Reflection #2

In the "Before You Read" section, it said that Bradford was actually a Separatist, not a Puritan. Separatists and Puritans were very similar, though. Unlike the Puritans, who were trying to "purify" the church, Separatists wanted to "separate" themselves from the church. Of Plymouth Plantation is more of a historical commentary rather than a religious one like many previous works of Puritans. I read more about William Bradford on page 14 in the "Life in the new World" section. It said, "At the beginning of his history of the Plymouth Colony, he said that he intended to produce "a plain style, with singular regard unto the simple truth in all things." This was my first hint that the writing of William Bradford was going to be cut and dry to the point. I personally think that Bradford's style in Of Plymouth Plantation is going to be similar to the style of the Puritans if not exactly.

Bradford referenced God a few times, but definitely not as much as Mary Rowlandson did. I did not expect him to make many references to God because it was stated in "Before You Read," that he did not make many references. This was not a religious narrative, it seemed to be more of a factual one. It was historical. In the beginning of the narrative, a man is thrown overboard during a horrific storm. Bradford states that it was God's will that the man should survive (Bradford 64). Bradford also states that they made the journey back to the Cape within God's "good providence" (Bradford 65). He still does not actually say that God has anything to do with him. It is kind of hard to explain, but I do not feel that he is actually thanking God in anyway and stating that God has anything to do with his being. He is just stating the facts, and some of those facts are under God. When talking about Squanto, Bradford says that he (Squanto) was God's special instrument sent to them (Bradford 67). Overall, Bradford does not really reference God. He is just stating the historical side of things, not the religious aspects.

Bradford also tells of the rules that the Indians put upon them. These rules seem like very strong rules, and like rules that are still in existence in some way or another. They cannot injure each other, make war against each other, and so on (Bradford 67). The way that Bradford addresses the rules is very straight to the point, that is the way the Puritans were. They did not use figurative language, they got straight to the point.

Overall, Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation does not really remind too much of previous Puritan writings. To some extent it does, but then again it does not. Bradford referenced God a few times, but not as much as the other Puritans that we have read about did. He also got to the point like the Puritans style, and that was probably the biggest similarity that I found. Bradford was not a Puritan, so it is quite difficult to reflect on Puritan writing when it was Separatist writing.

Bradford, William. "From Of Plymouth Plantation." Glencoe Literature. Ed. Jeffery D. Wilhelm, PhD. American Literature ed. Columbus: Mc-Graw Hill, 2009. 64-67. Print.

Journal #3

If I was in a hostage situation, I would definitely be the the escapee. I think that if I was able to stay calm enough to think clearly in the situation, that I would be smart enough to get out. I sometimes worry about getting in a car accident when I'm driving by myself. I think that if I got stranded or in a car accident at night, I would be so scared if anybody stopped and got out of their car. If I was taken in a hostage situation, I would like to hope that they would not like tie me up and throw me in the trunk. i am going to admit that if anyone did tie me up and throw me in a trunk that I would not be the hero and escape. I think that I would cooperate for a while, so the hostage taker would begin to trust me and then I would pull of my super natural moves! I think that if the hostage taker was intent on raping or killing me though- I'd fight back. I am not the kind of person that will just roll over and let a hostage taker kill me. Believe me, I'll fight. I probably would have to thank Mrs. Jenkins for the occasional tips of self defense because that just may be my only option if I did happen to get into a hostage situation. I would like to think that the world could go along with out any weirdo creepy people that hold other people hostage, but you know what? i just do not think that that is every going to be the case. I have no idea why, but I guess there are always going to be those creepy weirdos that are going to want to take people. I just cannot imagine how somebody would be that nasty to want to "take" another person. i just cannot imagine. I really hope that I never get into a hostage situation because it would be really hard to stay calm enough to make good decisions.

Reflection #1

I believe that the writings, "Upon the Burning of our House" by Anne Bradstreet and "A Narrative of Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson" by Mary Rowlandson, were very representative of the typical writing and beliefs of the Puritans. I do want to admit first that I did not totally understand the stories, so I am sorry it this is completely off target.

I am going to talk about the story "A Narrative of Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson" first. I believe that in reading this excerpt. I was able to make a few connections to the style of the Puritans typical writing. I noticed that Rowlandson was very clear at the beginning of the story of stating her belief in Christ. Although she did seem unhappy about the situation, she did mention Christ in the following passage, "Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolation he has made in the Earth." (Rowlandson 82). I think that in this passage she is talking about the sadness and misery that God is causing in the world, but right after that she kind of rejoices about her safety by saying, "save only one, who might say as he, Job i. 15, And I only am escaped alone to tell the news." (Rowlandson 82) I think that this passage is kind of ironic because she was just complaining about the misery and suffering that God was causing in the world, but now she is really intent on giving thanks for the safety that God has provided for her. The author was really good about showing that the Puritans were nomadic people. They were clearly moving from place to place in the story because they were moving to find food, but also because they were moving to escape dangerous attacks. I could kind of see the relation to the Puritan writing style, but it was unclear to me most of the time.

