Vanessa's Wonderland

Week 2~5- J.D. Salinger The Catcher in the Rye & Finding Forrester

Ø   Author: J.D. Salinger (1919-2010) (wiki) (official web.)(biography) (link)

Ø   Book: The Catcher in the Rye(wiki) (spark note) (movie) (trailer) (text)

Belongs to (a) Problem novel & (b) Initiation and Quest (Journey)

Quest for

s  Character

Holden Caulfield  -  The protagonist and narrator of the novel, Holden is a sixteen-year-old junior who has just been expelled for academic failure from a school called Pencey Prep. 

(hero/ heroine: refers to characters who, in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, display courage and the will for self-sacrifice—that is, heroism—for some greater good of all humanity. This definition originally referred to martial courage or excellence but extended to more general moral excellence.) (wiki)

(Anti-hero/anti-heroine:is a leading character in a film, book or play who lacks the traditional heroic qualitiessuch as idealism,courage,nobility,fortitude,moral goodness,and altruism.) (wiki)(lit.)ß Holden Caulfield

(Byronic-hero= Romantic hero) (wiki) 

(Tragic-hero: is the protagonist of a tragedy.) (wiki)

s   Climaxà不能連累妹妹

s   Term

*Merry go aroundàchildhood 旋轉木馬

*man- hand; manual; manicure; manufacture

*foul language 髒話  shoot foul 罰球

*stop swearing! 不要講髒話

*leukemia 白血病; left-handed fielder’s mitt

Allie Caulfield - Holden’s younger brother. Allie dies of leukemia three years before the start of the novel. Allie was a brilliant, friendly, red-headed boy—according to Holden, he was the smartest of the Caulfields. Holden is tormented by Allie’s death and carries around a baseball glove on which Allie used to write poems in green ink.

"The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature is that he wants to live humbly for one."

s   Song: Comin' Thro' the Rye by Robert Burns (wiki) (poem) (song) (lyrics)

s   Song: smoke gets in your eyes(wiki)-Platters (wiki) (YouTube) (lyrics)

Ø   Quiz (link)

• Ø   Related Movie: Finding Forrester (2000) 心靈訪客(wiki) (IMDb) (clip)

William Forresterà J.D. Salinger

Finding à a process when s.th lost has to be find

Finding Forrester    à everyone wants to find the secluded famous writer

                                àrequest for himself (Forrester)

                                àfound their own identity

Two sensitive and talented hearts saved each other.

The Pulitzer Prize (wiki) (award)

Ø   Essay Questions (link) (essay)

s   Structure 五段論證法

s    Terms

*life never works out!

*carry out one’s dreamà realized one’s dream

s    Questions

*think from the perspective of the character

*hypothesis: prove from the plot OR writing itself

*most popular Questions

1. 1.  During an English class on Poe’s "The Raven," why does Jamal refuse to recite by saying that he had not read the poem?

The Raven" –Allan Poe (cf. week 6)

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visiter," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door—
            Only this and nothing more." (more…)

19. What does Forrester mean when he says to write the first draft with your heart but then to rewrite with your head"?

27. What has Jamel learned from Forrester and Forrester from Jamel?

36. After his death from cancer, why does Forrester want Jamal to have his apartment?

Hypothesis: (according to Jennifer)

Talented

Trustworthy

Very important friend