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May 27, 2010

Criticism, Holden, and his Society

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: — colee13 @ 12:34 am

In “Critical Extracts” Ernest Jones finds the plot of the book humorous, but dull in many places. He emphasizes Holden as “snobbish in ways peculiar to adolescence” (7). Jones points out Holden’s unusual teenage behavior, such as his “alienation” from the world around him. He has unusual pet peeves that he exaggerates to the point where some make him nauseous. Though usually quite haughty, Holden occasionally notices the flaw of himself as being a madman. Jones not only focuses on Holden’s critical world, but also mentions the significance of the love between Holden and his sister. Although Jones finds the book “lively in its parts” (7), overall he concludes that the book is “predictable and boring” (7).
I agree with Jones’s general perspective on Holden. He has a different point of view of the world around him, which is interesting to explore. He makes sure to always have a good view of society in order to slam people with criticism. This criticism evolves from his cupboard of pet peeves, which only grows the more he observes people. Jones points out Holden’s love and fondness for his sister Phoebe. This is also displayed with other children, even if they are almost strangers to Holden. He tends to prefer the youth, and when searching for his sister one night in the city, asks a young girl for assistance. After their chat on Phoebe’s whereabouts Holden says “She was a very nice, polite kid. God I love it when a kid’s nice and polite when you tighten their skate for them or something. Most kids are. They really are” (Salinger 119). Holden favors the youth of society, because from his point of view, they are nothing but sweet and innocent.
I disagree with Jones’s idea that Holden completely isolates himself from the people around him. He wishes to separate himself from people who he does not like, or identifies as “phony”. Holden enjoys being around people he likes, or thinks he likes. For example, he made a date with Sally Hayes one night, proving that he tries to be social. He also enjoys speaking with children, and one time met a few nuns that he had a nice conversation with. While he was eating breakfast, they spoke with him and he found he’d enjoyed their company. “‘We’ve enjoyed talking to you so much,’ she said. I said I’d enjoyed talking to them a lot, too. I meant it, too” (Salinger 112). Though an unexpected conversation, he enjoyed speaking with people he would not have normally said a word to. Holden is involved in society, and though critical of some people, he is not altogether isolated.

Jones, Ernest. “Case History of All of Us.” Nation 1 Sept. 1951: n. pag. Print.

May 26, 2010

Grief is sadder when it’s sudden.

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: — jinj13 @ 10:44 pm

            In the extract by Harvey Breit, he describes Holden as “bright, terrible, and possibly normal sixteen-year-old protagonist” (Harvey, 6). Also, he says that The Catcher in the Rye reminds him of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, since Holden and Huck has similarity of their characteristics that both of them are not funny but not so cynical (Harvey, 6). Also, there is a sense of humor in the story, because the readers see Holden in the way that smiling adults see a self-centered little boy (Harvey, 6). Holden observes the world in jaded, self-centered and cynical way and that makes the readers to give less serious look for Holden’s perspective for the world. Therefore, Harvey Breit says that these comic sources hide the implicit seriousness of the novel (Harvey, 7).

             I agree that Huck and Holden are such similar characters: “Like Huck, Holden is neither comical nor misanthropic” (Harvey, 6). That means both Huck and Holden are not totally comical, but not totally cynical and isolated from the society either. Boys undergo the growing pains and have conflicts between them and the society members. By expressing world in their point of views, the readers sometimes find the sense of humor, but that humor doesn’t go for long in the story. Then, the cynical parts come up in the story, by showing how Holden and Huck isolate themselves from the world. However, again, this sense of “cynic” is not definite throughout the story, since the readers view Holden in the point of view that the adults see a little boy complaining about the things.

             However, I disagree that the sense of comic in the story made the whole story less focused and serious. It says, “serious and implicit of the noble is overwhelmed by the more powerful of the comic element” (7), but I believe that is a misunderstanding. Holden does show some comical characteristic. However, as I mentioned above, Holden cannot be neither solid comical character nor solid cynical character. Therefore, it is hard to say that the comical parts of the book got rid of all those serious and important parts of the book. Not solid comical sources cannot disturb the readers to focus on the book’s main point. It really helps the readers to concentrate on the book, since his comical characteristic can express much sorrowful grief than normal boys do. Grief is sadder when it came suddenly at some random or even comical time. Therefore, I think that Holden’s comical characteristic can loosen up the readers at the beginning of the book, but then, later on, it helps the readers to get into the book, since the grief visits the comical character so suddenly. Overall, I believe that Holden’s comical characteristic played an awesome role in story setting for more dramatic story develops.

