Do Now:
Consider the title, The Catcher in the Rye; what does it sound like it will be about?
What do you know about the book, about J.D. Salinger and about all the controversy?
SWBAT:
Anticipate, themes and setting of The Catcher in the Rye.
Classwork and Homework:
Due tomorrow, Friday, February 29th.
What's the Big Deal: The Catcher in the Rye
In his review "The Praises and Criticisms of J.D. Salinger's
The Catcher in the Rye," Eric Lomazoff states "...
The Catcher in the Rye
will continue to be a point of great public and critical debate. One
must remember, however, in the study and critique of the novel,
particularly for a researcher or critic in 1996, that the story was
written in a different time. If originally published today, the novel
would probably create little publicity and garner only average book
sales. The fact that a novel of such radical social opinion and
observation was written in a time of conservatism in America made it all
the more controversial. Some critics scolded the novel as being too
pessimistic or obscene, too harsh for the society of the 1950's. Others,
however, nominated Salinger himself as the top-flight "catcher in the
rye" for that period in American history (Peterson 3). They argued that
Salinger's concerns represented an entire generation of American youth,
frustrated by the phoniness of the world, just like Holden was. The
popularity of the novel and debate over its redeeming social value have
never faltered since its initial publication, due in no large part to
the fact that J.D. Salinger is now a recluse. It would be conclusive to
say that critics of
The Catcher in the Rye have legitimate
criticisms of the novel, while advocates and supporters of the story's
message also have expressed veritable praise."
Read the following articles (3 sites linked below) to better understand the varying opinions of literary critics.
Biography:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/books/29salinger.html?pagewanted=all
Analysis:
http://www.levity.com/corduroy/salinger1.htm
http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/reaching-holden-caulfields-grandchildren/?ref=books
Your Assignment:
1. Read the literary criticism and bio/eulogy (3 links above.)
2. Write an well developed paragraph (approximately 200-250
words.) Explain how your understanding of The Catcher... and/or
Salinger has changed, positively or negatively, after reading the
posted documents. Embed at least one quote in your discussion and refer
(agree or disagree) with a comment made by one of your classmates.
*Please note, The first person to post does not need to refer to another classmate's response.
Enjoy,
Ms. O'Donnell
Sana Suhail
ReplyDeleteAP English Lit and Comp
February 28, 2013
Mrs. O’Donnell
My initial reaction to Catcher in the Rye was curiosity regarding why the novel is so controversial. I remembered learning that Catcher in the Rye had many obscene words in it. However, I knew this must only be the tip of the iceberg, because there are many pieces of literature with obscenity in them, but what sets this book apart? Why is it still talked about today, if it was written back in 1951? After reading about JD Salinger and the novel itself from the links provided, I found out that indeed there are many points of controversy surrounding the novel. These points of controversy were laid out according to levity.com (http://www.levity.com/corduroy/salinger1.htm) in the following manner: “Salinger’s portrayal of Holden, which includes incidents of the depression, nervous breakdown, impulsive spending, sexual exploration, vulgarity, and other erratic behavior, have all attributed to the controversial nature of the novel.” After reading this, I realized that JD Salinger’s crafting of the novel’s protagonist, Holden, and the events surrounding him may have been the primary controversial aspect. This makes me want to read Catcher in the Rye because I want to analyze Salinger’s portrayal of the human condition and how much of it is still relevant today.
My initial reaction to the Catcher in the Rye was amazement regarding the skill at which Salinger was able to convey the teenage experience even though he was around 32 years of age. Also as Sana pointed out, it interests me why the book became very popular upon release and why it still is today. What aspects in Salinger’s novel piqued curiosity and popularity of Catcher in the Rye? As Mark Bauerlein pointed out in his blog “Teenage Throwback” that “In an age of the empowered, outfitted, liberated kid with 24/7 ties to buddies and reflections of self on big and small screens, Holden Caulfield is a throwback, the troubled teen of another time. Who needs him?” and I must agree and disagree with him. Even though this novel was published 60 years ago, many of the activities that occur in a 21st century teenager’s life are similar to Holden Caulfield’s life as an adolescent and therefore make the book applicable to modern times. However, it is also arguable that a new era of communication and expectations has revolutionized the way teenagers represent themselves. With the added stress of regular school life and preparing for SAT’s, college applications, etc., teenagers today are even required to create resumes, which was unheard of in the 1950’s. Therefore, I look forward to reading The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger and hope to understand why a book focused on a teenager from 60 years is applicable and not applicable today.
