SECTION 6 POSTS

Section 6 Posts are now available. You may go to "Older Posts" to reach Sections 4 and 5 and can continue to post there until Sunday, Nov. 29. Be sure to catch up if you are behind in your posting. I will be assessing the posts AFTER the 29th.

Catcher has been banned from many schools for its language and content. What's your opinion?

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

THEMES - SECTION 3

What are the "big ideas" that Salinger is trying to get across to us in this novel?
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8 comments:

  1. JasmineNovember 17, 2009 at 7:04 PM

    One theme that we see in chapter 9-10, is that of loneliness and longing. When Holden gets off the subway at Penn Station in New York, all he wants to do is talk to someone. He thinks about calling a girl named Sally Hayes and then a guy named Carl Luce, it's not that they are even close to him he just feels like he needs some companionship, he feels alone because he can't truly talk with or confide in anyone. Later on that night in his hotel room, Holden calls an old friend of a friend, Faith Cavendish. He just wants to sleep with her but tries talking her into going for cocktails initially, after she declines his attempt, Holden wishes he could have at least talked to her over some cocktails to have someone there with him. In chapter 10 that same night longing for some kind of company, Holden goes to the Lavender Room in the hotel and spends the night with three older girls he thinks are hideous. He tries his best to talk to them and dance and have a good time but all he can say about them is they are dumb, annoying and he could hardly stand them. It is clear that Holden longs for somekind of friendship.

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  2. RityNovember 18, 2009 at 10:33 AM

    Another theme in these chapters, that ties along with loneliness, is communication. Holden is striving to have meaningful conversations with others, but no one seems to be interested or capable of keeping up. He tries so hard, with so many other people, to stir up a decent conversation passed 'bar talk', but fails. He can't seem to communicate with anyone, almost as if he were just talking to walls, which appears to be prevoking his loneliness.

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  3. JasmineNovember 19, 2009 at 11:10 AM

    I agree, Holden has a hard time connecting with people and finds it difficult to talk about more "normal" or conversational topics.

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  4. Adam OkanoNovember 19, 2009 at 2:53 PM

    Another theme that we see up to this point in this book is Holden's conlfict inside of himself. There are multiple times within these chapters that Holden questions his own descions. One such instance in this part of the book is when he decides to call someone but then goes against this descion. We then see Holden begin to find accomadation for the night to sleep but he then does a 180 and goes to find a bar to go to instead. As the chapters go on this pattern appears again and again. This well illustrates Holdens regrets. On the inside Holden is questioning his past choices constantly and is fighting with himself to finally have some peace. He seems to be stuck in the past and likes to tell stories about his past experiences but they always have a somber tone, just as if he regrets some of the things that have happened in his life.

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  5. corrinnNovember 19, 2009 at 2:55 PM

    another theme would be growing up, and how Holden is transitioning from being this boy to a man, and i think the pond reference is how it's being portrayed, because you know the whole pond doesn't freeze, just the top layer, so it's about half and half. Like Holden.

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  6. chantelNovember 19, 2009 at 2:55 PM

    I do believe within this section the theme appears to be loneliness. He keeps bringing up the memories with Jane. Also everywhere he goes he wants to get a drink. Usually drinking is associated with conversation and socializing. Thus showing that he wants to socialize and talk.

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  7. JakeNovember 19, 2009 at 3:03 PM

    I agree with Adam. Holden does second guess himself frequently and this causes him not to do things and make up excuses for it. For example when he wants to call up people that he wanted to talk to. Eveentually he didn't end up calling anyone after worrying about it then making up bad excuses why not to.

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  8. JasmineNovember 19, 2009 at 6:39 PM

    I agree with Corrinn in saying that one of the themes is "growing up". I think Holden is having a very hard time transitioning by not really knowing how to act. He hasn't exactly had a typical childhood and I think he is trying to mature too quickly to cope with his losses. He tries acting older than he is first by trying to order drinks, but then ends up buying a coke instead. Also when he brings a prostitute to his room but then backs out of that decision as well. Holden doesn't really know what to do. In some aspects he still acts like a child and in other aspects older than his years.

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