Summary
In these last chapters I think Holden learned a lot about himself and his life. I could tell that out of everyone in his life he cares a lot about his sister. He has a huge connection with her and speaks about her in such a positive way. Like, hes always telling me, the reader how much we have to meet her. In the story, after he finally gets to see his sister he leaves this house so that his parents won't see him. He goes then to his old teachers house with was nice enough to let him stay over for the night and the teacher gives him so long speech basically telling him to get it together with his life and go to school and try harder. When he left his teachers house he some how decided that he was going to now leave and finally make his master plan to go far away from everyone and everything else in action. But, when Phoebe was trying to come a long with him and he said no he changed his mind about going. She wanted him to stay and he did at that moment choose to not leave. I think that was a turning point for him so how cause, he was so into starting a new life away from everything to just change his mind and actually stay. After reading this story I could see how it really is a Bildungsroman. For one Holden left a place of comfortability which wasn't just leaving Percey Prep but, it was him being on his own for once. And in the end he finally had his coming of age point when he was like he was going to go back him and in the last chapter he said that he had planned are trying harder in school. He finally came to his senses. Holden's coming of age point was different from one would usually expect giving the fact that his brother Allie did pass away and that usually is a coming of age point. But, it might of been the exact reason why it took him so long to get to that point.
Quote : " Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody ," ( Salinger 214).
Reaction : I like this quote a lot for many reasons for one I think it was a great way to end the book. When he says this its like he's giving us, the readers advice on life. It's like hes talking directly to me and I understand where he is coming from by saying this. This quote also helps me understand why Holden is the way he is. And why he's not close to anyone. Which makes me question, because he was so close to his brother that passed away is that the reason why he's more distant to everyone ? This ending to the story makes me think and wonder whats going to happen to Holden in the future. It kind of makes me hope and want them to make a second book continuing where they left off.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
The Catcher in the Rye ( 115 - 150 )
Summary
Holden was waiting for the time to finally come so that he could met this girl named Sally. When he met her according to him she looked amazing and even though he didn't really like her it kind of made him want to be with her. But , after they went to see the movie and she met that guy she used to know he became mad at her. After she has this idea that they should go skating and they did . When they went to go get food after Holden came up with some crazy idea about runaway and taking her with him right then and there however, Sally was not for doing so he became really mad at her. He said some harsh things to her and even though he said sorry she still left.Then he sees this guy , Caulfield and he asks him about his sex life.
Quote : " If a body catch a body coming through the rye " ( Salinger 115).
Reaction : After I read this sentence on page 115 it hit my mind that this was an important part of my book. It was basically the title of the book and that shows that this is some major symbol to the whole story. I really don't get the reason as to why the guy a the park was saying this I just know that this made the main character , Holden happier than what he was because he says that after hearing what the guy said he was less depressed than he was before .
Holden was waiting for the time to finally come so that he could met this girl named Sally. When he met her according to him she looked amazing and even though he didn't really like her it kind of made him want to be with her. But , after they went to see the movie and she met that guy she used to know he became mad at her. After she has this idea that they should go skating and they did . When they went to go get food after Holden came up with some crazy idea about runaway and taking her with him right then and there however, Sally was not for doing so he became really mad at her. He said some harsh things to her and even though he said sorry she still left.Then he sees this guy , Caulfield and he asks him about his sex life.
Quote : " If a body catch a body coming through the rye " ( Salinger 115).
Reaction : After I read this sentence on page 115 it hit my mind that this was an important part of my book. It was basically the title of the book and that shows that this is some major symbol to the whole story. I really don't get the reason as to why the guy a the park was saying this I just know that this made the main character , Holden happier than what he was because he says that after hearing what the guy said he was less depressed than he was before .
Monday, December 6, 2010
The Catcher in the Rye ( 81 - 114 )
Summary
In the chapters 12 through 16 Holden is still alone on his own. Holden was on his way back to his apartment a man named Maurice was trying to I guess sell him a prostitute , Sunny for some money. At first Holden said no but, he finally agreed to it. But, when she came to the room he did not do anything with her and gave her the five dollars Maurice first said it would be. But, later that night they both came to his room asking for another five according to Maurice and Sunny he owed them. Maurice ended up hitting him so hard that he was out on the floor for a while and Sunny went to go get the five dollars. Even though Holden was rich he was not going to let them play him for his money like that. He knew he was right and they weren't.He had a flashback about his old roommate, Dick Slagle. He was talking about how he disliked people who had cheap suit cases. To think about it he dislikes when people have less money than him because it makes him feel weird. As if it would always affect people and that was the exact reason he lived with Stradlater. Holden is suppose to meet this girl named Sally at 2 o'clock so he went to go get breakfast. And he had a great time talking to these two nuns.