ReplyDeleteShakira Thompson
ReplyDeleteMs. O’Donnell
Ap. Lit
February 28, 2013
My initial reaction to The Catcher in the Rye is interesting. It seems to be an interesting book that will teach anyone who reads it a lesson. Also depending on the time period it was written in it will inform us what it was like during that time.
The book was written by JD Salinger. The book seems to be filled with drama. The book is very intense. Sana stated “Salinger’s portrayal of Holden, which includes incidents of the depression, nervous breakdown, impulsive spending, sexual exploration, vulgarity, and other erratic behavior, have all attributed to the controversial nature of the novel.” I agree with her because there seem to be a controversial situation going on that is confusing.
The book somehow seems like it is related to society today. The reason being is that a lot of people seem to be having drama with other people and sometimes it is irrelevant. It is stated in the article “The Catcher in the Rye is derived from thoughtful and sympathetic insights into both adolescences and adulthood.” (http://www.levity.com/corduroy/salinger1.htm) the book is mainly about Salinger life and it might somehow relate to someone life today.
The title The Catcher in the Rye seems like the book is about the narrator being stuck in his thought and also stuck between his dream and reality. I know that JD Salinger publish his book in the 1950s and it is based on his life and also the struggles he has been through. Also we know that he wrote the book so we can learn from it and the lesson that is being taught will carry us through life. We know that the book is a good deal because in most schools all over the world students read it in the literature class. Also the book has been around for a long time and seem to be interesting.
Before reading any of the articles, I only had limited knowledge concerning Catcher in the Rye or its author, J.D. Salinger. I was aware about the controversies revolving around both. For some particular reason, assassins, such as Lee Harvey Oswald and Mark David Chapman, seem to prefer the novel. I was also aware that Catcher had been banned from a vast majority of establishments due to the extremities in it (violence, strong language, “suggestive situations”). The reason why Catcher in the Rye was, and still is, so highly praised was a mystery to me until I started to read about the subject. I found it interesting that Salinger stayed in the shade for the late ages of his life; not secluding himself from society, like poet, Emily Dickinson. While reading “J.D. Salinger, Literary Recluse, Dies at 91,” by Charles McGrath, I was intrigued by how Salinger was able to “Show a sympathetic understanding of adolescence and its fierce if alienated sense of morality and distrust of the adult world. In agreement with Monish, I cannot wait to read the novel and experience how this critically acclaimed novel relates to “us” teenagers of the twenty-first century.
ReplyDeleteThe Catcher in the Rye seems to be a novel of great importance with a huge impact on many people, even today. After hearing about the Catcher in the Rye many times, being a great influential novel, I have always wondered what makes it such a great novel; it is a story not written by Shakespeare, so what makes The Catcher in the Rye so special? After reading about the author, S.D. Salinger, he seems to be a person who knows how to connect to the reader and really capture the essence of the real world around him. Similar, as Monish said, “even though this novel was published 60 years ago, many of the activities that occur in a 21st century teenager’s life are similar to Holden Caulfield’s life as an adolescent,” that the most likely the reason why people are able to be so caught onto the novel: it is like a story that is a representation of our everyday struggle. Now as Philip Roth wrote, “The response of college students to the work of J. D. Salinger indicates that he, more than anyone else, has not turned his back on the times but, instead, has managed to put his finger on whatever struggle of significance is going on today between self and culture” (http://www.nytimes.com). After reading Roth’s response, it has furthered my understanding that The Catcher in the Rye is not any typical story but a story that is able to possibly change and influence the reader through the struggle of the character Holden Caulfield to ourselves. From this knowledge of what kind of novel The Catcher in the Rye is, it has now further anticipated my wanting to read The Catcher and the Rye even more.