Now to talk about the shorter poem written by Anne Bradstreet titled, "Upon the Burning of our House." I was able to make more sense out of this piece, so it was a little easier to find the correlation to the Puritan writing style. "And to my God my heart did cry to strengthen me in my distress," (Bradstreet 91). This quote shows that the character was involved in a strong practice of faith. She was relying on her God to be there for her house when it was burning down. "And when I could no longer look; I blest His name that gave and took." (Bradstreet 91) This quote really stows the strength in her faith. Even though her house was burning to the ground, she was blessing God because she knew that if she did not have God, she would not have had that house. This passage also directly exhibits the works of God because the narrator was clear that they were blessing God for giving them the house they had, but also still trusting in God although he was talking the house away from them.

Overall I thought that it was hard to identify the style of the Puritan writing, but I think that the more we work on analyzing the writing styles, the better we will all get at it! :)

Bradstreet, Anne. "Upon the Burning of Our House." Glencoe Literature. Ed. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 91. Print.

Rowlandson, Mary. "A Narrative of Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson." Glencoe Literature. Ed. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 82-85. Print.

Journal #2

Once upon a time there was a young penguin boy named Flipper. Flipper was a young boy with many responsibilities. Flipper was the man of his clan. Unfortunately Flipper's father passed away when his was just a young boy. Flipper had all of the responsibilities of the father figure in the house. Flipper was always the ruler of the house. I think that Flipper was the most important penguin in the household of the whole Frank family. Flipper was always there to remind all of the guests of the house to kindly remover their shoes when they entered the house. Flipper found that this was just a way to show respect to the family that owned the house. Flipper was even in charge of keeping his own friends respectful. He felt like he had to keep the house looking nice so that his mother never had to stress about keeping it clean. Flipper's mother was already stressed about other things, so this really helped his mother out. Flipper also was the person who cleared off the table after a family meal. I think that this is a really good habit to have because i think you should always at least take your plate over to the sink when you are done eating. Flipper was the gentleman in the house, so he was the one who always volunteered to take care of everyone's plates. Flipper also taught all of his friends table manners. Flipper's father was always a stickler about having good manners at the table, so Flipper wants his father to be happy looking down upon him. He is the first person to enforce the use of good manners at his house. Flipper reminds his friends to: take their shoes off upon entrance to their house, not rest their fins on the table at dinner, address adults in the house as Mr. and Mrs., clean up after themselves, and to use clean and respectful language all the time.

Journal #1

How did the kangaroo get its pouch?
A long long time ago, there was a kangaroo named Joey. Joey was the first of his kind. One day Joey woke up from his very first sleep. Where was he? Well he was in a little girl's bedroom. Susie was that lucky little girl. Joey woke up in a crib. The first time he ever opened his eyes, he saw Susie. Susie happened to be in that crib also. Susie was a three year old girl living just off the coast of Australia. She collected stuffed animals. Susie was disappointed that her stuffed kangaroo was unable to wear any clothes because his body type was just so awkward! Because he was not able to have any clothes that had pockets, Susie asked her mom to sew on a pocket. Susie's mother told Susie that she was absoluely crazy for wanting a pouch/ pocket on an animal simply because it was nopt able to wear any clothing. Susie was a little tiny girl with a huge imagination. Sue was a good problem solver, so she came up with the great idea that the kangaroo would just wear a patch. When Susie turned five, her mother bought her another kangaroo for her birthday. Susie's mother sewed on a pocket for the new kangaroo. (Later to be know as Maureen) When Susie opened the wrapped box on the morning of her birthday, she was so excited to see that her mother had already put a pocket on Maureen. Susie had no idea that her mother had done that, and she thought that from now on the kangaroos just came like that. Susie just happened to be the sister of Mother Nature, so it just happened that the next year on Susie's birthday, instead of getting a stuffed animal, Susie recieved a real live pet kangaroo. Susie's pwt kangaroo ran away one day, and it just so happened that all of the kangaroos born into this world had a pouch from Susie's birthday forward.