In the chapters 12 through 16 Holden is still alone on his own. Holden was on his way back to his apartment a man named Maurice was trying to I guess sell him a prostitute , Sunny for some money. At first Holden said no but, he finally agreed to it. But, when she came to the room he did not do anything with her and gave her the five dollars Maurice first said it would be. But, later that night they both came to his room asking for another five according to Maurice and Sunny he owed them. Maurice ended up hitting him so hard that he was out on the floor for a while and Sunny went to go get the five dollars. Even though Holden was rich he was not going to let them play him for his money like that. He knew he was right and they weren't.He had a flashback about his old roommate, Dick Slagle. He was talking about how he disliked people who had cheap suit cases. To think about it he dislikes when people have less money than him because it makes him feel weird. As if it would always affect people and that was the exact reason he lived with Stradlater. Holden is suppose to meet this girl named Sally at 2 o'clock so he went to go get breakfast. And he had a great time talking to these two nuns.
Quote : " What I really felt like, though, was committing suicide. I felt like jumping out the window. I probably would've done it too, " ( Salinger 104) . This one quote in all that I read really got to me. Holden has freedom as a teenager and all the money he wants. But, he is not at all happy with his life. Something must be seriously bothering him. He does not ever really seem to get happy over anything . This makes me think about has he ever been in a happy mood since i started reading this book. And I wonder and ask if he will over be in a good mood by the end of this book.
Monday, November 29, 2010
The Catcher in the Rye ( 41 - 80 )
Summary
Holden became extremely anger at Stradlater after he came back from the date with Jane. It is obvious that Holden has a lot of strong feelings for this girl and when Stradlater kind of hinted that he gave her " the time " they got into a fight. Holden would not stop calling Stradlater a moron which he knew would drive him crazy so, when Stradkater much stronger than him ended uo beating him up badly. Even after being knocked out Holden still would not stop. He went to go sleep in Ackley's room for the night. Instead of waiting like he was planning he left to New York that day. He would have to stay at a hotel for a while and thats when he meet these three girls and party all night. He starts to flashback and think about the times he had with Jane before and this just shoes how special he thinks she is. He talks about his siblings about how smart and specially they are to him. One of his brothers , Allie passed away and he would talk about much of an amazing kid he was and how I the ready would love to met him . In the end of the last chapter I read he talks more about Jane and I think that he is in love with her because of the way he thinks over her like, no other girl could compare.
Quote : " I was kissing her all over - anywhere - her eyes, her nose, her forehead, her eyebrows and all, her ears - her whole face except her mouth and all " ( Salinger 79)
Reaction
This very quote from the text struck out to me the most. Holden could have stopped right after saying " I was kissing her all over ", but he didnt he went on and on about the different places where he kissed her. The way he described it made it seem like he cherished every single moment of him kissing her. The way he talks about Jane I can really tell that he cares and has a lot of feelings for her. And I also picked this quote because i like the repetition of her over and over as he states every part of her body that he kisses .
Holden became extremely anger at Stradlater after he came back from the date with Jane. It is obvious that Holden has a lot of strong feelings for this girl and when Stradlater kind of hinted that he gave her " the time " they got into a fight. Holden would not stop calling Stradlater a moron which he knew would drive him crazy so, when Stradkater much stronger than him ended uo beating him up badly. Even after being knocked out Holden still would not stop. He went to go sleep in Ackley's room for the night. Instead of waiting like he was planning he left to New York that day. He would have to stay at a hotel for a while and thats when he meet these three girls and party all night. He starts to flashback and think about the times he had with Jane before and this just shoes how special he thinks she is. He talks about his siblings about how smart and specially they are to him. One of his brothers , Allie passed away and he would talk about much of an amazing kid he was and how I the ready would love to met him . In the end of the last chapter I read he talks more about Jane and I think that he is in love with her because of the way he thinks over her like, no other girl could compare.