ReplyDeleteBefore reading the three articles, I wasn’t entirely sure what Catcher in the Rye was about, or who J.D. Salinger was. I believe the articles shed some light on the book in a good way, no matter how crazy Salinger may have been. It takes a special kind of person to not only find the issues in his society without seeming crazy to everyone, but also to not want the fame that came with being such a controversial author. This makes Salinger something of a fascinating person. Philip Roth put this perfectly when he wrote “…He, more than anyone else, has not turned his back on the times but, instead, has managed to put his finger on whatever struggle of significance is going on today between self and culture” (http://www.nytimes.com). I greatly agree with Ronny that it is extremely interesting to know he preferred the shade over the fame. The novel as well seems like it would be very interesting to read. Considering it was such a controversial book when it was written, it would give a good view of the world during the time it was written. Things that would be considered inappropriate during the nineteen fifties could be considered much less of an issue. Now that I also know the book involves some teenage drama, though I am unsure if this sort of drama is common nowadays as well, it makes it even more interesting because it is something we as a class could more connect with.
ReplyDeleteBefore, I only had a very little knowledge about the Catcher in the Rye; however, I was conscious of the controversies that surrounded this book, which interested me to learn more about this book and what were the reasons that caused many controversies. Sana said that “JD Salinger’s crafting of the novel’s protagonist, Holden, and the events surrounding him may have been the primary controversial aspect” this let me understand that the way that the main character and the teens were portrayed in this book have caused most of the controversies. Also, I heard this book is very relatable t olives of the teens, even though it was written many years ago, its content is still connectable by the modern day teen. Jay Parini, who is a poet and a novelist, pointed out that “It seems doubtful that teenagers who read “Cather in the Rye” today will shiver with delight as I did when I was 16.” This kept me wondering whether the books content will easily reflect a current teen’s life or as the poet said, it wouldn’t delight them as much as it did to the readers at that time period. Therefore, I look forward to reading the Catcher in the rye because I am very curious about the content in the book that made this get all controversial attention.
ReplyDeleteJosaua Desai
ReplyDeleteAP Literature and Composition- A
Ms. O’Donnell
2/28/13
Initially, I believed the Catcher in the Rye, to be a novel that many people believed to be controversial. However, I was curious, similar to Sana, why there was so much controversy around this text and it’s author? Yet, after reading the article, “The Praises and Criticisms of J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye”, it was evident that this was due to as stated in this article, “Caulfield's self-destruction over a period of days”, ultimately a portrayal of the human condition and the stresses that one faces as a teenager. As a result, this allows us to connect to Salinger’s character in a greater sense because these problems are seen in teenager’s lives all of the time. Furthermore, this text allows us to consider how Salinger’s life was to that of Holden’s, because the author of Salinger’s biography article in the New York Times draws a connection when he states, that Salinger like Holden,” wrote a poem that was either a heartfelt pastiche of 19th-century sentiment or else a masterpiece of irony:”. This illuminates the idea that perhaps the life of Salinger was a parallel drawn to the life of his character Holden’s, to perhaps portray his suffering as a teenager, resulting in a deeper meaning and perspective of the author and his mentality when he wrote this book. Based upon the further information that these articles present, it draws an even greater desire to read the Catcher and Rye to draw parallels between the lives of an average teenager and the mentality and feelings Salinger felt when he illuminated the human condition and the results it leads to.
Sam Julmisse
ReplyDeleteMy initial reaction to Catcher in the Rye was one of interest. The title itself created the idea of a lonely person, most likely a kid whom was out deep into the field playing a game of baseball with himself, surrounded by rye for protection from the world. Or perhaps it was the idea of someone who would be way out there from the norm, creating something of their own in a time where change was still not something that was accepted with open arms. This story has created contraversy from the day it was published to today still, so there must be something fantastic about this novel. It has had a pull upon different people everywhere, even the man who killed John Lennon said that his reasons ?could be found in the pages of 'The Catcher in the Rye.'" (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/books/29salinger.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0). My understanding of Catcher has expanded upon reading of the articles. Just as Sana said "JD Salinger’s crafting of the novel’s protagonist, Holden, and the events surrounding him may have been the primary controversial aspect." a character was created whom would cause so much more controversy in the real world than just that of his fictitious world. I now understand that Salinger captured the bad side that teens of the time wanted to be but could not due to the time period.