Blog #50: The Catcher in the Rye

Well here is my last blog. I really did not know how to end this series of blogs though. I think I might just reflect back on all of the books that I had to read this summer. My favorite, like I mentioned in a previous blog, was The Catcher in the Rye. I just feel that this story gave me the best message, and was the most enjoyable to read. I loved going on the adventure with Holden Caulfield, and I liked experiencing everything that he experienced. I also liked Phoebe, and how she was Holden’s backbone practically. He did everything for her. I really liked his explanation on the catcher in the rye, which is what he wanted to be when he grew up. It was a very enjoyable book, and I am glad that I “had” to read it. I will most definitely read it again, and that does not happen very often with me. The Old Man and the Sea would probably be the next favorite of mine! I guess it was kind of boring to me, but it still kept me interested. I think the real reason that I even partially enjoyed it was because it was so short! I really liked that! I also kind of liked it because it was so different. It had pretty much one setting, the ocean, and one main character, Santiago. I also liked the fish, and I am upset that it had to die! Overall, the book was alright, but I definitely do not think that I will read it again. My least favorite was definitelyThe Grapes of Wrath! I think it was really weird, and I did not enjoy. I mean, granted, there were a few parts that I liked, but nothing that would be make me read it again. The ending is what was the huge downfall for me. It was quite disturbing and very weird in my opinion. It made me feel awkward reading it. Overall, the books were not that horrible, but they were not the best books I have ever read. They were the best honor’s books that I have had to read though!

Blog #49: The Catcher in the Rye

I think it would be pretty interesting to live in New York City like Holden Caulfield did in The Catcher in the Rye. I think New York City would be a really interesting place to live. ThroughThe Catcher in the Rye, you get to experience some of the different things about New York City along with Holden. I am pretty sure he has lived there his whole life, but for most of it, he was away at school. The one thing that Holden did that I would love to do, is go to the Rockefeller Center. I love to ice skate, even though I am not the most graceful person. I am not a bad skater, but I trip just walking down the hall, so that gives a little hint of my gracefulness. But anyway, I have seen movies and pictures of the ice skating rink there in New York and it is beautiful! I have also seen pictures of just New York during the winter and Christmas season. That is definitely when I would like to go there. It is just so extraordinary. I bet Holden did not really think of it the same way. First of all, he did not have the kind of personality that is intrigued by the pure beauty of things, and second of all, he had lived there his whole life. That is like when people come to Springfield, they are all amazed by the Abraham Lincoln stuff. I personally think that stuff is really boring now. I have lived around it my whole life, so it is nothing new. Holden has probably been to the Rockefeller Center hundreds of times, and he has seen New York City at Christmas time, well seventeen times. I am just totally intrigued by New York City. It is so enormous, and there are so many people. I really like it, but I would have to experience it to totally know what it is like.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Back Bay, 2001. Print.

Blog #48: The Catcher in the Rye

Throughout the book, I wondered where Holden was writing The Catcher and the Rye from. Someone told me that he was in some kind of mental hospital, and I find that very bizarre. I really do not understand why he would be in a mental hospital. In my opinion and my perfect ending, he would be at a new school excelling and writing this book for one of his English classes. He would have a great relationship with his family. He would have tons of friends, even some from Pencey. He is also dating Jane. Oh and Stradlater never did have sex with her. I just like thinking about the things that are never really said, like the unknown. I want to know all of the underlining facts. Maybe Holden is in a mental hospital because he went crazy on his family, or maybe he just could not handle the phoniness of the world. So when reading The Catcher in the Rye, you are led to believe that Holden really found himself while roaming the streets of New York City. This could be totally wrong. He might have found himself while he was in the mental hospital, and realized everything that he really had. Who really knows? I think that is why Salinger did that. He wanted to leave something to the imagination. I can really appreciate that from an author. It gives me room to think, and put my own opinions into the story. I also think that Holden probably became something later on in life like a teacher. Or maybe he became a police officer, or doctor. I think he became something that helped out people. The teacher makes the most sense for me because he was helping out the children. He was protecting them! I really do not know where Holden wrote this story, but wherever it was, it definitely helped him find himself even more in my opinion. I really hope the mental hospital thing was wrong, and he is writing this from a classroom at a new school!

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Back Bay, 2001. Print.

Blog #47: The Catcher in the Rye

Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye did not want to be a lawyer, a doctor, a firefighter, a cowboy, or even an astronaut when he grew up. He wanted to become something unheard of! He wanted to be the catcher in the rye, hence the title of the book. He snuck into his house one night and went to talk to his little sister, Phoebe. She was angry at him for being expelled from his fourth school, and also afraid of what might happen to him. She eventually asks him what he wants to be when he grows up. He really does not directly answer right away. He finally says that he wants to be the catcher in the rye. “What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff- I mean if they’re running and they don’t look where they’re going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That’s all I’d do all day. I’d just be the catcher in the rye and all (Salinger 224).” This is what Holden finally told Phoebe. He basically tells her what he wants to do with his life. He was to protect all the children. He wants to keep their innocence. He never wants them to grow up. That is what the cliff symbolizes. It shows the drop from childhood and innocence to adulthood and phoniness. This really does make sense though. Once you turn about eighteen, you are considered an adult. Holden is seventeen, so I think he is kind of scared. So I feel that even if he does get older, as long as he is the catcher in the rye, he will be able to save all of the other children. That is actually quite admirable. It is a little different, but still admirable. I feel that Holden has Phoebe in mind when he tells her his career choice. I really like the idea of the catcher in the rye!