Quote : " I was kissing her all over - anywhere - her eyes, her nose, her forehead, her eyebrows and all, her ears - her whole face except her mouth and all " ( Salinger 79)
Reaction
This very quote from the text struck out to me the most. Holden could have stopped right after saying " I was kissing her all over ", but he didnt he went on and on about the different places where he kissed her. The way he described it made it seem like he cherished every single moment of him kissing her. The way he talks about Jane I can really tell that he cares and has a lot of feelings for her. And I also picked this quote because i like the repetition of her over and over as he states every part of her body that he kisses .
Monday, November 22, 2010
The Catcher in the Rye ( 1 - 40 )
Summary
Holden Caulfield is a 16 year old boy that attends Percy Prep but, he is soon to be kicked out because of his bad grades. In the beginning of the story he talks about his high school and how it functions. He starts the book off by saying that him trying to explain his whole life story kind of really bores him. From what i read so far in the story he talks about these two characters Ackley and Stradlater. They are both two people he sends a lot of time with at Percy Prep. Acklkey is a 18 year old snob that is very disgusting and hates everyone especially Stradlater. On the other side their is Stradlater who is this big shot that is so much into himself and his looks. Stradlater gets a date with this girl named , Jane which just so happened to be Holden's old neighbor and from the looks of it he has this major crush on her.
Quote : "I'M THE MOST terrific liar you ever saw in your life. It's awful. " ( Salinger 16)
Reaction
When I first read this quote it made me think back to all the Holden had told me. I made this thought immediately after reading this, what if what he was telling me so far was a lie. It kind of makes the reader second guess what the author is saying throughout the whole story. I like this a lot because it actually made me pause and think to myself. This quote really interested me and made me want to get to read the story more.
Holden Caulfield is a 16 year old boy that attends Percy Prep but, he is soon to be kicked out because of his bad grades. In the beginning of the story he talks about his high school and how it functions. He starts the book off by saying that him trying to explain his whole life story kind of really bores him. From what i read so far in the story he talks about these two characters Ackley and Stradlater. They are both two people he sends a lot of time with at Percy Prep. Acklkey is a 18 year old snob that is very disgusting and hates everyone especially Stradlater. On the other side their is Stradlater who is this big shot that is so much into himself and his looks. Stradlater gets a date with this girl named , Jane which just so happened to be Holden's old neighbor and from the looks of it he has this major crush on her.
Quote : "I'M THE MOST terrific liar you ever saw in your life. It's awful. " ( Salinger 16)
Reaction
When I first read this quote it made me think back to all the Holden had told me. I made this thought immediately after reading this, what if what he was telling me so far was a lie. It kind of makes the reader second guess what the author is saying throughout the whole story. I like this a lot because it actually made me pause and think to myself. This quote really interested me and made me want to get to read the story more.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Her Last Death ( 201 - 273 )
Summary
When Susy finally decides to settle down with Christopher and decides to have kids is when I think she really matured. She now longer cared about what her my mom taught her was important like sex and money. She actually fell in love with him and over some period of time they had a child. I think having Daniel really changed her and made her stronger. In the end of the book she started to stop talking to her mother cause she became annoyed with her. She soon found out that some of what her mom told her were lies. Even after being all that she had been through with her bad mother I think it made her stronger and see things in a different way. In the end she stopped talking to her mom for good. She felt as if her mother had lied to her about everything. As it left off from the beginning she decided not to go see her mom after all. But, she visited her father and sister. They only thing that mattered to her now was her own family.
Quote
" She was wrong that the lies broadens the world. I'm told. I doubt myself. i tell the story of my own experience and wonder at the crazy details." (Sonnenberg 168)
Reaction
I feel like this quote is a very important part of the story because she telling us that she doesnt know if what she saying is true or not. Her mom lied to her about everything her whole life so she believes her whole life is a lie. And that maybe she was lying about thing too because, of how much of a liar her mother was. This quote is important because it shows why Susy was truly mad at her mother. To me it basically explains why she wrote the book about her relationship with her mother and how it affect her life. To her , her mother was a liar and thats the reason why she feels like she shouldn't speak to her anymore.
