Chapter 16-17

Summary:
 Holden started his long walk because he had a lot of time till 2 o'clock. While he walked over toward Broadway, he wanted to find the record and presented to Phoebe. Then he saw the little boy who was singing"If a body catch a body coming through the rye". It made Holden felt better. He found the record in the first record store and it only sold 5 bucks, that made Holden felt happy.

The record Holden bought for his little sister Phoebe

 After he went out of the record store, he decided called old Jane though he hung up when Jane's mother picked up the phone.After he bought the theater tickets for his date, he went to the park to find Phoebe because Holden remembered she used to roller-skate in the park on Sunday. Though he didn't find Phoebe, he met the girl who knew the Phoebe and asked him Phoebe went to the trip, the location was the museum.

Museum 

 However, the little girl said the trip was on the previous day. Whatever, Holden walked to the museum and nostalgia his own class trip. At the end of this chapter, he said nobody would be different except you. At 2 o'clock, Holden went to meet Sally, she was late but she was so good-looking, so Holden forgave her. After they watched the movie, they met the guy who from the other prep school, he and Sally told about the movie star that made Holden felt angry.

Sally, a good-looking girl

Then Sally requested Holden went to ice-skate with her, Holden agreed and he found the only reason Sally wanted to do ice-skate because she could wear the special shirt. When they took a break in the room, Holden became deviant, he shouted about how he hated his "phony" prep school and this society as well as how he isolated he felt.Then he said something crazier and out of reality, he said Sally should go with him and left from society, and they could marry. However, Sally denied his crazy dream and said that was ridiculous. That made Holden felt royal pain in the ass.Holden made Sally cried, he started to apologize but Sally was depressed and angered. Eventually, Holden left and let her alone.

Relate:
Holden is a stubborn person, he prefers living in the "unchanging" world than in the real world, he doesn't want to face challenges from outside world. He is so cowardice.I am different from Holden, I don't like challenges too, but I know I have to be better than "me", so I always work hard and let me be better. Holden's utterance depends on his emotions and moods, he talks what he wants to talk, never thought about the situation and circumstances. My speaking always throughout thinking, I always could say the right thing in the right situation or at the right time. Same as Holden, I loved my sister too, our relationship is closest than anyone. We both love to donate something to charity. We both worry about parents' thinking and their emotions, we don't want to let them depressed.

Reflect:
When Holden arrived the museum, he said nothing changed excepted you, that means Holden didn't want to change anything, he liked the museum because it never changed. Holden's ideas show he is a hopelessness, cowardice person, he tries to hide and avoid his shortcoming and never face the real world positively. What's more, Holden doesn't want to meet his own troubles, protecting himself in his "gray world". In chapter 17, Holden's mental broke down, he said his crazy dream and his hatred of the school and society. He said he wanted to go away from the city and married with Sally and something else. Up to now, Holden couldn't distinguish the real world and his mental world entirely, it's a very terrible thing. After Holden realized his fault, he tried to fix it but he failed. Holden was in a big trouble due to himself. Furthermore, from Holden's speaking, we can see he is starved for love, this is the one of a reason why Holden would say something 
crazy. 

Crazy Holden

Interesting question:
Q1: When Holden made Sally cried, what type of views Holden would get from others?

Answer: They may be thought Holden was a bad man, heartbreaker or a jerk, as well as the word, always appeared in this book, sonuvabitch.

Q2: Why Sally didn't want Holden sent her to the home?
Answer:  Sally feels scared about Holden's action, he is so crazy and almost become a madman. Sally realizes something wrong so she wants to protect herself, he refuses Holden's request. 

Prediction:

The story would be worse and worse, Holden will fall into his mental world, totally avoid the real world and his mental would break down deeper and deeper.

The catcher in the rye entries 8-11

Summary:
Holden walks the entire way to the train station and catches a late train to New York.On the way to New York, an elder woman got a sit next to Holden, she turned out she was Holden's classmate Ernest Morrow's mother. 