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Back Bay, 2001. Print.

Blog #46: The Catcher in the Rye

I think it might be fun to go to a boarding school like Holden Caulfield did in The Catcher in the Rye. I have gone to public school for quite some time. But I am going to be a junior in high school. Therefore, I have been in a public school for about eleven years including pre-school and all of that mumbo jumbo. But Holden has been in a boarding school for years. I know that his little sister Phoebe does not go to boarding school because she still lives at home. So I do not know if they only went to a boarding school at a certain age, or if it is only the boys who went. In The Catcher in the Rye, it never really said. Maybe Holden was just a bad kid, and they had no other choice but to send him to a boarding school. But I do not think that is the case. I say this because Holden had already been kicked out of three boarding schools and was getting kicked out of his fourth. And all of these schools were pretty close to his home in New York City. But I think you would be able to gain such a good experience from going to a boarding school. I guess I do not know if it would be a positive experience or not. If I went to a boarding school, I would like it to be further away from my home. I want to be able to meet new people, and experience new types of people. So if I went to a boarding school in Florida or maybe California, I think it would be better for me than if I went to one in Missouri. We see and experience the same people when we go places around our home. This is the Midwest, and that is about it. But overall, no matter where you go, I think boarding school would be a really good experience.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Back Bay, 2001. Print.

Blog #45: The Catcher in the Rye

At the beginning of The Catcher in the Rye, I could not really connect and understand Holden Caulfield. When he attacked Stradlater, I think that is when I finally began to understand him. He really did not seem like he cared about anyone or anything. It just seemed like he was in this life just to be along for the ride. I mean that is not necessarily a bad thing if you do not want to do anything in your life. He seems like that care-free kind of kid. Like the one who just goes with the flow. I think I am kind of like that in a way. I really just take life one step at a time, and whatever happens, happens. But where I am going with this is that Holden really does have feelings. I know that sounds kind of strange, but it is true. He really showed his true feelings with Stradlater. He was really upset with him when Stradlater would not really say is he and Jane had had sex. This really ticked Holden off. He and Jane had been really good friends when they were younger, and it upset Holden that Stradlater was just beating around the bush and would not give a direct answer. I do not think that Stradlater really ever did say if he and Jane did do it, but I do not think that they did. I do not think we ever find out because Holden attacks Stradlater before he really tells. This shows that Holden was very serious and cared about Jane a lot. He also got upset when Stradlater did not like Holden’s paper about the baseball glove. This really upset Holden because the glove was Holden’s younger brother’s who had passed away from cancer. This really hurt Holden’s feelings because he felt that Stradlater was attacking his little brother, not just him. By the end of the first couple of chapters, I really feel that I got to know Holden a lot more.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Back Bay, 2001. Print.

Blog #44: The Catcher in the Rye

Another little remark in The Catcher in the Rye that I enjoyed was made my Mr. Spencer. Mr. Spencer is Holden’s favorite teacher. If I can recall correctly, he is the English teacher. English is the only class that Holden passed so I do not blame him for liking Mr. Spencer the best. The quote that I am referring to is, “Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules(Salinger 92).” I really liked this quote because I think it fits Holden perfectly. It does not fit him perfectly because it is what Holden agrees with, but it is the exact opposite. It is really ironic. Holden takes life so seriously and never thinks of it as a game. It is just something that he was thrown in to, and cannot go out for quite some time. He also definitely does not play by the rules. He thinks that the rules are just something that is set by adults who are phony. They cannot uphold to those standards, so why should he? That is his point. It really goes back to Holden’s famous phrase and state of phoniness. He really believes that all adults are phony, but he does not see that he is actually the exact same way. That is why he does not follow the rules. He will not do something to please those who think they are better than everyone, and who do not follow the rules themselves. I kind of agree with him. I would not follow rules if the person that set them cannot abide by them too. It is being hypocritical and a phony. Holden is just so opposite of this quote and that is why I like it. It goes with him perfectly because it is so ironic. It does not fit his personality, but it fits him very well. I think that is why Mr. Spencer said it. He wanted to Holden think about it considering that is the way life really seems.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Back Bay, 2001. Print.