When Susy finally decides to settle down with Christopher and decides to have kids is when I think she really matured. She now longer cared about what her my mom taught her was important like sex and money. She actually fell in love with him and over some period of time they had a child. I think having Daniel really changed her and made her stronger. In the end of the book she started to stop talking to her mother cause she became annoyed with her. She soon found out that some of what her mom told her were lies. Even after being all that she had been through with her bad mother I think it made her stronger and see things in a different way. In the end she stopped talking to her mom for good. She felt as if her mother had lied to her about everything. As it left off from the beginning she decided not to go see her mom after all. But, she visited her father and sister. They only thing that mattered to her now was her own family.
Quote
" She was wrong that the lies broadens the world. I'm told. I doubt myself. i tell the story of my own experience and wonder at the crazy details." (Sonnenberg 168)
Reaction
I feel like this quote is a very important part of the story because she telling us that she doesnt know if what she saying is true or not. Her mom lied to her about everything her whole life so she believes her whole life is a lie. And that maybe she was lying about thing too because, of how much of a liar her mother was. This quote is important because it shows why Susy was truly mad at her mother. To me it basically explains why she wrote the book about her relationship with her mother and how it affect her life. To her , her mother was a liar and thats the reason why she feels like she shouldn't speak to her anymore.
Her Last Death ( 121 - 200 )
Summary
The relationship with Susy and her mom has changed greatly through out the book. Susy has what i thought was a coming of age point when she loses her virginity to her English teacher. I thought this was her coming of age point simply because after what was going on with her and her teacher she cut her mom out of her life. She started to lie about they guys she was with Her mother and her up to that point kept no secrets away from each other until that point on. After losing her virginity it was as if Susy had changed greatly. Even though she hated what who her mom was she was be coming like her more and more. Just like her mom after she stopped having the affair with her teacher she started sleeping around with men as if it was nothing. She thought life was all about sex just like her mother had taught her.
Quote:
"Sex is the way of the world." (Sonnenberg 197).
Reaction
This shows just how much Susy's life is all about sex. Her mom taught her since when she was younger that it was the only thing that was fun in life other than drugs. She hated her mother for what she was but, I don"t that she ever realized that she was becoming just like her. This quote shows just how important this is to her in her life. Its as if her and her mother was addicted to it . They thought about it none stop. To them it was all that mattered.
The relationship with Susy and her mom has changed greatly through out the book. Susy has what i thought was a coming of age point when she loses her virginity to her English teacher. I thought this was her coming of age point simply because after what was going on with her and her teacher she cut her mom out of her life. She started to lie about they guys she was with Her mother and her up to that point kept no secrets away from each other until that point on. After losing her virginity it was as if Susy had changed greatly. Even though she hated what who her mom was she was be coming like her more and more. Just like her mom after she stopped having the affair with her teacher she started sleeping around with men as if it was nothing. She thought life was all about sex just like her mother had taught her.
Quote:
"Sex is the way of the world." (Sonnenberg 197).
Reaction
This shows just how much Susy's life is all about sex. Her mom taught her since when she was younger that it was the only thing that was fun in life other than drugs. She hated her mother for what she was but, I don"t that she ever realized that she was becoming just like her. This quote shows just how important this is to her in her life. Its as if her and her mother was addicted to it . They thought about it none stop. To them it was all that mattered.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Her Last Death ( 81 - 120 )
Summary
From what I read so far in the story was Susy has changed in a huge way. She has become more like her mother in a way but, not as bad. Shes hanging out with boys and even had a boyfriend. Her mom is becoming even worse. On Susy's 16 birthday her mom try to set her up with this boy that she liked so that she could lose her virginity on her birthday. However, in the end her mom ends up sleeping with the guy and the next day acted like she wasn't in the wrong. It was Susy's birthday and she would do such a thing. Susy has been going through a lot with her mother beating her and acting crazy. It seems like the relationship between them is only getting worst.
Quote " She pulled the cap off the needle keeping her eyes away from the gleaming thread of metal. Down the needle jammed through the rubber seal of the medicine bottle, and up it came again full of its own clear, cold blood. She looked down on her mother's thigh, blue and green and purple from countless injections." ( Sonnenberg 103 )
Reaction
I like this quote a lot . It explains in great detail about what her mother is doing to herself with her new drug addiction. I can picture what her mom is doing in my head. I can see how much she wants it in my head. I just shows how much this is affecting Susy. It shows how crazy her mom is for this drug and how she would put anything on the line for it.