Holden on the way to New York

Outwardly Holden tells extravagant lies about him to his mother, then she asked why he was leaving Pencey early, Holden claimed to be returning to New York for a brain tumor operation. At Penn Station, Holden wanted to call someone but he was unable to find anyone to call. He wanted to communicate with the driver but the driver was not interested. Then Holden checked in the hotel, he found a variety of bizarre acting in the hotel and he decided to call the Faith Cavendish who was recommended by a man Holden met at a party. Holden tried to invite her to make a drink with him but she refused because she needs her beauty sleep. Though Cavendish offered to meet Holden the next day, but Holden didn't want to wait that long. While Holden bathed he described his sister Phoebe in a very praised way, a humor and cleverness girl.

Phoebe Caulfield, Holden's little sister

 Then Holden went to the Lavender room, Holden ordered an alcohol but waiter refused because Holden was not 22. He flirted three women who were looking for the movie star, they also danced with Holden but they showed uninterested with dancing, Holden felt depressed and paid for the drink then he left the Lavender room. In chapter 11, Holden reminisced about his childhood old friend Jane, Holden played with Jane in summer, their families’ summer homes in Maine were next door to one another. Holden and Jane were playing checkers and asked Jane for cigarettes; Jane refused to answer him, and, when he left, she began to cry.Holden hold her and comforted her, their action were wild and they used to hold hand together.

Holden remembered he kissed Jane's forehead

 At the end of chapter 11, Holden went to the Ernie's which was the nightclub.

Relate:
  I never lied to somebody just for fun. For some reasons the people maybe go out with someone, they don't like. Personally, I never go out with a person who I hated, it makes me uncomfortable. However, sometimes we have to go with persons who we hated, such as a meeting for the business. I don't want to be a famous guy because a famous man hasn't privacy. The star also limits person's freedom in some way because his action would affect his fans. In junior high, my classmate named Nick, he very like sharing his story with his girlfriend and always exaggerate it, what's more, he often repeats the " wonderful love story" in the class, it makes me feel disgusting. However, in the normal life, Nick is an enthusiastic guy, I do not hate him. The literal meaning of pride is feeling deep pleasure or satisfaction as a result of one's own achievements, qualities, or possessions or those of someone with whom one is closely associated. The literal meaning of conceit is excessive pride. That's the big difference between proud and conceited. In my mind, the conceited is the presentation of overproud, the person who indulges in his proudness.

Reflect:
By this part of a novel, the loneliness is at the heart of Holden's problem. Holden's action reflects that Holden aspires to interact with others, for example, Holden wants to call someone but cannot find anyone to call, talking with the driver and flirting women though they both not interested. What's more, Holden calls a girl he never met in the middle of the night is not quite normal, that demonstrates the depth of Holden's feeling of loneliness and desperation. In these chapters, Holden always talks about others, such as Phoebe and Jane. But he never mentions himself, he tries to avoid his own shortcoming and problems by focusing on the other things, he usually uses scornfulness and critical languages. Holden refuses to do self-examination. In a Lavender room, Holden pretends him like an adult, however, when he ordered an alcohol, the waiter refused him; when he flirted women, they laughed at his advances. I have to suspect the Holden's reliability. Furthermore, Holden describes women indulges in his flirting but I cannot trust him totally, his description reveals the profound disconnection and isolation. In chapter 11, through his nostalgic memories of Jane, I gain insight into the type of companionship Holden wants. Holden describes he comforted Jane when Jane suffered unspeakable pain, it reflects Holden's situation, he struggles with a pain he cannot talk to anyone, he also needs a compassion to comfort him as he comforts Jane.

Loneliness around Holden

Interesting question:
1.In the end of chapter 11, quote “Pianist won’t talk to you unless you are a big shot or a celebrity.”Why does Holden say that?
Answer: Holden said that because he felt lonely but he doesn’t want to accept. On the other side, Holden praised the pianist was very professional, it hints Holden thought the pianist may be in the similar situation as him.

2.What was the Holden's relationship with Jane?
Answer: They became a good friend in summer, Holden was attracted by Jane.

Prediction: Holden goes into the club and flirts with women but he will get the same consequence as in the Lavender room, he will be depressed.

Theme song:

  I chose the song "Please don't go", the singer is Joel Adams. The lyrics are very adapt for these chapters. Holden wants to talk with someone but he cannot find anyone to call, he feels lonely but he hates that.  When Holden was alone he reminisced his old friend Jane, he is attracted by Jane and he doesn't want to close the touch with Jane. In this song, lyrics"Don't ever want to see things change, Cause when I'm living on my own", Holden's characterizations are showed in this song very accurately. 