Blog #43: The Catcher in the Rye

Throughout reading The Catcher in the Rye, I marked down a few of the little phrases that I enjoyed. One of them that I liked was said by Holden Caulfield to Stradlater. The little quote is, “Ask her if she still keeps all her kings in the back row(Salinger 42).” I really liked it because it really showed me that Holden did have feelings so to say. Up until this point, it kind of seemed like Holden did not care about anyone or anything. When he asks Stradlater this, it really shows that he cares about Jane Galangher. This is the girl he was referring to when he asked Stradlater about the kings. I also like this quote because this makes Holden sound younger. He really goes back to his childhood with this statement. He has not seen Jane in years, and the fact that he remembers this is extraordinary. It is one of those things that you think are pointless facts but they really make an impact on you. He also goes on to say that this always annoyed him about her. I guess this would be quite annoying while playing a game. I just like that Holden remembers this about Jane. I think it also shows that he has a child-like mind I guess. He could have asked Stradlater to ask her any other kind of question, but he went straight to the one that seems so childish. In my opinion, though she was never really in the novel, Jane kind of reminds me of Phoebe. They both really bring out the best in Holden. Holden really goes back to childhood memories a lot it seems like. He also referred to Phoebe a lot who is just a child herself. This really makes me think that Holden just feels like a child himself but he wants others to think of him as an adult. Overall, I feel that Holden is just a child and that is why I really enjoyed this little remark.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Back Bay, 2001. Print.

Blog #42: The Catcher in the Rye

The setting for The Catcher in the Rye was in New York City. I think this is the perfect place for this book! It really goes well with Holden. New York City is the city “that never sleeps.” It really seemed that Holden never slept. He was constantly moving and going places. I love the big city atmosphere. There is never a dull moment. You rarely see the same person walking down the street twice in one day. It is just so enormous that you never know just who or what you will run into. The city is constantly changing. It kind reminds me of Holden. He was always changing throughout the novel. He gained new experiences and met new people. New York City goes through different changes everyday, and definitely meets new people everyday. It really never does sleep. Something is constantly going on, just like in Holden’s life. There is always new things going on in New York, and Holden is finding out those new things along with the city. I feel that Holden is gaining all of these new experiences but he really does not absorb them. That is just like New York City. There are always so many things going on that nothing is ever really absorbed and thought through. I like how in The Catcher in the Rye you really get to go through all of the city along with Holden. He never really stays in the same place, so you are constantly moving with him. He kind of made me feel like I was with him. I really enjoyed it! The setting of New York City was the probably the best possible setting for The Catcher in the Rye. It really goes right along with Holden. The city is constantly changing, as is Holden Caulfield right along with it. I think that the setting is also more intriguing because I have been there and I can picture the places that Holden is talking about.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Back Bay, 2001. Print.

Blog #41: The Catcher in the Rye

My favorite character in The Catcher in the Rye would probably have to be Phoebe Caulfield. She is the younger sister of the main character, Holden Caulfield. She is mentioned early on in the story, but is not actually introduced until about the end of the novel. She really brings out the best in Holden. She is ten years old, but she acts about thirty. She is very mature for her age. Holden always talks about how he loves how she is happy and care free. She is excited about the smallest things. For example, she has a Christmas play coming up soon, and she cannot stop talking about it. Holden loves her pure enthusiasm and excitement. I really like that about little kids, too. They are always excited about something and really make me excited for them. She is also always worried about her big brother Holden. She is so worried about what is going to happen to Holden when their father finds out that he has been expelled from school. She might not be so worried if this was the first time that this has happened, but this will be the fourth school he has been kicked out of. She also tells Holden how it is. She does not take any crap from him, and he really actually likes that. He likes that she calls him out on things, and tells him how it is. I think that is kind of bizarre, considering he never owns up to his phoniness. He is so quick to judge and call out others. He does not mind that Phoebe is the one to call him out, though. There is so much to love about Phoebe. She is truly the holder of Holden’s sanity. She is a very intriguing young girl. She even goes as far as to insisting on going with Holden when he leaves (Salinger 267). She wants to be there to protect him, and I think that is so sweet! She is definitely my favorite character from all of the stories I have read this summer.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Back Bay, 2001. Print.