 

Works Cited

Harvely Breit, “Reader’s Choice,” Atlantic Monthly 188, No.2, (August 1951):82

Salinger, J.D. The catcher in the Rye. New York: Little, Brown and Co., 1991.

Holden VS. Huck

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: — wangh13 @ 1:42 am

In “Reader’s Choice” Harvey Breit claims that while he was reading the The Catcher in the Rye he thought of Adventures of Huckleberry. In this article, he talks about their similarity, and their differences. “Like Huck, Holden is neither comical nor misanthropic. He is an observer. Unlike Huck, he makes judgments by the dozen, but these are not to be taken seriously.” (Harvey Breit 15) I agree with this sentence, because reading this book made me feel that Holden is always complaining about the things he does not like, and the book does not have any comics nor misanthropic. He also talks about how this book clearly shows the sixteen teenagers behave like and the young, and judges other person, “I don’t even think he the bastard had a handkerchief, if you want to know the truth, i never saw him use one, anyway.” (Salinger 35) He also talks about how The Catcher in the Rye shows the bright, terrible and possibly of normal sixteen- year- old boy. At the last paragraph he adds, that in Adventures of Huckleberry, he could see the world through Huck’s eyes, but in The Catcher in the Rye “we see Holden as a smiling adult sees as a boy, and we smile at his spectral, incredible world.” (20)
I agree with what Harvey Breit said about the book shows the sixteen teenagers in reality and that Holden sometimes makes judgments of others. Unlike other books, The Catcher in the Rye gives the reader of how really sixteen teenagers are like in our society. Age sixteen is a turning point for the most of the teenager, but it is also a really hard time for the most of the teenager. In age sixteen, it is the time when teenagers make troubles, mistakes, and start to defy their parents. Holden is a very good example of how normal sixteen boys act, and this book was very realistic. On the other hand, Holden sometime has very bad mood swings, he usually talks about how this person is good and everything, but when he actually meet that person there will always something bad will happen and later he will started to judge that person, and talks about all the negative parts of that person.
However, I disagree when Harvey Breit states that “Well, we do not see it trough Holden’s.” (20) Harvey Breit thinks that we can see the world through Huck’s eyes but not through Holden’s eyes. When I was reading the book, I could see the world through Holden’s eyes. Though it was a bit different than what I see the world. Holden sees the world as adults are bad and someone should protect the children from growing to adults. And he somehow wants to be the catcher and protect the children’s. In the same time he realizes that he is also growing to an adults and is somehow scared of it, and so he wants to protect her younger sister more as her brother. The world that we see through Holden’s eyes might be different from the world that we see, but we cannot state that we cannot the world through Holden’s eyes.

Works Cited
Harvey, Breit. “Reader’s Choice.” Holden Caulfield. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1990. 6-7. Print.
Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Little Brown and co., 1991.