The catcher in the rye entries 2-7

Summary:

  Holden went to meet with Mr. Spencer who was Holden’s history teacher, they talked about Holden’s grade and future. Mr. Spencer gave some advice for Holden but inwardly Holden believed that it’s useless but outwardly Holden showed respect for Mr. Spencer.

Mr.Spencer sat on the chair

 Then Holden said good-bye to Mr. Spencer and went back to the dorm. He was reading the book while Ackley came to Holden’s room. Holden described Ackley’s characters, Holden didn’t like Ackley because he had a bunch of shortcomings.

Pimpled Ackley

 After Holden and Ackley discussed Holden’s roommate Stradlater, Stradlater came back to the dorm and started to shave his face. During this time, Holden also described the character of Stradlater, the “secret slob”. Then Holden’s emotions changed dramatically, the reason was he throughout the conversation with Stradlater he knew Stradlater’s girlfriend was Jane, who was Holden’s childhood friend. Before Stradlater went to date he asked Holden to help him wrote the composition, Holden agreed. 

Hansome Stradlater

After had a dinner in the school, Holden went to watch a movie with his classmates, besides, Holden called Ackley came together with them. When they came back Holden started to write a composition for Stradlater and Ackley just slept on Holden’s bed. During the writing, Holden described his younger brother Allie, a very smart and pure guy was died due to leukemia. He praised his younger brother a lot. When Stradlater came back to the dorm, Holden asked some question about the dating but Stradlater said it was a secret, which made Holden angry. Then Holden gave the finished composition to Stradlater but Stradlater was not satisfied with it. Holden was annoyed by Stradlater’s attitude and tore the composition off. The arguing was created between them, they were fighting and Holden lost it. 

Holden fought with Stradlater

After Stradlater left the dorm, Holden went to Ackley’s room and talked with him. Ackley was not asleep because of the fighting voice but he didn’t want to chat with Holden due to the time was too late. However, Ackley still talked about Holden for a little time. Finally, Holden packed his stuff and went out of the school.

Relate: 
  In real life, some people are very snob, they always scorn the person who has the worse life than them and always cringe the person who has the better life than them. I really bother that but I don't care it because it's waste my time. The life like a game, you only have one chance and there is no space to step backward. Every person has different thinking, the play follows the rule or breaks the rule, it's up to themselves. Personally, I always manage my time-table, so most of the time I don't feel bored. However, I am lazy in the holiday, I don't do anything except laying on the bed. 15% of the day I am bored. I always blame the life, people can not control their life 100%, something always makes them depressed or surprised. For me, 85% of the "accidents" make me depressed. Breaking up with my girlfriend is one of the most depressing things in my life. I never went completely crazy, though sometimes I get very angry, I always find the other way to release my emotions. In junior high, I jealous of my roommate, he is always better than me, he is richer than me, cleverer than me and kinder than me. However, it's a "good" jealousy, that gives me the power to make me work harder.

Reflect:
  In chapter 2, Holden said the pills and medicine all over the Mr.Spencer's room, it reflected Holden's psychological world which was sickness and weakness. What's more, Holden was not willing to absorb others suggestions though Spencer’s actions clearly seem to be positive by concern for Holden’s well-being. Holden characterized Spencer’s behavior throughout as vindictive and mean-spirited like "dirty trick". this case hinted Holden didn't want to accept he was a loser so that he tried to find a reason not to listen to Spencer. Then he sculpted Ackley and Stradlater in the very depreciatory way, Holden only saw the shortcoming in them because he didn't want others knew he was not good than someone.The self-inferiority was revealed in this part. Holden talked his younger brother and praised him a lot, and when he died, Holden felt sorry that his family lost this smart guy, the feelings of loss and inadequacy appeared inside Holden. In chapter 6, Holden fought with Stradlater because Holden envied Stradlater dated with Jane, the other reason was Stradlater did not respect Holden's memories of Allie which Holden wrote about in the essay. In this case, Holden was not able to deal with his brother's death and he wanted to release the pain throughout the fighting but he lost. Meanwhile, what Holden did not yet realize, however, was that he carried his torment with him, inside himself. Finally, Holden packed his stuff and left the dormitory, if reflected Holden tried to escape from the school which was filled by phonies and untruthfulness. 

Interesting question:
1. Why didn't Ackley care about his appearance?