Blog #40: The Catcher in the Rye

While reading The Catcher in the Rye, I had no clue why it was titled that. During the story you finally find out. Holden Caulfield is asked by his little sister Phoebe what he wants to do with his life. He answers and says that he wants to be up on a mountain in a rye field with a bunch of children playing. He wants them to have the time of their life, and if, in the course of them playing, one starts to fall over the edge, he wants to be the one to catch them. He wants to be the catcher in the rye. When I read this part of the novel, I got goose bumps. It just seems so, kind of touching. Like it is humbling a little bit to think about it. What sixteen year old boy would say that is what he wanted to do? I think it is so bizarre, and very “cool,” so to say. He is like a protector of the children of the world. It is kind of God-like. He wants to watch over the children and be there for them. I think that Holden is really thinking about his sister Phoebe when he states what he wants to do for the rest of his life. She is like his inspiration; she brings out the best in him. And I feel that he wants to be there and protect her for as long as he can. That is truly admirable. With his answer, it makes him sound so mature. He is like the “protector,” and most sixteen year olds would not be considered that. The title choice is so perfect for the novel. I think the turning point in Holden’s life is when he says this to his little sister. He really becomes a changed person, and I think that is truly admirable. The catcher in the rye is such a random thing to do, but it really makes sense for Holden. I loved the title choice once I knew what it meant.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Back Bay, 2001. Print.

Blog #39: The Catcher in the Rye

My favorite story of the summer would definitely have to be The Catcher in the Rye. I absolutely loved it. I think the whole plot was so interesting, so I liked it a lot. I like the character of Holden Caulfield because I think that he is very intriguing. I just cannot say how much I enjoyed this book. I liked going on the adventure along with Holden in a sense. He was truly finding himself, and the readers of this novel were just along for the ride. I think that Holden really realizes his ways, and is changed in the story. I really do not know how to explain how much I enjoyed this book. It showed us love, hate, and a little bit of crazy. This book is set around the 1950’s, but I felt like it was centered around today’s time. I guess that someone who was a teenager in the 50’s would think that this book is perfect. Being a teenager in the 2000’s I can really relate to Holden. He goes through some of the troubles that teens today go through. He has girl troubles, money troubles, and family troubles. We have all been through that. I also enjoyed how much life Holden’s little sister, Phoebe, has. She is such a grown up even though she is so young. I do not remember how old she was, maybe ten? The whole novel just keeps me interested. I really wish there was another book similar to The Catcher in the Rye. I think that J.D. Salinger should have written a “The Catcher in the Rye 2.” This book was so interesting, that I think I might be able to read it again in the future for recreation. It really was interesting, and I felt that I could somewhat relate to Holden. I have noticed that I like to read books more if they are about people my own age. I really liked this book because the reader had such a close relationship with Holden in his experiences.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Back Bay, 2001. Print.

Blog #38: The Catcher in the Rye

Last discussion question blog!! Woo Hoo!! Like I noted with the last book, I think that question number eight is very similar to question number five. I feel like the author of The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger did a fantastic job of accurately reflecting events in history. I think that the references that Holden make towards the war and D-Day were really good clues the this book was taking place right after World II. I also noticed that the author did a good job of showing the the economy was booming and the depression was over. Holden had received several monetary gifts while he was attending Pencey, so that proves to me that The United States had already gotten out of the devastation of the Great Depression that was highlighted in John Steinbeck's novel, The Grapes of Wrath. The author also made it clear that the economy was booming because he was clear that there were many people out and about on Broadway. I automatically make the assumption that they were out and about because they had money to spend. I do not know about you but I think that it is absolutely no fun to go shopping with my family or a group of friends without any money. I noticed that Holden was annoyed by the fact that there were so many people interested in going to the movies and live shows. People obviously had to have money to buy the tickets and get into those shows. I think that the author also showed that there was a big difference between the relationships between men and women back in the 1940's to 1950's. Holden offers to pay for the three ladies' drinks at the bar, and they do not even offer to pay for them. I think that today it would be considered rude to expect some under aged boy to pay for you whole alcoholic beverage tab. This make is apparent that things have changed between 1950's and today.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Back Bay, 2001. Print.

Blog #37: The Catcher in the Rye

J.D. Salinger uses one clear technique in The Catcher in the Rye to keep the reader engaged. I believe that the technique that he uses is the bond that the reader has with Holden. I think that by having Holden personally tell the story from his own point of view keeps the readers hooked. Because Holden tells the reader about every emotion that he has, I feel like I developed a connection with Holden. Holden was just that teenage boy that has all of the problems in the world. Holden was not a very formal narrator because he always used curse words and slang. The author purposefully made spelling errors to exaggerate the slang and dialect of which Holden spoke. I liked the fact that the narrator was the main character because I could actually believe everything that he said about himself. I was engaged in reading this book because Holden was telling a very interesting story. I'm not sure if I would have remembered the book the same way if I had not sat down and read the entire book in one sitting. And yes, that is the truth I spent a whole day laying on the couch reading The Catcher in the Rye. I thought that it was the best of the summer reading novels because I felt like J.D. Salinger did a good job along with Holden Caulfield of keeping the readers engaged in the story. I think that they even got me to the point that I was kind of feeling the emotions that Holden was describing. When Holden was watching his sister, Phoebe, on the carousel, I felt the joy that Holden was feeling as he sat there and watched her in the rain. I think that the readers were also engaged in the story because there was so much detail. I think that the detail that Holden was sitting in the rain watching his sister made it much more apparent that Holden was truly happy for his little sister and he did not care about himself getting wet as he sat there under the protection of his hunting hat (Salinger 275).