May 25, 2010

Holden and Himself

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: — doylem13 @ 4:03 pm

Holden and Himself
In “Critical extracts” Ernest Jones describes Holden Caulfield as “friendly, ‘democratic’, well bred and snobbish”. Jones discusses his relationships, behaviors, and feelings towards girls. He believes that if Holden “acts on impulse he feels guilty, though also boastful”. Also Holden having a sense of “alienation” has brought on hatreds. Hatreds for much of what an everyday teen might be disgusted by but these fail him. However, There is one person or thing that is still there for him, and that’s his ten year old sister phoebe. “She embodies the innocence we all hope we have preserved and the wisdom we all hope we have acquired”. Towards the end of the book much of the behavior and emotion is repetitive in which Ernest Jones states” The book as a whole is predictable and boring”.
I agree that Holden Caulfield is friendly. Holden has many problems throughout the book. His problems however consist to be with himself, women, and his parents. The conflicts he has with these people do not affect kind and friendly sense of humor towards other people especially his teacher Mr. Thurmer and his sister phoebe. Holden, even while frustrated, angry, or annoyed, manages to stay calm and when needing to, responds calm with an understanding tone. He models understanding and staying calm many times, but while talking to Mr. Thurmer he replies “yes sir. I know it is. I know it is” Also as stated earlier, Phoebe is one that has not failed Holden yet. She is one that he holds his kind and friendly heart for. During the book, Holden talks about going to the zoo with Phoebe. They get to the carrousel, one of phoebes favorites and she decides she’s too big and cannot ride. However Holden insists, and says “no you’re not. Go on. I’ll wait for ya” (210). At this moment Holden’s friendliness and kind heart is shown through his love for his sister. Holden Caulfield is most definitely friendly.
However, I disagree with Ernest Jones and his statement where he says The Catcher and the Rye is “boring and predictable”. The Catcher and the Rye has many reoccurring emotions and actions, in which Holden’s reaction or feeling may be easier to understand. However, the main events i.e. going to the hotel, the room with the prostitute, sneaking back home are all events I would not have thought of. At the end of the book, Holden returns, but the reaction and his behavior are unpredictable as he cries.” I was damn near crying happy all of a sudden”. (213) Also, Holden and his events are not only unpredictable. His sister phoebe is as well. Phoebe has been pretty quiet throughout the book until the time she gets in an argument with Holden and starts to yell. She gets angry and yells “I’m not going back to school’, she said. ‘So shut up.’ It was the first time she had ever told me to shut up.” It is defended through these examples that The Catcher and the Rye is not predictable or boring.

Works Cited
Jones, Ernest. “Critical Extracts.” “Case History of All of Us,” Nation, September 1,1951, p176
Salinger, J.D The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Little, Brown and Co., 1991

The Silver Lining

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: — munroj13 @ 2:27 pm

In “Critical Extracts” by Ernest Jones, Holden is criticized and called “snobbish in ways peculiar to adolescence.”(paragraph 1). Ernest Jones shows all of Holden’s faults and bad choices, such as the option to get a prostitute, or to go to New York City, but in conclusion he describes silver lining of the book and leaves the reader somewhat pleased with the book. Ernest Jones does this by describing how Pheobe’s love shines through Holden’s negativity.

I agree with Ernest Jones analyst of Holden, that he is snobbish, and Ernest’s thoughts of how Holden’s dislikes separate him from society. one example of this is when Holden is thinking of running out west, he thinks of  being a “deaf-mute” because he does not want to talk to other people and is actively trying to separate himself from society.

How ever I disagree with Ernest Jones’s thoughts of what the books silver lining was, that it was not about Pheobe’s undying love, because, despite being a major theme in the end of the book, it was not elaborated nor was it put into the spotlight for more than a passing second. I believe that this book was written about a trouble youth and the silver lining was the youth growing into an adult and dealing with his problems even if he did not like it.

The Innocence of Adolescence

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , — beauprep13 @ 12:23 pm

Critical Response by Parker Beaupre

In John W. Aldridge’s critical review of Catcher in the Rye, he compares Salinger’s famous novel to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. He describes the two books as being two different takes on the innocence of childhood and adolescence. He states that Holden’s innocence is that of contempt and that Huck’s is made of harmless ignorance. The two books are almost complete opposites but it is interesting to see how they relate in their two different interpretations of being young.
I completely agree with Mr. John Aldridge’s critical review of Catcher in the Rye. His argument is that, like Huck Finn, Holden is immersed in a sea of innocence, only the boys are in two different kinds of innocence. Huck’s innocence is that of “frontier ignorance, juvenile delinquency and penny-dreadful heroism”, a true, genuine form of innocence. Holden’s on the other hand is a form of innocence comprised of urban intelligence, juvenile contempt and New Yorker sentimentalism” there is a certain degree of innocence, yes, but not a legitimate form where the reader really sympathizes for the so-called protagonist.
I myself was not an avid supporter of the book. I often found myself wondering how this became a “classic”. Nevertheless, I found myself continuing to turn the page for two reasons. First, I was forced to read Salinger’s novel by my English teacher. Second, I was constantly making comparisons between Mark Twain’s great work of historical fiction and this interesting take on adolescence.