Answer: Ackley might not think the appearance was meaningless or he just didn't know the importance of the appearance. After all, You can't judge a person by his appearance.

2.What is a meaning of the "dirty trick"?
Answer: Mr.Specer lectured Holden and gave him many useless suggestions when Holden was already depressed and discouraged from being expelled. 

Prediction: Holden will go to Newyork and find the hotel, he will roam on the street, wait for the vacation. 

The catcher in the rye: Chapter 1

Summary:

Holden Caulfield writes his story from the last Christmas, he refuses to talk about his parents and childhood. His brother D.B is the only one family member he talks in this chapter. D.B used to be a writer when he was home, the best book he wrote called"The Secret Goldfish", it's the story about the kid doesn't let anyone else see his goldfish because he'd bought it for his own money. Now, Holden's brother, D.B is out in Hollywood and gets a lot of dough.

Then the narrator starts to tell the story of his school, Pencey Prep, from the day he left Pencey. The school is very famous in Agerstown, Pennsylvania, their ads in thousands of magazines. The Perp always says they have been molding boys into wonderful but Holden think it's not true, he never know anybody there that was splendid. Holden's career at Pencey has been ended and the school kicked him out since he failed the 4 of 5 subjects, only the English he passed. The other reason is he don't want to or refuse to apply himself.

The day that the Pencey Prep has the annual football game against with the Saxon Hall, Holden stands up on the Thomsen Hill overlooking the football game but he's not interested in it. The reason is he went to the NewYork with the fencing team in order to meet with McBurnery School. However, the meeting was failed. Holden is a manager of the fencing team and he left all the equipment on the subways, so the whole team had to go back to school early. The other reason is Holden want to say "goodbye" to old Spencer.

On the top of the hill, Holden feels so cold because some "crooks" stolen his camel's hair coat and he says the more expensive school is, the more crooks it has. Right now he just wanna leave the school. Then he recalls in October he played football with his friends but the teacher told them to go back to the building.

At the end of chapter 1, Holden remembers to say goodbye to his history teacher, Mr.Spencer. He sprints to Spencer's house, due to Holden is a heavy smoker, he has to deem at the main gate. Then he rang the doorbell, Mrs.Pencer open the door and greets Holden friendly. Finally, Holden goes in the house to see his history teacher.


Relate:
Same points between Holden and I are we both changed 3-4 schools when we were the teenager and we both have a brother. The differences between us are I never failed any subject in the school; I have a very happiness childhood but Holden maybe not; my parents love to tell their story to people and love make new friends but Holden's parents maybe not; Holden is a heavy smoker, I never smoked and I won't in the future.


Reflect:

Holden Caulfield is the narrator of this book, from the beginning of the fiction, he refuses to tell the childhood that means he maybe has a terrible childhood. He also says "all that David Caulfield kind of crap", this sentence also give us the hints of some bad things happened in Holden's life. In chapter 1, Holden uses the very normal tone to describe he is kicked out from the school, he gives us a hint like he does not care and interested in school's life. Through Holden says the ads of the school is very different to the reality of the school, we can know Holden hates phonies.In the end of chapter 1, Halden sprints to the Mr.Spencer's house, which means he wants to solve something in his way. This action shows us Holden is an "ideal man" ，the the only problem is he can't express it on the right thing and at the right time.



The heavy smoker like Holden Caulfield.
Interesting questions and prediction:
1. What does Holden's family look like?
Prediction: Rich but not very and the relationship between families maybe not good.

2.If Holden's said was right and true, why the Pencey Prep School is still famous in Pennsylvania?
Prediction: Holden's view maybe is right but not 100 percent right, because his view is not the objective view. The other reason is the ads have extreme efficiency.



Extra question:



Question: Write a paragraph analyzing Holden's character based on the first chapter.


Answer: Through what Holden's said we can see obviously he is not an optimist, he refuses to tell his childhood and his parents; he also satirized the football game, he said someone would suicide if old Pencey did not win. These two things hint us he lived in his own world which is depressed and boredom. Holden said he's on his way to say good-bye to old Spencer and whatever its a sad good-bye or bad good-bye, he never pointed the positive words like "well" or "good", that means he still feels sad with leaving school. Holden uses a different tone and view to describe his story, that shows us he is a very emotional person.