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Back Bay, 2001. Print.

Blog #36: The Catcher in the Rye

Back to this very mysterious question- Why do we still read this book? Well first of all I would like to say that I was actually interested in reading this book where as all of the other summer reading novels I was not so enthused to be reading. I think that the fact that the novel was about a teenage boy made it a little easier to read because as juniors in high school we can kind of relate to Holden in a few of his situations. I think that this book really shows that times have changed throughout history because Holden was able to get into all of the bars and clubs in New York City, but today you have to be of age to get in. Other than that I think that the story is timeless. Holden was one of those kids in school that just really did not try their best. I think that there are probably people at Pleasant Plains High School that have the same mindset as Holden, but they will never get to read this book because they will either refuse to read it, or they will not take the honors classes that require you to read more of the classic novels. I think that because we still have people in the world today like Holden that the message and the characters in this book are timeless. I think that there are many kids in high school today that think they should be considered adults. I am sure that there are kids at our school that are in sexual relationships and drink alcohol to be more mature in appearance. I think that there are also those kids who do not want to grow up. They are grown up and still living at home whether that is because they cannot find a job or they cannot afford a home of their own. I think that if you are going to college by the time that you graduate, you should be out of your parents house. If you are not going to college I think you should be out by the time you find a job and get your feet on the floor. I actually do understand why we are reading this novel because I can actually relate to Holden in the story.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Back Bay, 2001. Print.

Blog #35: The Catcher in the Rye

How does this novel reflect history? The Catcher in the Rye uses history, behavior, and social issues of the time period. The novel is set either in the late 1940's or the early 1950's on a long weekend for Holden Caulfield. This means that the story is held after World War II. For most of the story, Holden is in New York City trying to find a connection between his childhood and his transition into the adult life he is about to begin. I believe that the major conflict that Holden faces is related to his friendships. I think that at sometimes in his life, Holden would like to have adult relationships involving some sexual relations, but at other times he seems to reject the adult life and refer to it as "phony." I think that Holden needs to keep a steady opinion in is search for friendships because at some other points in the novel he regresses into a childish judgmental stage where he totally does not want anything to do with the adult life that is trying to keep away from. The reader notices the time period when Holden makes a reference to the dropping of the atomic bomb and he also talks about D-Day at one point in time. Holden says that he would never be able to make it through if he had to go to war, and he makes it clear the his brother D.B. went to war and made it through. I believe that the time in history was also revealed because right after the war in the 1950's most Americans had money to spend. This helps explain why there were a lot of people out and ready to go to the movies on that Sunday when Holden was on Broadway. I think that The Catcher in the Rye really displayed the time period in history by showing the social issues, behaviors, and historical events that set the story in the late 1940's to the early 1950's.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Back Bay, 2001. Print.

Blog #34: The Catcher in the Rye

I feel like the story, The Catcher in the Rye, does not really have a hero. The book is about the experiences of the story's protagonist, Holden Caulfield. I think that Holden is a very cynical character. Holden thinks that other people are motivated my selfishness. Holden tries to hide behind cynicism. He think that if he does not think about the reality of growing up, becoming an adult, and being thrown out into the real word. Or should I say "falling off" into the real adult life. I think that Holden need a close friend. I do not really have very much sympathy for Holden's lack of friends because he always seems to be pushing others away. Holden need a friend, but he criticizes others. I think that he needs to make more effort to make friends because he always seems to be making up an excuse as to why he cannot hang out with somebody. When we does hang out with somebody or goes on a date with a girl, he always seems to blow it. His age is sometimes a show stopper because he wants to be friends with the three women he met at the club, but because he was not old enough to be served alcohol he felt like they could not connect. I also see the reverse though in Holden because he becomes friends with the blonde one because she was a really good dancer. It seemed to me like Holden would get himself into a situation that he could not handle so he thought that he needed to make up some sort of way to excuse himself from the scene. Holden did not really have very good social skills. He seemed to judge people, but I think that some of the time Holden was not accurate when he judged others. Holden did not want to associate with the "phonies" that actually went to school and cared about it. This is another reason why I think that Holden has some sort of mental illness because the mentally ill people have a hard time communicating with others and making new friends on their own.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Back Bay, 2001. Print.