Works Cited

Aldridge, John W. “Critical Extracts.” Holden Caulfield. Ed. Harold Bloom. New

York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1990. 8-9. Print.
Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Little, Brown and Co., 1991.

Issues Against The Reader

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: — youngj13 @ 2:33 am

Summary:

In T. Morris Longstreth’s article on the book The Catcher In The Rye, he describes how awful, vulgar, and depressing the book is.  When he is asserting that children as well as adults would not choose to read the book because of Holden’s language, “many adults as well will not wish to condition themselves to Holden’s language” (5).  Longstreth concurs that this is not how a proper book should be written.  He claims that the book is inappropriate.  He also suggests that if people read this book it will make them depressed and that the book would be a bad influence on the reader.

Critical Response:

I agree with a few of T. Morris Longstreth’s opinions of Holden Caulfield, however I disagree with the majority of his critical extract.  I agree that Holden can isolate himself from society.  I also agree that  the way Holden insinuates people to be is irrational.  He insults people throughout this book and some of it is hypocritical.  In chapter one he states that “people never notice anything” (Salinger, 9), but he never actually notices the way he acts.  My thoughts are the same as those of Longstreth with his opinion that the way Holden notices people’s faults is the reason that he has almost no friends.  In the beginning of the book when Holden is preparing the reader for his story, this is another example of Holden’s language “”If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like . . . and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don’t feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth” (Salinger, 1).  Most aspects of Longstreth’s critical extract I disagree with, like how not a single adult or child would want to read this book.

Longstreth states that the raunchy way that Holden speaks would make adults and children not want to read it.  He also states that the way he speaks would influence other people and create other “Holdens” or people that act and speak exactly like Holden.  Longstreth also states that the way Holden speaks is controversial with how Salinger likes children.  I do not think that the book has anything to do with who Salinger is as a person.  I also disagree with how Longstreth sees Holden as a person.  It is true that Holden may not be a very good person, but the way Longstreth depicts Holden to be is definitely not true.  The way that Longstreth views  the book is not a very good way to look at the book and myself, as well as many others, would have opinions that greatly differ from that of T. Morris Longstreth. My opinion is that it was a strong book, however there were some slow points, like when Holden repeatedly thinks about calling Jane, because he never actually meets Jane in the book and it is just wasting the reader’s time.

Citations:

Longstreth, T. Morris. “Critical Extracts” Christian Science Moniter. New York. 1951, p 5-6

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher In The Rye. New York: Little, Brown and Co. 1991

Holden the Madman

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: — sheehanw13 @ 12:38 am

Riley Hughes suggests that Holden Caulfield “is the victim of some very imperfect sympathies” and hates phonies. Riley goes on to call Holden a “madman” and says that some of the events “stretch probability”. In conclusion, Riley states that Holden is made “monotonous and phony by the formidably excessive use of amateur swearing and coarse language”.
I agree with Riley’s belief that Holden is in fact a “madman”. A sixteen year-old boy that drinks like crazy, smokes a ton, orders a prostitute, and wants to go out west alone, is indeed a madman. He acts irrationally and he never really knows what he is going to say. He doesn’t have any drive in life, all he wants to do is to get away from all people and pretend to be a “deaf mute” (Salinger). You might expect this of an old and cynical man, but a sixteen year old, unheard of. Holden ventures around the biggest city in the world and never knows where he is going next, never even stopping to calm down. Holden Caulfield is indeed a “madman”.
Although I do disagree with Riley’s belief that “Holden is made monotonous and phony by the formidably excessive use of amateur swearing and coarse language”. Holden is a teenager, and honestly, all teenagers swear. True Holden uses some “coarse language”, but he is a young boy who channels his bad experiences into language, nothing more. In my mind the book would not have been as realistic if he had not sworn at all. Swearing made it so that Holden could express his opinions in the way a typical teenager would. The swearing also allowed the reader to more easily realize Holden’s extreme negativity. I believe that rather than detract from the book, the swearing actually enhances Holden’s persona.
Bibliography
Riley Hughes. “New Novels,” Catholic World. No. 1040 (November 1951) :154
Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Little, Brown and Co., 1991.