My initial reaction to the novel was that it is just another book whose author J.D. Salinger is yet another troubled man who has had a depressing and unusual life. However, after taking some time reading these articles, has informed me what this novel meant to the author, the audience in the 50s and its importance today. The Catcher in the Rye is considered a controversial piece because of the emphasis Salinger puts on teenagers who in his mind approach an age that no one else in the society thinks exists. Article “The praises and criticisms of J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye” (www.levity.com) suggests that Salinger depicted teenagers through his character Holden Caulfield going through emotions of depression, sexual needs and even nervous breakdowns. Even though people of the 50s disapproved of Salinger’s views, a 21st century teenager can relate to these emotions without thinking about them. I agree with Monish when he says, “A 21st century teenager’s life is similar to Holden Caulfield’s life as an adolescent.” Salinger wrote what was in his mind and showed his audience the remarkable experience of a teenager through Holden Caulfield. His literary skills are unique but his book has been banned simply because of “Its profanity, sexual subject matter, and rejection of some traditional American ideals.” However, teenagers like me will approach the novel as something that I can relate to and as something that I will enjoy reading; of course it would be better if we had less Spanish homework.
ReplyDeleteJossieanette Nieves
ReplyDeleteMrs. O’Donnell
AP Lit
2/28/13
My initial reaction to Catcher in the Rye was filled with curiosity because it is known to be a novel that many people believed to be controversial and it was banned for so long. Therefore, it made me wonder what is this book really about, why so much controversy? Like what Josh said, I was curious, similar to Sana, why there was so much controversy around this text and it’s author? However, after I read the article, “The Praises and Criticisms of J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye”, it is clear to me why the book would be so controversial due to the fact that the book contributes to obscene language and because of how Caulfield is portrayed being a rebel. Like Josh mentioned, “it was evident that this was due to as stated in this article, “Caulfield's self-destruction over a period of days.” Basically, it is interpreting all the troubles and stresses that each individual faces when being a teenager. Because of how the character is portrayed in this book it helps the reader have a greater connection with Salinger’s character because these problems are still seen today in our society all over the world. Furthermore, this allows us to connect to Salinger’s character in a greater sense because these problems are seen in teenager’s lives all of the time. Moreover, this text will allow us to understand how Salinger’s life was back then and how the pairs himself with the Holden’s. Based on the information in the articles it has drawn me to be a little more interested and look forward into reading this book. Perhaps many of us will relate to the character Holden’s because he’s being portrayed as a rebel and a teenager that goes through depression and all this suffering, which is still seen today.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAnthony Carpino
ReplyDelete2/28/13
AP Lit
Before reading the articles I knew little of The Catcher in the Rye as well as Salinger. It wasn’t until recently that I had found out more about the book. I would say that before reading the articles with the little info that I had about the story I didn’t quite know what to expect from The Catcher in the Rye or Slinger but the articles did positively change my understanding on the story. It affected me positively because the articles made the book sound very interesting. One of the ways that The Catcher in the Rye was described as being interesting for me is how the main character had to face challenges and pressures in school, and at home. I would agree with Sana that the, “obscene words in it… must be the tip of the iceberg.” I agree in that there is a lot going on in Holden’s life that could be discussed in great detail and that there could be something bigger here than just a teenager that dropped out of school and deal with friends that he thinks he couldn’t trust. So Holden had to try to talk to some of his friends but, “After an attempt at communication with Luce fails, Holden flees to Phoebe, the only person he completely trusts” (http://www.levity.com/corduroy/salinger1.htm). From the information that I found I look forward to reading The Catcher in the Rye.
Ryan Lawson
ReplyDelete2/28/13
A.P. Literature and Composition
What’s the Big Deal?
