Socratic Seminar Questions!!

1.  Why do you think Phoebe was all over Holden about what he liked while going to Pency?

        Because she really wants to figure out why Holden lacks so much motivation in so many places in life.  School is a big one of them.  She is now frustrated because she really wants him to succeed, but she never see's him making the effort to do so.

2.  Do you think Holden wishes he made a different decision when leaving Pency?

3.  Do you think Holden panicked when he had to think about what he liked to Phoebe?

4.  What does "If a body catch a body comin' through the Rye," mean to you?

5.  Where do you think Holden is going to go from here?

Letter to the School Board!!

School Board,
         Here are the issues and arguments we are facing.

1.  Vulgarity
                  This is a big issue in the book Catcher in the Rye. Vulgarity with anything, such as women.  Holden says things about women that in reality, he would get slapped for.  He is very vulgar towards women, he calls them a bunch of names.
Why ok:  Because it was back then when people always talked like that and it wasn't much of a deal.
Why not ok:  Because parents may not care when it was written, they just simply do not want their children seeing the words and names of vulgarity in the book The Catcher in the Rye.

2.  Drugs and Alcohol                 
                  Alcohol plays a huge role in this book.  Holden talks about wanting it in basically every chapter.  "Wanna grap a cocktail with me?"  He has used that expression numorous times in this book.  Alcohol is used very frequently and described  what it does to him.
Why ok:  Because its history, and back then it really wasn't that big of a deal.  It's "funny."
Why not ok:  Because parents may feel like if their children are reading about how much Holden drinks or how much he wants to drink, then their child will do so.  They fear for their kids mind set on the issue as well.  They feel like the drugs and alcohol in this book will strongly influence and effect their kids.

3.  Sex Slurs
                  The way Holden talks about sex in this book is pretty out in the open.  He isnt shy at all with the subject.  Although, many innopropriate things come out of his mouth about it which clearly show in the book.  This can also go along with the vulgarity towards women, how Holden is always flirting and being a "phonie."
Why ok:  Because sex used to be something that wasn't a big deal at all to people, as of nowadays; things have changed.  Back then, sex was simply just out there for the taking if you will.
Why not ok:  Surely parents do not want their kids reading about sex and sex terms in school, let alone anywhere.  It can give kids ideas, and it could only go bad.  It can possibly make kids think that it is ok to go out and do all of that stuff.  Just anything sexual for that matter.

4.  Violence
                  Violence in The Catcher in the Rye comes up quite a bit actually.  Holden fighting with this persona and that person.  For example, Stradelator.
Why ok:  Just basically because it shows what life was like back then.  It shows how much it has changed throughout the years.  It's a big taste of reality.
Why not ok:  Could influence kids to make the wrong decisions.  Like the phrase "fighting never solves anything."  That may be totally forgotten if influenced in the wrong way.

Why is The Catcher in the Rye BANNED?

My reasoning on why this book is banned is because of  the language, vulgarity, racism, sexual phrases, and many other things.  I can really see how this book is banned because i can see parents really not wanting their children to be hearing and reading about some of the things in this book.  There is a lot of swearing in the book, and it kind of gets a bit excessive! And the vulgarity towards women is another thing that can really bother people.  They may find it very innapropriate, also very offensive.  A lot of things said in this book i feel like they could be misunderstood and taken the wrong way.  Those who choose to read this book obviously see this book as something other then all the reasons why it is banned, they see through all of that! 

Chapters19-21!!

In chapters 19 through 21, Holden starts talkin about phonies again.  More or less, it came from the 2 French Women who played the piano and sang.  "DRIVE ALL THE PHONIES IN THE PLACE MAD WITH JOY" Him saying that make me think that he's even calling himself a phonie while he's calling everyone else one.  The new word "FLIT" is now in the picture.  Like a phonie, just a different word.  Old Luce is now added to things, and Holden says that he just gives sex talks late at night when there are a bunch of guys in his room.  They really get into it.  Talking about lesbians and everything you could think of.  Gets pretty innopropriate!  Holden talked to Luce and almost tried to push his buttons.  He asks about his sex life and if he was still with a girl he had met earlier.  Luce feels offended.  He actually says he has met someone else he has been seeing.  She is Chinese and it makes Holden confused. "A physical and spiritual experience..." ENOUGH SAID!

