symbolism such as the ducks. It also shows that Holden can be like a child at times.

Liz

Chapter#2 Summary
Holden discusses with his (ex) history teacher: Mr Spencer, about how Holden is a moron and helping him... Throughout the chapter, Holden is criticising Spencer, the school’s he’s been too (especially Elkton). It shows his contempt of the society which he lives in, thus alienating himself from it. Also he does not mention who or what he likes, but what he does not like, further showing that he believes society is ‘bad’ and such.
One) Repetition: He constantly repeats statements (not one after the other, but he still repeats them), showing that his state of mind is child-like as all he can think of is excuses and repeating them. “He’s a phony, she’s a phony...” (No, this isn’t an exact quote)
Two) Irony: He says he hates, for example, when Spencer says “boy”, yet just before: “I also say ‘Boy!’ quite a lot”. It shows that his hatred, possibly due to Allie’s death, runs deep enough to hate society and the qualities in which he has as well. It also, stated by him, show he has a weak vocabulary, thus a similar character.
Three) Truncated Sentences: This also shows his state of mind being similar to a younger child.
Throughout this chapter, through the before mentioned techniques, it shows Holden has a very child-like character/state of mind. This may be due to society, or society has isolated him because of it, or even Allie’s death. Regardless, it separates him from society, making him into an ‘individual’.

Justin

English Chapter Summary by Justin TeoChapter 5 Chapter 5 explores a typical Saturday night at Pencey, narrated through the same cynical tone of the character Holden Caufield established in prior chapters. As the curtains close on an uneventful night, Holden reminisces about his brother Allie and his baseball mitt. Consequently, Holden is forced to face his tragic past, the tragic past which has turned him into the person that he is. Holden’s constant use of hyperbole outlines his dissatisfaction with the world around him, and the consequent detachment from society. “I dropped about a thousand hints; Already told me about a hundred times”. The effect of using hyperbole creates a larger impact in comparison to the use of a smaller and less significant quantity. The use of informal tone and colloquial language allows the reader to establish a more personal connection with Holden. Through the first person narration we see everything and understand everything from Holden’s point of view. Ironically, Salinger is then able to evoke emotive response through the use of an impersonal tone when Holden speaks about Allie, and his baseball mitt. This impersonal tone and detachment from emotion is shown through various statements that Holden makes: “He’s dead now; I broke all the windows just for the hell of it”. These statements show no feelings of sadness, which may surround an underlying problem that Holden has not been able to properly deal with Allie’s death. This problem may be the cause of Holden’s insecurity and detachment from society. The use of short sentences when Holden is talking about Allie, may be commenting on his detachedness with these memories (hence the sentences are short detached), and outlines how his detachedness with the memories also detaches him from the emotions that go along with it. Chapter 5 deals with the cause that has made Holden the person that he is an insecure adolescent who feels resentment towards everything in life, as a result of the death of his brother Allie. Chapter 5 is able to comment on the concept of the individual and society because it shows how and why Holden seems to have the inability to interact with society. Emotions are a universal trait that every human being should be able to understand regardless of race, religion, sex, etc. Since Holden appears to have no emotions, he cannot understand the emotions of his society, and therefore cannot act accordingly.

Dhruv

Review
Chapter 18 of this FANTASTIC book called ‘Catcher in the Rye”, tells the story of Holden trying to call Jane again, but gets no answer. He only has a few numbers in his address book, so he calls an old friend named Carl Luce, who now goes to Columbia. Carl agrees to meet him at ten o'clock. That gives Holden a lot of time to kill, so he goes to see a movie. He thinks about D.B.'s experiences during World War II. The chapter ends with Holden thinking that if there is another war, he will volunteer to sit on top of an atomic bomb.
Techniques
Imagery – When Holden recalls his movie experience he thinks about suicide and his selfishness, in thinking about war he thinks only of himself. It’s as if he’s so alienated the rest of the world doesn’t exist for him. His own perspective is a barrier between him assimilating into the society.
Narration – The whole chapter is in 1st person, making us learn only the character’s point of view. However, using 1st person can show some bias as we’ve seen in this chapter with Holden making comments on people and situations.
Allusion – Some of the allusions in this chapter is when Holden refers to The Great Gatsby and Ring Lardner. This not only helps us compare the situation but also shows that the character is educated as he’s making references to other texts.
Through these techniques we see that Holden alienates himself from society through his thinking and attitude towards other people. Also when he talks about suicide he means that by killing himself, it’s the only way out of this world which he can’t control or understand, as he can’t fit into one society and seems to be nomadic. Also with Holden wearing his red-hunting hat, it’s a sign of independence, separation, and protection from the world, he creates his own alienation for the same purpose. While his alienation protects him, it also severely harms him, making him intensely lonely and depressed. Therefore, he tries to meet with the other characters, in hope to show some sympathy.
Dhruv Kaushik

Shaheen Chapter 17

Holden is at the Biltmore waiting for Sally Hayes, his date, to arrive but whilst he's doing that he's judging all the girls' legs standing outside the BiltmoreHolden then starts rambling on about this boy, Harris Macklin, at his old school Elkton HillsSally then arrives and Holden thinks she looked fantastic and "all of sudden I felt like I was in love with her and wanted to marry her."Holden and Sally travel in a cab to go and watch the Lunts perform a play. In the cab Holden tells Sally he "loved her and all. Holden and Sally go outside at the end of the first. Sally then says she has seen someone who she used to knowThis person, according to Holden, is "George". Whilst George is talking, Holden is criticising everything that George says and doesHolden and Sally then proceed to Radio City to ice-skatingHolden and Sally dont really know how to ice-skate so Holden suggests "to get a table inside and have a drink or something?"Holden asks Sally if she likes school but then starts talking about his own life with random and verbose topics until Sally finds it incomprehensible to follow Holden's conversationHolden then suggests going to Vermont and Massachusetts and then settling down with Sally but Sally has a bit more common sense and tries to talk Holden out of itHolden gives up and tells Sally she gives him a "royal pain in the ass"Sally gets angry at Holden, cries and tells him to leave her alone so Holden leaves without herHolden then doesnt know why he asked Sally about going with him to Massachusetts and Vermont.
TECHNIQUES:
italics: It was a lie, of course, but the thing is, I meant it when i said it." The effect of this is that it shows Holden's immature nature even though he tries imitate an adult but his lack of control and impetuosity over his words and his inability to weigh up the outcome mark his failed attempt to try and be like the "adult" which society portrays around himhyphens: "he'd be making his bed, or hanging stuff up in the closet-he was always hanging up stuff in the closet-it drove me crazy-". The excess use of hyphens highlights his impetuosity and verbose speech giving extra information then required, similar to a child.dialogue: "take cars...a horse is at least human, for god's sake". Through his speech and others similar to it, we can see even his speech to others in his personal life is impetuous and verbose, yet again highlighting his childlike manner.

Chapter 10 Summary - Devishna

In this chapter, a few examples are shown where Holden finds himself in situations where he doesn't fit in, a link to the theme of alienation from society. Throughout the book, Holden is by himself after he leaves Pencey and this signifies the beginning of his withdrawal from his surroundings. In Chapter 10, Holden has already checked into a hotel and is getting ready to visit the night club called The Lavender Room downstairs. He begins to reflect on his younger sister, Phoebe, where he shows a great deal of admiration for her, and in comparison with the majority of the chapter, Holden sounds optimistic and affectionate which indicates that Phoebe is someone who holds a significant role in Holden's life and possibly the fact that she may be one of the very few poeple that Holden is capable of trusting and willing to understand. Comparatively, Holden rarely speaks about his parents, which suggests the very little influence that hold in his life, perhaps owing to the reason that he cannot connect with, or understand them. This theory is supported by the quote, "But I was too afraid my parents would answer, and then they'd find out I was in New York and kicked out of Pencey and all." This signifies his detachment from not only society, but from his own family as well. Further emphasis of Holden's reclusiveness lies in this quote , comparing himself with his sister and his family, "She's really smart. I mean she's had all A's ever since she started school. As a matter of fact, I'm the only dumb one in the family." This comparison identifies Holden's clear admiration for his sister's academic talent and he puts this inversely with his lack of any such talent. This could be taken as Holden's way of listing another difference between himself and society, another reason behind the barrier created between him and society.