From what I read so far in the story was Susy has changed in a huge way. She has become more like her mother in a way but, not as bad. Shes hanging out with boys and even had a boyfriend. Her mom is becoming even worse. On Susy's 16 birthday her mom try to set her up with this boy that she liked so that she could lose her virginity on her birthday. However, in the end her mom ends up sleeping with the guy and the next day acted like she wasn't in the wrong. It was Susy's birthday and she would do such a thing. Susy has been going through a lot with her mother beating her and acting crazy. It seems like the relationship between them is only getting worst.
Quote " She pulled the cap off the needle keeping her eyes away from the gleaming thread of metal. Down the needle jammed through the rubber seal of the medicine bottle, and up it came again full of its own clear, cold blood. She looked down on her mother's thigh, blue and green and purple from countless injections." ( Sonnenberg 103 )
Reaction
I like this quote a lot . It explains in great detail about what her mother is doing to herself with her new drug addiction. I can picture what her mom is doing in my head. I can see how much she wants it in my head. I just shows how much this is affecting Susy. It shows how crazy her mom is for this drug and how she would put anything on the line for it.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Her Last Death ( 41 - 80 )
Summary
Susy has grown apart from her mother in these chapters. She had to indoor a lot with her mother having injuries and doing drugs. Her mom has been acting crazy and at one point she had to leave Susy and her sister Penelope for 5 months she was hating her life and had bad pains. After she came back she wanted to move the kids to New Mexico but, Susy stayed behind to finish her year at school. When she finally was done she went to New Mexico to live with her mom where she stayed and had a very different life there. Her mom basically taught her how to do drugs and told her about her having sex at such a young age. After moving back to New York Susy wants to start boarding school because shes tired and sick of her mothers craziness.
Quote
" She was driving me crazy, inviting strangers into the car, doing way too much coke, flirting with my friends. I knew how a person could want to hurt her." ( Sonnenberg 68- 69 )
Reaction
I like this quote because it shows the turning point in Susy and her mom's relationship with each other. It shows why she ends up not loving her mother like any daughter does. It basically shows us how and why later on in life she doesn't want to really have a relationship with her mother. When she says , " I knew how a person could want to hurt her" just shows how much she is mad and angry with her mother .
Susy has grown apart from her mother in these chapters. She had to indoor a lot with her mother having injuries and doing drugs. Her mom has been acting crazy and at one point she had to leave Susy and her sister Penelope for 5 months she was hating her life and had bad pains. After she came back she wanted to move the kids to New Mexico but, Susy stayed behind to finish her year at school. When she finally was done she went to New Mexico to live with her mom where she stayed and had a very different life there. Her mom basically taught her how to do drugs and told her about her having sex at such a young age. After moving back to New York Susy wants to start boarding school because shes tired and sick of her mothers craziness.
Quote
" She was driving me crazy, inviting strangers into the car, doing way too much coke, flirting with my friends. I knew how a person could want to hurt her." ( Sonnenberg 68- 69 )
Reaction
I like this quote because it shows the turning point in Susy and her mom's relationship with each other. It shows why she ends up not loving her mother like any daughter does. It basically shows us how and why later on in life she doesn't want to really have a relationship with her mother. When she says , " I knew how a person could want to hurt her" just shows how much she is mad and angry with her mother .
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Her Last Death ( 1 - 40 )
Summary
In the beginning of the story Susy starts off by her present day life. At this point of her life she is 37, married with kids. She soon finds out that her mother is dying. She doesn't want to really want go see her because of all that her mother put her through in the past. Not to mention when her mother first lied to her about dying. In the chapters after that she starts to explain the story from the very beginning as to how her relationship with her mom got to the place it is now, all the way back to when she was a young child. From all that has happened so far it seems like her mother started to be a bad parent after she and Susy's father separated.
Quote
" Each letter lay in a white sea. Suddenly, they startled me, melted together and stood up as words. They were open windows. I was elated. I could read anything!" (Sonnenberg 21)
Reaction
I enjoyed reading this quote at the beginning of the third chapter. This showed me just how detailed Susanna Sonnenberg's writings really is. This long paragraph of personification was worded perfectly. It describes how she was able to first read. Instead of just saying that she finally got the hang of things she describes how the words are standing in up and gives what shes reading human features.
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