After looking into J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye more in depth I realized first and foremost that, for its time, why it was so controversial. It introduces a cynical and suspicious protagonist. It depicts the protagonist in situations that could be paralleled to the life of Salinger himself. As Nikki said, the problems of the youthful main character “it makes it even more interesting because it is something we as a class could more connect with”, which also applies to most adolescents. The author himself is just as cynical and suspicious as the protagonist, and possibly even more secluded. It is harsh in tone, theme, and language, for example, the protagonist’s “two favorite expressions are ‘phony’ and ‘goddam’” (www.nytimes.com). In the time period when Catcher was published, it was nothing short of scandalous, and even now I can understand why some eyes may widen a bit at the material. Also, the abundant controversy simply adds to Salinger’s legacy as a writer. Even today, when people write books, they always worry about their sales and popularity. They sit back and have little qualms as other’s pick apart their writing and the parallels between their written words and reality. Salinger, however, hated this. He despised the idea of people analyzing his writing and his life, and saw it as an invasion to his privacy, which is a trait that I rarely expect in a writer, since writers often seek controversy over their works, as controversy is a sure sign of impact.
Denisha Kuhlor
ReplyDeleteBefore being introduced in class I had no prior knowledge of both Catcher in the Rye or its author Salinger.This novel intrigued me because it is so controversial and although time and cultural norms and taboos have evolved the controversial nature of the book has not. With the topics being explored in this book include sexual promiscuity, individual identity, and relationships with other all with the use of obscene language and vulgarity. Although, I can infer as well as see how 60 years ago in the 1950’s this novel was perceived as controversial it is hard for me to reason how this novel is still percieved as that. Deeper reading into the controversy surrounding the book revealed that the point of controversy stems from “the adolescence and repetitive nature of the main character”.(http://www.levity.com/corduroy/salinger1.htm) I believe that this is percieved as controversial because readers weren’t comfortable and still aren’t comfortable with the concept of adolescents trying to “find” themselves. Although a lot more lax now society wants adolescents to portray such straight-forward images of how they believe an adolescent should act and carry themselves. Therefore, making them uncomfortable with an adolescent trying to find out who he is regardless of what society wants him to be. As Sana said this “ultimately makes me want to watch Catcher in the Rye because I want to analyze Salinger’s portrayal of the human condition and how much of it is still relevant today.”
After reading some background on J.D. Salinger and his works of literature in greater depth, both he and the novel Catcher in the Rye seem to be very intriguing. Previously I had heard about some negativity concerning the book, such as it being banned. However, I was unaware of the smaller details that make the novel so controversial. The fact that there was so much controversy and criticism over that book creates a lot of suspense and anxiety for a curious reader. In fact, during the 1950s when this book was originally published, it proved to be very appealing to the adolescents of the time. Many of them likely could relate to the way the main character and narrator, Holden Caulfield, was portrayed and the ideas that he presented. However, there are numerous criticisms regarding the novel, a more significant one being that it served as the motivation for the murder of John Lennon. Apparently, according to Charles McGrath who wrote Salinger’s obituary, the novel “attained cult status in mid-20th century America for its portrayal of adolescence and ‘its fierce if alienated sense of morality and distrust of the adult world.’” The vulgarity and profanity of the reality of Holden and his lifestyle is means for all the controversy, similarly to what Sana explained, and I am more than enthused to read Catcher in the Rye.
ReplyDeleteMy initial reaction to catcher in the rye is why is there so much curiosity about this book to people, why are people viewing and seeing this book as controversial, and now it’s banned? Furthermore, it made me think what the book was really about and why so much controversy. Just like Sana said, in the following manner: “Salinger’s portrayal of Holden, which includes incidents of the depression, nervous breakdown, impulsive spending, sexual exploration, vulgarity, and other erratic behavior, have all attributed to the controversial nature of the novel.” I agree with this because this must be what is causing all of the controversy, and things to just seem confusing. However, after I read one of the articles, it’s clear to me now why the book would be so controversial, because a lot of people saw him as a crackpot, or the American Tolstoy, and as rebel. Like Shakira said, this sort of relates to society today because there is always people who have drama with others, and just confusion between people. I think what we would get out of this book is what Salinger’s life is about, and how it can relate to what other people are going through today. This is very interesting to any teenager too because teenagers go through a lot while growing up: depressions, sadness, love, and maybe if they open up the book to see how Salinger can relate to them.
ReplyDelete