Adversely, in the rest of the chapter when Holden is not talking about Phoebe, the tone changes to one majorly of cynicism. "I'm the only really dumb one." This example portrays a particular emotion in Holden to be identified as one of helplessness, yet his filure to do anything about it and the fact that he doesn't particularly care. Such a portrayal displays Holden's difficulty in finding any possible connection with the world around him. Another example is during the dance he shares with Bernice at the night club. "What a lady, boy. A queen for Chrissake." His cynical tone is further emphasised by the use of italics, and this drives the reader to ask, why Holden is so frequently bitter towards everyone. This could also lead to suggest a connection with past childhood events such as his brother's death which have lead him to shut himself away.
His lack of will to conform to society has highlighted his independant nature, which withdraws him from discovering any similarities or common ground with anyone.

Josh

Chapter Summary: Ch 23
Basically Holden has just finished arguing with his sister about flunking school and getting expelled and he seeks shelter from his parents until school ends so he calls Mr. Antolini. Upset that Holden has been expelled from another school, Mr. Antolini invites Holden to come stay at to his house. Holden describes Mr. Antolini as the best teacher he ever had. After hanging up Holden convinces Phoebe to dance with him, but their parents come home. Holden hides in the closet until his mother tucks Phoebe in. After his mother leaves, he emerges and tells Phoebe of his plan to head out. She gives him all her Christmas money but he refuses to take it at first, and then insists that she take his red hunting hat in exchange.
3 techniques used in this chapter are:
the italics used (eg. “because she can dance”, “You can even tango”. These create more effect in these words and show us that this is what impresses him about his sister)
how he says he shouldn’t have done something (eg. “I shouldn’t have even been smoking” which tells us that he doesn’t have second thoughts about what would happen to him if he got caught by his parents and what would happen to his sister’s health)
the darkness when his mother tucks Phoebe in bed ( this could be a foresight into the future, that his mother will never be able to find him even when he is meant to get back home after school was over)
The italics represent how serious Holden usually is while he’s talking to show that this is a serious part of the story. When he says that he shouldn’t have done something it tells us that he still might’ve been a bit drunk.
In this chapter Holden is still hiding from his parents and the only community, society or group he belongs to is with his sister.

Chapter 9 Summary + Analysis

This chapter deals with Holden’s inability to call anyone, his fascination with the ducks near Central Park South, and his teenage hormone-driven desire to have sex. Salinger has used a variety of literary techniques to convey how there is a distinct separation between Holden and society.

At the beginning of the chapter, after getting off at Penn Station, Holden feels “…like giving somebody a buzz”. This first person narration emphasises Holden’s careful planning and somewhat desperation which leads him to discover that he has no one to call. This early revelation shows Holden’s detached place in society.

Also, the descriptive language used by Salinger as Holden looks inquisitively out the window of his hotel room “I saw one guy, a gray-haired, very distinguished-looking guy with only his shorts on...” which is later somewhat juxtaposed with Holden’s comment “…that hotel was lousy with perverts”, conveys Holden’s hypocritical nature, which is possibly why he feels alienated from society.

In addition to this, Salinger uses the “…ducks in that lagoon right near Central Park South” as a motif to represent the curiosity Holden possesses as being youthful. Later in the book, the reader understands that just like the pond is in transition between two states, Holden is in transition between childhood and adulthood, which is a major contributor to his separation from society.

Kanashya

Chapter 13
Holden walks from the nightclub back to the hotel and along the way he acknowledges that he is a coward. This confession results from Holden thinking about his gloves and wondering who stole them at Pencey. Taking the elevator up to his room the elevator operator talks him into hiring a prostitute. When she is there and takes her dress off Holden begins to feel like a coward and backs out. He makes an excuse about an operation on his ‘clavichord’ which is why he can’t have sex. He pays her the five dollars he owes her and asks her to leave. She however, claimed the price was ten but since Holden refuses to pay more she leaves.
The chapter starts with Holden walking back from the nightclub and decides to put on his red hunting hat to protect himself from the wind. Although he says ‘I didn’t give a damn how I looked’, obviously he does care about what other people think of him or he wouldn’t keep trying to convince the reader otherwise. In earlier chapters it was also obvious that others’ opinions of him were important though he continually denied it. We find out that although he is self-conscious it’s clear that the hat provides comfort. Mainly due to the colour of the hat being red and Phoebe and Allie’s hair colour also being red and so the hat in a way personifies his siblings.
Holden calls himself a ‘yellow’ guy, which he describes as those people who do not willingly get into fights. He says this when he wants to pick up a fight with whoever stole his gloves although he would lose. He admits that he wouldn’t mind getting injured but he ‘can’t stand looking at the other guy’s face’. This represents a metaphor for Holden unable to look at the evil in the world. Yet he contradicts himself yet again to say that he may get into a fight to get his gloves back and that maybe he isn’t a yellow guy. But he soon changes his mind once again and confirms his ‘yellowness’. This colour comparison tells us that Holden sees things in a childish way and although considers him above adults, he still has habits of a child.
Sunny, the prostitute, resembles to Holden something he wants and doesn’t simultaneously. He ends up critisising her by thinking to himself how immature she seemed. She ends up with the same thoughts and asks him how old he is. Sunny brings upon Holden the notion of attending for his sexual needs but he refuses. This brings on him once again how he is a yellow guy.
Individual versus society is thoroughly explored in this chapter. This is evident when Holden wants to fight whoever stole his gloves. As explained earlier it shows he cannot look at evil in the world and has his own little sanctuary which is only of innocence. These thoughts normally occur to him when he has the red hunting cap on which distinguishes him from society. Also when Holden calls upon the prostitute and doesn’t do anything, it shows that he is scared to sleep with Sunny and takes the path of refuge only resulting in isolation.

Robert- Chapter 22 Holden tries to explain to Phoebe why he was expelled from Pencey. He tries to explain to her that all the students were 'phony' and mean but ends up admitting that he 'can't explain'. Phoebe challenges him to name one thing that he likes. Holden struggles and becomes distracted. All he can think about is the two nuns, a boy from Elkton Hills, James Castle, who killed himself, and Allie. He finally tells Phoebe that he likes Allie and also that he likes talking to Phoebe but Phoebe thinks that neither of those two things count. In response to Phoebe's suggestion that he should become a lawyer, Holden outlines quite honestly his problems. Phoebe does not understand. Holden then tells her that he would like to be 'the catcher in the rye'. Holden imagines that there are children playing in a field of rye but they are in danger of falling off a cliff. Holden wants to be the person who stops them from falling. "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’d do all day. I’d just be the catcher in the rye and all".Holden his fantasy of idealistic childhood and of his role as the protector of innocence. His fantasy world is based on the idea that children are simple and innocent while adults are superficial, hypocritical and phony. His catcher in the rye fantasy reflects his innocence, his belief in pure, uncorrupted youth. It also represents his extreme disconnection from reality and his view of the world.
"It was one of the worst schools I ever went to. It was full of phonies". When Phoebe asks Holden why he got the ax from his school he replied by saying it was full of phonies. People being phonies is one of the main reasons why Holden doesn't like the outside world. This is shown in this quote. He dislikes phonies alot. "You don't like anything that's happening. Name one thing".Phoebe asks Holden to name one thing he likes and he struggles to come up with an answer. He thinks about the nuns and James Castle, who killed himself. He finally tells Phoebe that he likes Allie and also that he likes talking to Phoebe but Phoebe thinks that neither of those two things count. The things he thought about and said are weird as he hardly knows the nuns or James Castle and Allie is dead. This shows that the more he knows about people the more faults he recognises in them. The nuns are an obvious symbol of purity. Allie, having never reached adulthood, will always be pure and innocent in Holden's mind. This chapter shows Holden excluded from society when he struggled to come up with something he liked and the reasons why. When he says that he hated school because it was full of phonies and that he wanted to cath the children before falling from the cliff into adulthood, shows what he thinks of adulthood and the society.