Lost With the Phonies

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: — menzelk13 @ 12:12 am

Lost With the Phonies

The critical extract by John W. Aldridge starts out comparing Holden to Huckleberry Finn, and then goes on to explain his analysis of the book. Aldridge says that Holden is lost in a world that does not have what he is looking for. He is trapped in a world of phonies, perverts and hypocrites. John later asserts that the part of the truth that Holden fails to see at the beginning of the book is that, “one part of humanity is; the lies, the phoniness, the hypocrisy” (Aldridge 9). John then claims that this is what Holden sees at the end of the book when he stops his story telling and finishes sad with defeat.

I agree that Holden is stuck in a world with phones and perverts without realizing that it is part of humanity. Holden is always calling everything phony whether it is a word or a person or just something that someone does. Everybody he meets has some phoniness to them just waiting to be found. Holden also doesn’t like perverts. He thinks there all over the place, especially in the first hotel that Holden stays at. Holden remarks that, “the hotel was lousy with perverts. I was the probably the only normal basted in the whole place,” (Salinger 62). Holden thinks he is the only normal person in the whole hotel because he can’t see that the nature of humanity is perverted, he can only see that each individual person is perverted. Holden starts to see the truth towards the end of the book. When Holden says, “I sort of miss everybody,” (Salinger 214) he is wishing that he could meet them one more time to judge them correctly, and with the understanding that all humans are perverts or phonies, even himself.

Works Cited

John W. Aldridge. “Critical Extracts.” Holden Caulfield. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1990. 9. (it wasn’t on the copy you gave us) Print.

Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Little, Brown and Co., 1991.

May 24, 2010

Profanity Issues in The Catcher in the Rye

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: — shieldsa13 @ 5:06 pm

In “Critical Extracts” T. Morris Longstreth disapproves of The Catcher in the Rye. He suggests it is a book not suited for children or even most adults. Longstreth writes, “one finds it hard to believe that a true lover of children could father this tale”(5). Longstreth then goes on to say how adults do not wish to read this novel because of its vulgar language. He believes there are multiple similarities between Salinger’s Holden and Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Both stories take “more than normally sensitive”(Longstreth 5) main characters and put them in situations where their irrational behavior is shown. In addition to Holden’s irrational behavior, he has trouble fitting in because of his opinionated nature and his regard of others as “phonies.” Longstreth concludes, “one fears that a book like this given wide circulation may multiply his kind”(6).

I agree with Longstreth’s opinion on Holden and how he is unstable. When writing about his condition, Longstreth compares Holden to a “rooster on a tightrope” (5). Holden is indeed a rooster on a tightrope throughout the novel, and similar to the rooster, he is trying not to fall. Though the fall could be literally interpreted, I believe the fall could be interpreted as something more, a shift into the adulthood he fears to embrace. When Mr. Antolini is talking to Holden, he states, “you’re heading for some kind of a terrible, terrible fall” (Salinger 186). I think the fall Mr. Antolini describes relates to Holden association to a rooster on a tightrope. Holden, like the rooster believes he needs to hold on and keep his balance. This would allow him to be more stable, when in truth Holden does not need stability, instead he needs to take a risk and jump from the rope into the inevitable adulthood that awaits.

Despite agreeing with Longstreth on the one topic, I strongly disagree with multiple others. He says, “one finds it hard to believe that a true lover of children could father this tale” (5). This is an overstatement, however, because this book has some bad language and themes, but it done through a way in which people can learn from this book. In addition, kids know how to swear and do. It makes no difference whether this book has profanity, because most likely the same kids reading this are also watching television shows full of profanity, listening to explicit music and hearing the same words from other people. In a way, Salinger made this book more appealing to adolescents than those books Holden may even call “phony.” In addition, a lover of children would probably be the best person to write this book because he, unlike others, understands children, allowing his books to be more realistic than other attempts. Above all, this book shows the change in society. When Holden is thinking about death, he realizes “if I ever die…right under [the date I died] it’ll say ‘fuck you.’ I’m positive in fact” (Salinger 204). Holden is upset by the growing crass nature of society, representing the changes that lead to the modern day.

Works Cited

Longstreth, T. Morris. “Critical Extracts.” Holden Caulfield. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1990. 5-6. Print

Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Little, Brown and Co., 1991

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