I Am Poem


I am thrilled and ready
I wonder if everything will go right
I hear the church bells ringing
I see the walk way to the altar
I want a successful ride
I am thrilled and ready

I pretend to be on my honeymoon
I feel a breeze of fresh air
I touch the rose petals of the flower girls
I worry I might mess up
I cry of happiness
I am thrilled and ready

I understand that no marriage is perfect
I say I can do it
I dream of the dream wedding
I try to bring out all possibilities
I hope everything has planned
I am thrilled and ready

Chapters 14 and 15!!

In chapters 14 and 15, Sunny then comes back with the pimp and tries to get more money out of Holden when they actually dont even deserve it. Holden didnt go through with anything. He ends up giving them an extra 5 bucks with grief. Once Sunny leaves, Holden immediately starts talking to Allie. Saying that he should hurry and go get his bike and meet him somewhere real fast. He tries to bring up past incidences with Allie and say what he wish he would have said the first time. Holden eventually meets these 2 nuns and has a pretty nice conversation with them. He tells them that he likes Jesus, but not the diciples. He says he pretty much likes everybody else in the bible but the diciples. But the nuns are confused so they ask, "shouldnt you like the diciples if Jesus created them?" Holden said that didnt mean anything to him, and his opinion stayed the same. He is even somewhat of an athiest. He has a nice conversation with the 2 nuns and ends up donation them 10 dollars by his own good will. Good came out of that experience.

Looking at everything ive read so far!!

Throughout the i'd say half of the book, I have learned that Holden has a lot of problems in his life. People dont know whether he has a real mental illness, or just some natural problems that many minors can have. He's gone from Pency Prep to getting kicked out and leaving before he has to, to asking cab drivers about where the ducks go, being on the streets. Meeting women left and right, to being alone again. Many questions are being asked throughout this book, even if they are not direct. There are many ways of opinion in this book, you can like Holden, or you may decide not to like him at all. A lot of things have been going both ways in this book!

Chapters 12 and 13!!

So, Holden has a new cab driver drivin around in New York! His name is Horwitz. Holden ends up bringing up a conversation with the cab driver and asks him about the ducks. This time Holden is really jumpy about the subject, he just really wants to know where the ducks go. As ive been reading, i've come to the realization that Holden is like a duck. I feel that he really wantes to know where the ducks go, because he wants to know where he should go. Haha, Holden is a duck! I think if he knew where the ducks go and if they have help getting there, it will help him decide where he should go with his life and if he should accept help from anyone to get there! I think Holden is getting very anxious for the answer! I feel like he's ready to make the right decision. He wants help now.

Exploring ChApTeR 8!!

So, chapter 8 is basically about the time when Holden left Pency. He doesnt know what he wants to do, or who to give a "buzz" to. He doesnt know who to call or what to do really, and its too late to get a cab. He really wants to call his younger sister, but he knows that she's in bed and is also afraid that one of his parents will answer the phone and find out that he is in New York! He runs into a woman named "Old Mrs. Morrow. She notices that he has Pency Prep sticker, and askes him if he happened to know her son Ernest Morrow. He did, and said good things about him even though he didnt like him at all. Holden even made a name up for himself to Mrs. Morrow. This chapter is his adventure of having no where to go. Although, they conversate for a very long time and Holden ends up asking her for cocktails. Those seem to be very popular because he sure asks people to join him for them a lot!:P Holden has had many adventures so far in about a fourth of the book, who knows what is coming up next on his list of adventures! Holden is a confusing person to me, and havent quite figured him out all the way yet, but im gettin there!