The Catcher in the Rye Chapter 26 Sanjeevi Visagamoorthy
The chapter begins at the end of Holden story, with him summing up his thoughts about what’s going to happen to him at his new school next September. He is still criticising the way people and the society act even in his closing statements. He recounts how when D.B came to visit him in the rest home from Hollywood, he didn’t feel like telling D.B about all the events that had occurred throughout the book. His closing statement ends with him saying, “Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.”
The tone conveyed throughout this chapter is Holden’s continuing feeling of loneliness and solitude. Even when D.B, his own brother visits him from Hollywood, Holden continues to isolate himself by not bothering to talk to D.B about the events that happened since Pencey Prep. In this sense the reader feels a certain connection to Holden, as it seems that Holden would rather converse with a stranger (the reader), than with his family, as he has no connection to them. He alienates himself throughout the entire book, and his solitary nature is conveyed clearly in the closing statements of the book. He still seems scared and alone, and he continues to dread communication, however the use of the words “…missing everybody”, shows that perhaps Holden has started to lose the cynical nature that had surrounded him throughout the book. Although he is still afraid of reaching out to people, it shows that he is not as bitter and repressed as he was earlier in the book.

Grace

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 2
Going to great lengths to describe his ex-teacher Mr. Spencer and what he thought about him [a pattern which continues for the rest of the chapter], Holden opens the scene & explains why he’s in Spencer’s room after he has entered. Small talk begins, before taking a quick turn into the ‘serious matters’ of Holden leaving Pencey. Holden’s growing annoyance with Spencer [and possibly himself] becomes apparent as Spencer details exactly how horribly he ‘flunked’, making Holden read out his history essay. He attempts to counsel Holden and is genuinely concerned for him. Despite Holden’s realization that he’s actually trying to help, he still feels like he can’t relate to him and blows off the advice instead. He sucks up to Spencer and pretends he has learnt his lesson – and then makes excuses to leave. [] Repetition; Holden repeatedly stresses how Spencer won’t listen to him and continues to interrupt as he tries to defend himself. “You can’t stop a teacher when they want to do something. They just do it,” shows his negative, generalized view of the authority figures in his life. Neither can understand the other.[] Digression; As they discuss his feelings about failing in his academic life, Holden is mentally complaining about Spencer’s chest. This possibly displays his reluctance [or inability?] for what society usually thinks as serious issues – or this could simply emphasize his flippant view towards the older demographic. It also lends the reader the sensation that Holden is actually speaking to them. [] Colloquialism; Holden’s liberal use of colloquial language [‘So I shot the bull for a while’] instantly establishes an informal relationship with the reader. This coupled with his many truncated sentences creates an image of a young adolescent – which is sort of ironic as he uses both techniques when he tries to convey to the reader that he can also be mature. [‘People never notice anything.’ is also a way of Holden ‘providing another reason’ about why he should separate himself from that society.] In this chapter, I don’t think the emphasis is entirely on the individual in society – after all, Holden’s reaction to his teacher’s advice and schoolwork is that of a regular teenager. His mental digressions throughout their conversation however, indicates that he is disgusted with the values of the society he lives in, as shown when he gives a lengthy paragraph about how he hated the way his old school’s headmaster displayed an obvious bias towards parents’ who were more well-off than others.

Pallavi

Catcher in the Rye - Chapter 12
Holden gets into a cab and starts a conversation with the driver, Horwitz, about the ducks at the Lagoon in Central Park. Horwitz becomes irritated and Holden drops the conversation. He then goes into a bar where he meets his brother D.B’s ex-girlfriend, Lillian Simmons and her current boyfriend. Annoyed at the fact that he met Lillian, Holden decides to leave.
Techniques –
The references to ‘Phoebe’ display that Holden still holds onto his childhood. She represents his innocence in an adult society.
Hyperbole. ‘They just can’t ignore it’ (page 75). Most of the words in italics show that Holden talks just like a teenager. The effect of this is to make written thought and conversations as speech like as possible so the audience can relate to Holden.
Frequent use of truncated sentences like ‘I’m not kidding’. Again the effect is to make written works seem like Holden is speaking to the audience directly.
The symbolism and constant reference to the ducks at Central Park is significant in Catcher in the Rye. When Holden wonders where the ducks go in winter we see genuine curiosity and his childlike manner, which is not present when he talks about other things. The ducks going away in winter and coming back in spring represents a cycle where change is not permanent. Holden still wants to believe that the death of his brother Allie did not occur and he will come back one day.
Like the entire novel, Holden is an individual who is separated from society. In this chapter the society is New York City. Holden states ‘New York’s terrible when somebody laughs on the street very late at night’. The quote shows that Holden cannot understand and feel what everyone thinks is normal. He does not want to conform, although, as a non-conformist, Holden feels lonely being by himself. He wants to be a part of society yet he yearns not to because he objects to its core values.

CHAPTER SUMMARY 1:
Dinithi Summary: Holden Caulfield introduces himself in this chapter. He doesn’t really talk about his early life. The only thing that he really mentions about his life is his brother, D.B and how he is a Hollywood writer. Holden looks at his brother as someone who has ‘sold out’ to Hollywood. Holden doesn’t apply himself at a Boarding school called Pencey Prep and as a result he has been forbidden to attend school after the fall. He was the manager of the fencing team and was supposed to be in New York for a meeting, but lost the teams equipment on the subway, forcing everyone to return early.The Saturday before Christmas vacation, Holden stands on Thomsen Hill overlooking the football field, on which a grudge match against Saxon Hill is being battled out. This is his way of saying goodbye. He then walks away from the game to say goodbye to Mr Spencer, a former history teacher who is very old and ill with the flu. He runs to Spencer’s house but since he is a heavy smoker, he catches his breath. Spencer’s wife greets Holden warmly and goes in to see his teacher.Techniques and explanation of their effects:Page 1: When describing his parents as “touchy as hell”, Holden’s’ use of colloquial language establishes an informal relationship with the reader.Page 1: Holden’s describes his brother D.B, as “being a prostitute”, metaphorically alluding to his brother ‘selling himself out’ to Hollywood. This highlights Holden’s disapproval of the materialistic world surrounding him.Page 2: “They don’t do any damn more molding at Pencey than they do at any other school”. His cynical and negative tone obviously enlightens us as the readers about his disapproval towards Pencey Prep. This also makes us see Holden’s disapproval of society as a whole and the values they hold, which Holden disagrees with mostly. Individual and society: Even in the beginning Holden is physically separated from the fellow peers when he is overlooking them from the hill. His cynicism and negativity tells us that he does not want to be a part of this society which he makes a point of criticising at any given point.

Annee

Chapter 11
Holden reminisces about Jane, and the way he met her. Holden portrays how special she is to her by only showing her Allie’s baseball cap. Moreover, he reveals they had a physical relationship; they held hands. This made Holden very happy. Once they were playing checkers and Jane’s abusive stepfather came out onto the porch asking for cigarettes. She did not answer him, and on his departure broken down. Holden went over to comfort her while she kissed her all over. After reminiscing he is over come with sadness.
‘I knew her like a book’
Simile
The use of the simile shows us the type of companionship Jane was. The nostalgic reflection creates a parallel with the reader, causing them to reflect on how Holden is lacking a friend and empathy. We, the readers should understand Holden although he alienates and become his friend.
‘So what I did was, I went over and madder her move over on the glider so that I could sit down next to her…’
The use of first person, displays a parallel between Jane and Holden’s relationship to Holden’s status. Jane is experiencing pain and grief, Holden steps into comfort her. He understands what she is feeling. Presently, he is in the same situation and cannot earn the empathy of the reader. He seeks that moment of compassion that he had with Jane.
Holden has the inability to understand the world around him and the unwillingness to acknowledge the world around him. Through this chapter he reveals his disconnection and isolation. The individual, Holden has perceptions that do not match society’s perceptions. Perception is what corrupts society.

Helen

Chapter 8 SummaryHolden walks to a train station after having a physical fight with his room-mate Stradlater with his luggage, determined he will not stay in Pencey because he knows he doesn’t belong there. He gets onto the train and meets a middle aged woman whom he finds attractive and starts a conversation with her. The woman happens to be a mother of a boy who goes to Pencey too. Holden describes how he likes women generally to the reader, especially sexy women and admits that he can be a great liar. The conversation is about Morrow, the lady’s son and his excuses on why he is on the train. Holden fibs to the lady saying he has a tiny tumor on his brain and that he is going to get an operation done to it. The chapter ends with Holden telling the reader that he dislikes Morrow even though he talked about him to his mother as if he was a great boy. Techniques and Effects used in this Chapter“Women kill me. They really do.”These truncated sentences with the use of exaggeration stating that women ‘kill’ Holden gives an assurance to the reader from the serious tone that Holden is telling the truth that he has a weak side to women. This allows the reader to know that Holden is a teenage boy, going through the adolescent stage where he is desiring sex. “She had quite a lot of sex appeal, too, if you really want to know.” This sentence uses two commas to indicate that Holden hesitated to tell the reader the rest of the information, alienating and leaving the reader feel insignificant to Holden. Salinger uses a lot of techniques by making Holden’s tone defensive making the reader feel alienated throughout the whole book. This emphasises Holden’s perception of everyone being ‘phony’ and that he cannot trust anyone.“Once I get started, I can go for hours if I feel like it. No kidding. Hours.” The italics used on the word ‘hours’ in this sentence emphasises the person writing style which is 1st person limiting the way the reader can see the situation if not guided by Holden’s thoughts. This tone of wanting the reader to be on his side and exactly understand what he is saying explains Holden’s longing to belong with people yet alienating them at the same time. This chapter explores the concept of the individual and society as there is a lot of dialogue, exposing Holden‘s phony side as well as his real thoughts. There is the conversation between Holden and Morrow’s mother and also the other voice of Holden which is him talking to the reader. The thoughts he tells the reader is about him lying to the mother and finding the reactions amusing. This emphasises Holden being a very negative boy but longs the reader to be on his side by the tone he uses limiting the reader in understanding the story and not giving a chance to disagree with him. He is physically separated from his school and the train is totally empty besides a person who is not his age nor the same sex accentuating the separation he is feeling within his society.

Ashwini

Chapter 14 Summary: Holden remembers an event that occurred before his brother Allie died. Holden didn’t let his brother play in a BB-gun game and still feels guilty about it. He gets into bed and has a sudden feeling to start praying although he isn’t very religious but doesn’t end up praying. While he’s in bed, the door starts knocking abruptly and Holden opens it. At the door, an elevator operator, Maurice, comes to help demand the five dollars that Sunny wanted before. Maurice pushes Holden to the wall because Holden doesn’t want give the money. Whilst this is happening, Sunny takes Holden’s money from his wallet. Holden starts insulting Maurice when Maurice hits Holden’s groin and then, Maurice attacks Holden in the stomach. Holden is left unstable on the floor and imagines he is buff and takes revenge on Maurice by shooting him in the stomach with a gun. Soon, he somehow goes to sleep.
Three Techniques Used:
Direct address – The effect of addressing the reader is to engage the reader and voice out the narrator’s, Holden, opinions directly so they can understand Holden’s views on a particular notion without any changes to his thoughts. For example, “If you want to know the truth, I can’t even stand ministers.”
Colloquialism – Holden uses colloquial language frequently to create a casual tone. It allows the reader to comprehend Holden’s mood and lets Holden and the reader share a common ground. The spontaneous aspect of his colloquial speech creates a realistic attribute to Holden. Examples include “What’s the matter? Wudduya want?’ I said,” and “I told him he was a goddam dirty moron.”
Truncated sentences – These short sentences are used to illustrate the mood of a character or to create abruptness. In this particular context, Holden’s mood is portrayed as annoyed and angered. For example, Holden shares his emotions and opinions in the quote “The goddam movies. They can ruin you. I’m not kidding.”
Links to Individual and Society: In Chapter 14, the relationship between Holden and the other characters shape our understanding of the fact that Holden doesn’t share pleasant mutuality towards a number of people. He is also afraid to be fight back to others when he is disrupted, for example, the use of truncated sentences in the quote, “He smacked me. I didn’t even try to get out of the way or duck or anything,” emphasises this concept. Holden has a very wild imagination and his immaturity and illogicality after being bullied shows his individual character compared to other teenage boys, which could be the reason why he is often alienated. His distressed attitude towards life represents the depressive behaviour an individual would feel when being an outcast in society and this is portrayed in the omniscient narration of the quote, “What I really felt like doing though, was committing suicide.”

Chapter 4- Vicky

Holden watches Stradlater shave and admires his physique and appearance. He compares the habits of Ackley, one that never brushes his teeth, and Stradlater, who looks good on the outside but fails to keep his razor clean. He decides that Ackley is a “slob in his personal habits” and Stradlater is a “secret slob”.
Ironically, Stradlater asks Holden, who is going through expulsion, to write him an English composition because he is on a date. Holden learns that Stradlater’s date is Jane Gallagher, a girl he knows and provokes a strong emotional response from him. Holden begins to pour out all the vivid memories he has of her, but Stradlater is indifferent and even says her name incorrectly. He dwells upon Jane dating Stradlater, a mature and sexually experienced boy from Pencey, and begins to be apprehensive as Stradlater leaves. Ackley barges in and Holden is thankful for his company because it takes his mind off Jane and Stradlater.

Techniques
In this chapter, Salinger uses a number of techniques to demonstrate the concept of individual and society through the voice of Holden. Such techniques include colloquial language, italics and digression. Holden’s voice is achieved through the use of colloquial language to establish a personal tone. His constant use of the expression “It really was” and “… and all” develops individuality as it is his own way of speaking. However, slang words in this chapter, such as “can” and “chewed the rag” signifies the teenage language spoken at the time. Italics are used to emphasize on particular words to express Holden’s tone: “I’m the one that’s flunking out of the goddamn place, and you’re asking me to write you a goddamn composition.” In that sentence, Holden speaks in an ironical tone and the italics “I’m” and “you’re” highlights the irony. Another technique used in this chapter that develops Holden’s voice is digression. This is used when Holden informs Stradlater about Jane, reciting all the memories he has of her. It helps the audience to get a better insight of Holden’s thoughts and adds authenticity to his voice.

The Catcher in the Rye
Chapter 7
Stacey Song
Holden enters Ackley’s room after the fight with Stradlater and asks Ackley if he can spend the night in the room with him. Holden continues to ignore or change the subject whenever Ackley asks for the reason behind the fight with Stradlater. After many attempts from Ackley to kick Holden out from his room, Holden thanks Ackley for being “a goddam prince” and leaves. He returns to his own room and packs his belongings into his suitcase while counting his “dough”. Holden then walks out of Pencey as he yells, “Sleep tight, ya morons!”
Holden is being direct to his readers, telling them about his past. “We once double-dated, in Ed Banky’s car”, this flashback is a technique that is used to reflect Holden’s tormented state of mind, this allows the readers to engage with Holden as well as gain more information about his past.
During the chapter Holden continues to introduce new information about him and his past in a non-chronological way, confusing the readers and building an air of disorganisation.
Truncated sentences are also used frequently by Holden during this chapter, this captures and emphasises Holden’s personality. “He was a pretty wealthy guy. He said he didn’t know. He said he didn’t much want to buy it.” Short and simple sentences like these address the story directly without the need of further explanation. They are made to be easier to understand for readers. It also describes Holden as a character being direct, stubborn and simplistic.
The use of italics on certain words emphasises the stress that it is given. It also gives away a personal writing style that Holden is using. “... In this very quiet, sincere voice – like as if he wasn’t only a very handsome guy but a nice, sincere guy too”. Italics can also give the effect of a sarcastic tone used by the narrator.
I think Holden’s ignorance towards other people such as Stradlater and Ackley, define him as an individual among society. Pencey being a high class school for teenage boys, it is assumed that they have certain values and expectancies of other students. However, it seems as though Holden stands out as an individual because he lives his life as it is.
During this chapter Holden’s thoughts and behaviour is not what a normal teenage boy’s would be like, again capturing his individuality compared to other boys his age.

Chapter 15- Navneet

Catcher in the Rye
Chapter 15: Summary
Holden rings Sally Hayes and makes a date for later that afternoon with her. He checks out of the hotel he’s staying at and leaves his bags at Grand Central Station. He eats breakfast at a sandwich bar where he meets two nuns. They talk about Romeo and Juliet. He donates ten dollars to their charity, however, regrets it later as he needs the money for his date with Sally.
Techniques:
Intertextuality: the reference to Romeo and Juliet: “Oh, Romeo and Juliet!” allows the reader to see Holden’s views on the play/movie and perhaps relate to his opinion. The author is acknowledging that Holden has knowledge of this.
Through Holden’s thoughts in reference to Sally: “She gave me a pain in the ass, but she was very good looking.” This highlights His feeling of loneliness and desire for company. His own shallow nature is also revealed and we see that he himself is a hypocrite, as his own perceptions of other people are superficial.
Hyperbole: “I can even get to hate somebody, just looking at them, if they have cheap suitcases with them.” This adds emphasis to Holden’s judgmental personality as he exaggerates often throughout the novel.
Chapter 15 + Individual and Society:
From this chapter it is evident that Holden’s alienation from society is what causes him most of his pain. His own inability to mature and judgmental nature is what prevents him from interacting with society, and women in particular. This can be seen as his loneliness is what prompts him to make a date with Sally Hayes, however, as he later insults her and pushes her away, we see his need for isolation. We can see that Holden’s alienation gives him strength but at the same time causes him problems.

Chapter 25 summary- Zhongyi

Chapter 25 Summary

Key Events
In this chapter, Holden escaped from Mr. Antolini’s apartment and spent the night on the benches at Grand Central Station. He became distressed and thought he would die from cancer or from disappearing into the road. Holden then decided to leave for the West and live away from the outside world.
As Holden still wanted to see Phoebe, he left her a note asking her to meet him in front of the Museum of Arts before he leaves. Unexpectedly, when Phoebe appeared, she brought her trunk and wanted to leave with him. Phoebe got angry with Holden when he refused to take her. The two then went to the zoo together where they reconciled and Holden watched Phoebe on the merry-go-round. He suddenly felt happy and decided to live life as it is.

Techniques and Effects
· Repeated hyperbole – “a million people started coming”, “and a million other things”, “a million little kids”, “a million holes to lace up”, “if you had a million years” etc. This showed that Holden felt the need to exaggerate his criticism on everything going around him, and hence suggesting he was angry with the world
· Symbolism – the red hunting hat symbolised isolation, the Museum symbolised things that never change e.g. Holden’s childhood memories, the zoo symbolised innocence and happiness – what Holden used to have before Allied died.
· Impersonal tone / direct address – establish the speaker as equal to the audience and hence enable the audience to have a more personal understanding of Holden’s experiences. Examples include “I wish you could’ve been there” and “You can’t trust anybody in a … school.”
· Digression and flashbacks – the disorganised order of narration presents the disorientated teenager’s voice in a thoughtful way. This gives the impression that Holden is directly speaking with the audience.

Links to Individual and Society
Apart from the physical intention to leave New York, Holden’s separation from society is also revealed in his cynical tone. One instance of this was Holden being “positive” at expecting rude words on his gravestone, because he assumed no-one in the world is honourable. This is a huge discrepancy between the individual’s expectation on society and reality.
In addition, the juxtaposition between Holden’s long-lost happiness and rain, which is a common symbol for sadness, may have suggested that Holden is quite opposite to everyone else.

Motif analysis- Zhongyi

Motif Analysis
– Cigarettes

1. Is the motif a noun, a verb or an adjective?
The motif is a noun.

2. How does it come up in the novel, and how does it impact what is going on? What happens immediately preceding or immediately following a mention or discussion of this motif?
The cigarette appears whenever something has gone wrong or is about to go wrong. It had the effect of providing Holden with temporary relief from unpleasant situations before something worse happens – the cigarette almost always appears between two stages in an unpleasant situation.

3. What mood/emotion would you associate this motif with? Is this mood consistent with every incidence of this motif?
The mood associated with this motif is one of desperation and uncertainty. This mood is very much consistent with every incidence of this motif – Holden asked Ackley for cigarettes after fighting with Stradlater over Jane, he smoked after being cheated by Sunny and Maurice and he smoked when making the disastrous date with Sally Hayes.

4. Is Holden alone when this motif occurs? With whom is he interacting? How would you characterise that interaction? Is there a connection to be made?
Holden is usually with other people when cigarettes appeared. Some people that he was interacting with when he smoked include Stradlater, Ackley, Mrs. Morrow, Sunny and Mr. Antolini. These people all had one common aspect: they provided Holden with a chance to relax for a short period of time before causing him to be in a worse situation.

5. What does this motif tell you about Holden in a “big picture” way? Does this suggest anything about his personality? His weaknesses or strength? His sense of himself?
This motif revealed that Holden was not as strong as he pretended to be – he needed rest in between episodes of misfortune. He sought relief from time to time, each time represented by mentioning or smoking cigarettes. His “sense of himself” is greatly weakened by this, as it is clear that he needed to resort to other people for comfort and support.

6. Did any pattern emerge? Write a single sentence that sums up what you’ve discovered. Write three or four sentences supporting your thesis sentence.
The cigarette symbolised temporary relief for Holden before a situation deteriorates. When Stradlater asked Holden for cigarettes to bring on his date, little did Holden know he was to destroy Jane’s innocence; Holden was able to talk with Sunny openly with a cigarette but he was to be cheated at the end; Mr. Antolini gave him cigarettes and provided him with shelter for the night but made him having to flee the house. All these events in which cigarettes appeared allowed Holden to escape from his everyday worries for a short time but were then followed by more problems that he had to face himself.

Summary: Chapter Six

Stradlater comes home from his date with Jane, reads through the composition written for him by Holden and is clearly frustated with how irrelevant the piece is to the set assignment.

-"No wonder you're flunking the hell out of here," he said. "You don't do one damn thing the way you're supposed to. Not one damn thing."

Agitated by Stradlaters response to his work- most likely due to it's close link with a fond memory of his brother, Allie- Holden rips the paper to pieces. This can indicate his regret at sharing what can be seen as something truly important to him, and only have it be criticized, and worse- rejected; specially by a person who he finds worthless. Holden throwing the pieces in the wastebasket symbolizes his insecurity with both the composition and himself.

Holden then questions Stradlater in regards to his date with Jane. When Stradlater nonchalantly refuses to tell Holden any details, Holden attacks him physically. Holden's sudden desperation for at least the most miniscule sort of contact with Jane can indicate his desire to feel connected with someone else.

Holden ceaselessly insults Stradlater;

-"Why should I?" I said - I was practically yelling. 'Thats just the trouble with all you morons. You never want to discuss anything. That's the way you can always tell a moron. They never want to discuss anything intellig-"

After which Stradlater breaks Holdens nose. When Stradlater exists the room, Holden expresses his fascination at the bloodied mess which is his nose.
"
-It partly scared me and it partly fascinated me. All that sort of made me look tough. I'm not too tough. I'm a pacifist, if you want to know the truth.

This statement is, juxtaposed with Holden initiating the fight between himself and Stradlater and also shows Holden's inner conflict with his own identity at this period of time.

The chapter ends with Holden escaping into Ackley's room.

-"It always had a funny stink in it, because he was so crumby in his personal habits."

Holden's continuous foray into and out of Ackleys room can indicate his discomfort with his insecurities and he therefore interacts with someone he pities (Chapter 5, last 3 lines. That guy had just about everything... you had to feel a little sorry for the crazy sonuvabitch.) in order to assert some superiority and remind himself that he is, indeed, still worth more than someone else.


---

Am I meant to put this here? If not, sorry? Hehehe...
Excuse any english-ey errors or sentences that make no sense.

I lost my Sheet

That title is pretty self-explanatory, I need someone to give me the question and possibly answers plzthnx.

I NEED HELP NOWWWWWWWWW

ms race or anyone in our class thats reading this,
is 'character modifying' a theme ?
i have no idea and if it is i want to use it in the essay
but obviously i cant use it if its not a theme.
i dont even know what themes i can use argh.
setting and form is themes yeah?
and guilt? what about like the natural and unnatural?
are those all themes?
please reply back cause i am dying.
thank you :)

Kurosawa and context

Here's a couple sites that have some info on Throne of Blood. I also have an excellent article that I will photocopy for you guys.
http://www.geocities.com/ccupitt.geo/tob.html

http://www.cinemaroll.com/Drama/Akira-Kurosawas-Throne-of-Blood.397113

READ THESE!!

NRL tipping comp!

$3 entry, all money goes to winners

1st place 60%
2nd place 25%
3rd place 15%

money to me (alex brewer)
then sign up at oztips.com

comp name : girra comp
password : girraween

miss, let me know if this isn't okay plus u can join too.
any teachers/students at girra welcome

Throne of blood images

Lady Macbeth Character
Macbeth Character

Witch

KUROSAWA

Can't wait to get to the movie! I'm hyped up! Hyped up!

:D

you guys rule + some context

Thanks so much for getting that info back to me. I really think the University is going to be thrilled to have all your feedback. As you know, the assignment you guys are going to have to do is all about context. Here are some really good, to so so sites that I found. You guys should all be aiming to read through one a week at least!

http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/macbeth/context.html

www.jiffynotes.com/Macbeth/HistoricalContext.html

http://www.bookwolf.com/Free_Booknotes/Macbeth/Context-Macbeth/context-macbeth.html

http://shakespeare-tragedies.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_witches_in_macbeth

http://www.rsc.org.uk/exploringshakespeare/mlanguageandthemes/historicalcontext.htm

This one has tons of related links at the bottom as pages and pages on Macbeth themes etc.
http://www.helium.com/items/725364-literary-analysis-dominant-themes-in-shakespeares-macbeth?page=2

Feel free to add to this list. Remember, the assignment will ask you to focus on some elements/themes/issues of the play and discuss how a change in context has changed how the story has been presented. Having a sound understanding of the original contextual influences will make this a lot easier.

Thanks again everyone!

Homework

Hi guys,
Here's your homework assignment. First it's extremely important you get it done by tomorrow. It's not a lot of work but your feedback is really important.
The centre for learning innovation wants to know how you find some of these resources. They are a series of interviews with famous writers. I'd like for you to find one that you're interested in and watch the videos. Can you answer questions it has next to the interview and write a couple sentences about:
a) What you felt was valuable about the resource
b) How you feel this might help you improve your own writing (writing process)


2008 http://tinyurl.com/avjtte
2007 http://tinyurl.com/am8h2p

The Gunpowder Plot

The Gunpowder Conspiracy of 1605, or the Powder Treason or Gunpowder Plot, as it was then known, was a failed assassination attempt by a group of provincial English Catholics against King James I of England and VI of Scotland. The plot intended to kill the king, his family and most of the Protestant aristocracy quite literally in a single blow, by blowing up the Houses of Parliament during the State Opening on 5 November 1605. The conspirators had also planned to abduct the royal children (not present in Parliament) and lead a popular revolt in the Midlands.

Here is a link to a sketch of the conspirators:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gunpow1.jpg

Dear Following English Constituents

My concerns for the lack of concrete knowledge in the continuum of literary and English terms needed to complete the curriculum. I myself do not have adept skills in this area and need constant reminders in this lingo. Therefore I have made this blog so that any willing student can contribute to the list of terms (which is my ambitious product). Such terms like assonance, alliteration, personification and so on are the specific examples I am referring to. Also does anyone know the term that describes an unexpected outcome of a situation, an effect that diverts expectations?

Group 8: Examine Christian Symbolism and Biblical Imagery With Macbeth

What are Christian Symbolism and Biblical Imagery?
Religious symbolism including Christian and biblical imagery is the use of text, images, procedures, or actual physical objects to represent an idea or belief. The most common example is the use of objects to symbolize the faith itself, as in the use of a cross to represent Christianity, There are many more symbols used in Christianity. For example, the sacraments (Holy Communion, baptism, ordination and marriage) are symbols of spiritual change in the participants. In communion, the bread and wine are symbolic of the body and shed blood of Jesus, which are themselves also symbolic of the salvation of the recipient. Other Christian symbols include the dove (symbolic of the Holy Spirit), and the sacrificial lamb (symbolic of Christ's sacrifice).

Within the Play
SPEECH OF CHARACTERS
One of the strongest themes in Macbeth is that of piety or more precisely Christianity. The world-view and speech of the characters is influenced or infused by God and the devil, and they clearly believe in and understand the opposing spiritual forces of the supernatural. Even the most casual reader can see that Christian terminology is everywhere in Macbeth. In part, this is because Christian terms had been incorporated into the everyday colloquial expressions of the time: your highness, faith, my lord, your grace, heaven preserve you, gospelled, and good God, for example.
Further, the expressions of sovereignty such as your highness when applied to men are an upside-down reference to God’s supreme position in the universe. No one is higher than God, yet the term your highness is applied to human royalty. This is one of the first symbols of the distorted spiritual hierarchy that plagues the world of Macbeth. In trying to usurp the position of the most high God, and His authority, Macbeth succeeds in turning his world topsy-turvy, destroying his own mind, and becoming an instrument of evil.

MURDER OF JESUS CHRIST
In Macbeth, however, these expressions take on a deeper meaning, because its plot parallels the murder of Jesus Christ. The extensive Christian imagery in Macbeth, in fact, seems to represent the foundation that the entire story is built upon: the allegorical connection between the murder of King Duncan and the murder of Jesus Christ. The good king of Scotland whom Macbeth, in his ambition for the crown, murders. Duncan is the model of a virtuous, benevolent, and farsighted ruler. His death symbolizes the destruction of an order in Scotland that can be restored only when Duncan’s line, in the person of Malcolm, once more occupies the throne.

BILICAL AND MYTHOLOGICAL IMAGERY
In the second scene of the first act, a Sergeant, reporting on the fight he has just witnessed, says about Macbeth and Banquo that it seemed as if “they meant to bathe in reeking wounds / Or memorise another Golgotha” (1.2.40-41). This biblical allusion reminds us of course of the death of Christ, as reported in Matthew 27:33: “And when they came unto the place called Golgotha, that is to say, the place of dead mens’ skulls.” On first reading, the reference to this biblical story in the speech of the Sergeant may just be seen as a compliment to the two generals: the Sergeant is complimenting Macbeth and Banquo on their determination and pugnacity. Shakespeare’s underlying meaning, however, may well be that this is a foreboding: just as Christ was put to death by the soldiers, Duncan will be killed by Macbeth. Although one cannot go as far as to say that Duncan is Christ, it could be said that he is a Christ-like figure: he is the representative of the good. This is underlined in act 1, scene 4, when Macbeth and Banquo return from battle and are received in audience by Duncan. The King himself says to them, “I have begun to plant thee, and will labour / To make thee full of growing” (1.4.28-29). The idea of “planting” men and “letting them flourish” can be found repeatedly in the Old Testament, for instance in Jeremiah 12:2, where it says about Jehovah: “Thou hast planted them, and they have taken root: they grow, and bring forth fruit.” Knowing that Macbeth will kill the King, this passage underlines how evil this deed will be. Macbeth will not simply commit murder, but will destroy his “roots”.

LADY MADBETH
A comparison that is more solid, is the one between Pilate and Macbeth. When we look at act 2, scene 2 - when King Duncan has just been murdered – we find Lady Macbeth saying to her husband about this murder, “A little water clears us of this deed: / How easy is it, then!” (2.2.66-67). The idea of washing unclean hands is, of course, biblical: we recognise the passage in Matthew 27 in this quotation, in which Pilate publicly washes his hands and says that he is not guilty of killing Jesus.

The Legend Of "The Curse" of Macbeth (by Team 7)

What is The Curse of Macbeth?

The "Curse of Macbeth" is the misfortune that happens during the production of the play. The theory suggests that Shakespeare included actual black magic spells in the incantations of the weird sisters. Those who mention the play's name within the confines of a theatre risk having these evils brought down on them. The tragedy of Macbeth is considered so unlucky that it is hardly ever called by its name inside the profession. People refer to the play as "that play”, “the unmentionable" or "the Scottish play." It is supposed to be bad luck to quote from the play or to use any sets, costumes, or props from a production. The superstition is not so much about doing the play as about naming it.

A Series of “Unfortunate” Events

The play partly acquired its evil reputation because of the weird sisters and partly because tradition traces a long line of disasters back to its premier on August 7, 1606. In this performance prop daggers were mistakenly swapped for real ones, resulting in a death.

Ø In the 1672 staging of Macbeth in Amsterdam, the actor playing the lead deliberately knifed the guy playing Duncan, gorily killing him on stage while the audience looked on.

Ø Or the 1721 English performance where a nobleman obliviously walked across the stage mid-performance to chat with a friend on the other side of the theatre. The understandably annoyed actors chased him away with their swords but learned the hard way that you didn’t play uppity with the aristocracy in eighteenth-century England: The nobleman’s cronies quickly returned and torched the theatre.

Ø In the infamous 1849 Shakespeare-related riot at NYC’s Astor Place Opera House, which ended up with hundreds dead and injured, had all started with a performance of Macbeth.

If you’re still not convinced, the track record of famous twentieth-century Macbeth performances is even more startling.

Ø The boy actor playing Lady Macbeth died back stage on opening night. In 1934, four actors played Macbeth in a single week.

Ø In 1937, Macbeth had to be postponed for three days after a change in directors and because of the death of Lilian Boylis

Ø Another 1937(British) production was particularly ill-starred. A stage weight fell from the theatre ceiling, missing the star (famous Shakespearean actor Doyen Laurence Olivier) by less than an inch. Later, a chunk of Olivier’s dagger detached and catapulted into the crowd, striking a spectator who dropped dead of a coronary just a few hours later. Not long later, the theatre owner died suddenly of a heart attack during a dress rehearsal. Not to mention that, while driving to the theatre, the director and the actress playing Lady Macduff were nearly killed in a car accident. All this, and in just one production.

Ø A 1942 production of the play starring John Gielgud saw three actors die in unrelated incidents and the director commit suicide.

Ø In a 1947 production, an actor named Harold Norman was stabbed (this time accidentally) on stage and died quickly and messily of his wounds in front of the crowd. Legend has it that his ghost still haunts the London Theater where all this happened.

Ø And a 1953 outdoor performance in Bermuda went awry when a sudden gust of wind sent the stage flying. One of its pieces hit some wiring, which set off a fire, which ignited Charlton Heston, the lead actor, who had—somehow—been partially soaked in kerosene while performing.

Ø In one production of Macbeth, nothing went wrong until the fight scene between Macbeth and Macduff. Both actors had round "Celtic-style" shields strapped to their forearms of their left arms. The fight was very physical. The actor playing Macbeth made a violent move with his left arm and the shield left his arm and flew like a Frisbee for twenty feet across the stage.The actor playing Macduff ducked instinctively and the shield hit the ground about sixteen inches from the front of the stage. Sitting in the front row, directly opposite the shield sat two nuns.

Theories Behind The Curse

One hypothesis for the origin of this superstition is that Macbeth, being a popular play, was commonly put on by theatres in danger of going out of business, or that the high production costs of Macbeth put the theatre in financial trouble. An association was made between the production of Macbeth and theatres going out of business.

According to the superstition, Shakespeare got a few of the lines from an actual coven of witches and when they saw the play they were greatly offended and cursed the play. Another tradition tells that the original prop master could not find a suitable pot for a cauldron and stole one from a coven, who then cursed the play in revenge for the theft. It is believed that breaking the taboo calls the ghosts of the three witches to the show and it is they who cause all the mishaps.

Productions of Macbeth are said to have been plagued with accidents, many ending in death; the play does include more fight scenes and other such opportunities for accidents than most plays, and the atmosphere in the backstage area of old-fashioned theaters was a prime setting for disasters, especially when dealing with potentially dangerous equipment.

There is a lot of fighting and physical action in Macbeth. It is inevitable that in the long run of the play someone is going to get hurt. After a few of these stories get around, you get the "Curse of Macbeth." The most interesting theory is that the play contains the devil in the form of the porter.

Can It Be Cured?

The most common remedy to get rid of the curse is that the offender must step outside, turn around three times, spit, and say the foulest word he/she can think of, and wait for permission to re-enter the theatre.

It is difficult for us to believe in super-natural events, but the circumstantial evidence surrounding the curse of macbeth is pretty potent. Its disturbing production history has prompted many actors and other theatre people to take the Macbeth curse seriously so maybe we should reasses our beliefs.

Lady Macbeth by TK, Liz, Vicky, Vishnu

Lady Macbeth is most commonly known for her role in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”. She is the wife to the play’s protagonist, Macbeth who is a Scottish nobleman. The character’s historical origins lie in the accounts of Kings Duff and Duncan in Holinshed’s Chronicles (1587). Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth is a composite of two totally separate and distinct personages in Holinshed’s work. According to the account of King Duff, she is Donwald’s nagging, murderous wife. However on the other hand, King Duncan portrays her as Macbeth’s ambitious wife.
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The character of Lady Macbeth has often been described as malevolent, influential, ambitious and cold blooded. She is portrayed as a malicious character that would do anything and everything to achieve here selfish lust-driven goals. This portrayal of her personality is confirmed when she insults Macbeth’s masculinity forcing him to lose all confidence in himself in order for him to commit regicide. Lady Macbeth has also been described as quite a “masculine character”. Lady Macbeth is a misogynist who despises women and dreams to become a man in order to fulfill her lust for killing. A flattering quote from Macbeth confirms her dream to be a man by telling her that she has such undaunted courage that she could only have male children and never females.

In comparison to records of historical Lady Macbeth, historically known as “Gruoch”, the character of Lady Macbeth is by far much more cold-blooded and ambitious. The character of Lady Macbeth loses interest in her relationship with Macbeth as the play progresses, as she begins to become more indulged in her own affairs. However historical records portray Grouch as a loyal lover who did anything and everything to aid Macbeth even seeking aid from witches.
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Lady Macbeth is said to be quite masculine, and she, herself, desires to be a man to kill the King herself. Otherwise, her character is ignored greatly after her part in the killing of the King, until the last act where she is said to have committed suicide off-stage.

Lady Macbeth is seen as a ruthless character who aims to satisfy one’s selfish desires of great status and power. Her greed for power and evil actions drives her to certain extents where murder is a necessary key for her plan to succeed.

"The words of the three Weird Sisters also (of whom before ye have heard) greatly encouraged him hereunto; but especially his wife lay sore upon him to attempt the thing, as she was very ambitious, burning with an unquenchable desire to bear the name of a queen."
- Holinshed’s version.

She is a loving wife and upon hearing word of the three Weird Sister’s prophecy, is eager for her husband, Macbeth, to become King. She plots Duncan’s murder as she believes it will make Macbeth King, and her Queen. She is understanding and knows her husband well as she foresees Macbeth’s reaction towards the murder of Duncan. At first, Macbeth refuses to kill Duncan, but Lady Macbeth insults his manhood and his love for her, forcing him to carry out the murder.

In the beginning of the play, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are devoted to each other. E.g. Macbeth addresses his wife as ‘My dearest love.’ Macbeth respects his wife and is easily manipulated by her. Lady Macbeth is considered a far more ambitious and daunting character than Macbeth. She is committed to her purpose as she calls on to be stripped of her femininity. Through manipulation, Lady Macbeth is able to achieve her goals without her doing the actual killing. She would have killed King Duncan if he had not reminded her of her father. Towards the end of the play, their relationship drifts apart and their roles switches. Lady Macbeth becomes weak as she has trouble with her conscience. She sleepwalks at night and washes imaginary blood from her hands. Wracked with guilt, she cannot handle it any longer and kills herself.

Supernatural themes in Macbeth

Team 2: Dinithi, Dhruv, Terence and Annee

The use of the supernatural themes in Macbeth is shown in the witches, the visions, the ghost, and the apparitions this inturn creates the dramatic suspense and tension. The theme supernatural is tied in to show the intensity of the human mind. This is a key and vital element in making the concept of the play work and interesting. The utilisation of supernatural themes arises from the medieval and renaissance periods and the Holinshed chronicles.

The themes can be seen at the start of the play with the witches predicting the fate of Macbeth. Banquo’s ghost is also a sign that supernatural themes are used in Macbeth. The apparitions were so strong and suggestive (the dagger Act 2 Scene 1) became over-confident and decided his fate, which was eventually, death. This shows the depth and strength and more importantly the mental stability of the human mind like mentioned above.

Origin of the witch story from the Holinshed’s chronicles:
Shakespeare's primary source for Macbeth was Raphael Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland, first published in 1577. The outlines of Shakespeare's story are derived from Holinshed's account of Kings Duncan and Macbeth. In addition, Shakespeare seems to have taken many particulars from Holinshed's account of King Duffe, who died eighty years before Macbeth did.

Origin of the witch story from the witch lore of the Celtics:
In the witch lore of the Celts, witches are seen as triple goddesses, as in Macbeth. But it has been modified a bit as the witches are presented as hags.
In Irish folklore witches are the children of Cailidin, who plot Cu Chulainn’s death and in Welsh legend we find the hags of Gloucester, warrior women. The witches speak in three’s, this being a sacred number for the Celts. The witches in Macbeth seem to be more like the Elizabethan stereotype, than to the idea of the three supernatural goddesses of destiny.

Views on witchcraft during the Renaissance:
During the Renaissance period people blamed unexplainable events as the work of witches. Women were those most often accused of being witches! This was largely due to the fact of the invention of the printer the books that were published Bibles and other hold books promoted the ideas about witchcraft and witches. The hysteria and paranoia regarding witches, which was experienced in Europe, did not fully extend to England during this turbulent period. However, Queen Elizabeth I passed a new and harsher witchcraft Law in 1562 leading to witch hunts and the prosecution of witches. Thus women of law class calibre were targeted especially those with knowledge of herbs.

The use of supernatural themes in MacBeth creates many functions within the play. They create dramatic tension; suspense and more importantly foreshadow told events. Thus without the use of these supernatural themes in Macbeth, “the character of “Macbeth” and his kingdom would not exist” 1

1 "The Supernatural in Shakespeare's Macbeth." 123HelpMe.com. 01 Feb 2009

Role of infants and children

Macbeth

Macbeth is one of the most well-known works written by William Shakespeare. The use of symbolism, meanwhile, is a significant aspect of the play which often becomes an area of study and critics, and the role of babies and children in the play is certainly most intriguing.
In Act IV scene I, the second apparition whom Macbeth has sought counsel from was depicted as a bloody child. This was done due to a number of reasons. Young children were used as a symbol for vulnerability and innocence in the play; a blood-stained child therefore would suggest that the innocent will die because of Macbeth’s lust for power. This was evident in various scenes, like the scenes where Duncan and Banquo were murdered by the orders of Macbeth. In addition, the apparition also implied that the last of Macbeth’s innocence has diminished through his struggle for power, a statement which was proven right later in the play when Macduff’s family was slaughtered. Immediately afterwards, the third apparition appeared in the same scene. It also took the shape of a young child, but was crowned and was holding a tree. This was obviously to warn Macbeth of the imminent danger that he was facing, but also conveyed a more subtle meaning in an evasive way. The crown symbolised kingship while the tree symbolised the rebellion rising against Macbeth, the overall message of the apparition would therefore be that the innocent will become king once more.
Another example of children’s appearance in Macbeth was the scene just before Macduff’s family was murdered. The young son of Lady Macduff served as a symbol for the innocent, once again. By closely examining the conversation between the mother and son, it was not hard to conclude that Macduff’s son already knew about the power struggle in the Scottish royal palace. This could consequently illustrate the fact that the innocent and the vulnerable were unwillingly engaged in the conflicts. Duncan’s son Malcolm and Banquo’s son Fleance were examples of such.
There were also scenes in which babies and children appeared and played crucial roles in the play, however, overall, the role of babies and children in Macbeth is defined as a symbol for innocence and vulnerability. It proved to be a very important role, as throughout the play, they served as important messengers which sent hints to the audience, and furthermore, highlighted what will happen as time passes. Their importance in Macbeth was therefore significant and unarguable.

Welcome!

Just wanted to welcome everyone to our class blog. Looking forward to the year!