Blog #33: The Catcher in the Rye

I think that one of the themes addressed by Salinger was the pain in growing up. I think that Holden was simply trying to not grow up. He did not like changes, and he wanted everything in life to stay the exact same. I notice that Holden talked about the Museum of Natural History, and he said that every time he went into the museum everything was in the exact same spot it was the last time he saw it. Each animal was doing the same thing that they were every other time Holden saw them. I think that Holden probably has some sort of mental illness because I think that a lot of times the mentally impaired people have a really hard time adjusting to changes in life. Holden was not very smart because he could not pass all of his classes at Pencey Academy. In chapter nine when Holden says, "Sex is something that I just do not understand. I swear to God, I just do not." (Salinger 82) This one instance shows me that Holden has a hard time admitting that he does not understand something. He has to "swear to God" so that he believes that the reader really understands that he has no clue about the topic at hand which in this case happened to be sex. I that it is really weird how Holden says, "In my mind, I'm probably the biggest sex maniac you ever saw" (Salinger 81). I guess Holden just cannot connect what is going through his mind to what is actually happening in reality. Holden seems like a really confused, depressed and out of shape kind of guy. I think that the theme is illustrated again when he goes to Mr. Antolini's house. Holden's experiences in the novel reveal the shallowness of his conception. I think that the most obvious display of the theme I have mentioned above was his dream of standing on the cliff catching the kids that come too close to falling of the edge. I think that Holden wants to stay young for all of his life, and he wants to help other children be the same way.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Back Bay, 2001. Print.

Blog #32: The Catcher in the Rye

I noticed that there were many causes and losses, but not so much many gains throughout The Catcher in the Rye. The very first cause that I noticed was Holden's failing out of the Pencey Academy. This caused the whole plot of how Holden was going to adjust and make it back home after his parents had time to digest the news of his failure. I think that Holden was a very pessimistic person because he never saw the positive side of any situation. I think that because he was rebelling against the "phony" people of the world, Holden felt like he has to had that bad to the bone kind of attitude towards life. I think that the book really lacked the positive thoughts and feelings. Most of the time the main character is focused on the good things in life, but for Holden, that is not the case. I think that Holden loses hope. He thinks that because he cannot focus and do well in school that he is just going to give on school and try to get along in life without proper schooling. He says that he will just stand at the edge of a cliff and catch the children that are about to fall off. I think that this symbolizes the fact that some children "fall" into the adult world before they are old and mature enough to handle it. Okay, now for the gains in the novel. I think that Holden felt joy in the lyrics of the song which went, " If a body catch a body coming through the rye," (Salinger 150). Holden said that the song made him feel not so depressed inside. The other gain that I thought effected Holden was when his sister Phoebe was riding the carousel. He found so much joy in watching her go around on the brown horse that he sat there in the rain almost crying because he was so happy.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Back Bay, 2001. Print.

Blog #31: The Catcher in the Rye

Oh, my, gosh! This is the beginning of the end! I will now begin to write blogs about the third and final book of my summer English 332 reading career- The Catcher in the Rye. First of all I would like to say that this was by far my favorite of the summer reading novels, but on to question number one- What does the writing reveal about the author's values and attitudes? From what perspective does he or she write? This novel is written in first person from the point of view of Holden Caulfield. The author, J.D. Salinger, uses both thoughts and feelings to tell Holden's story. I think that this chosen narrator type was really good for the story line because it was good to know about Holden's thoughts about his expulsion from Pencey Academy. The author used a really good narrator for this book in my eyes. I think that the J.D. Salinger really made it apparent that he does not like the way people are about movies and live performances. He really used Holden to show that the movies and plays do not appeal to him. I think that this is probably the way that a lot of authors feel because they would rather people be reading book in their spare time and not spending so much time going to the movies and even getting ready to go to the movies. I think that the author is probably not a very religious guy because of the crude language that he uses in his writing, but I thought it was kind of ironic that he talked about becoming a member of the Catholic monastery without being Catholic. In chapter seven Holden says to Ackley, "Listen. What's the routine on joining a monastery?"..."Do you have to be Catholic and all?" (Salinger 65) I think the two words at the end of this quote really stood out to me. "And all?" This obviously reveals that Holden has absolutely no idea what is involved in practicing the Catholic faith. Ackley and Holden then get into an argument over Ackley's religion and whether or not Holden was "making cracks" about Ackley's Catholic faith. I think that the writing reveals that J.D. Salinger does not practice a strong faith and his morals may not be up to par.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Back Bay, 2001. Print.

Blog #30: The Grapes of Wrath

After reading The Grapes of Wrath, I found the ending extremely disturbing! It ends up with the Joad family going into a barn. There is a young boy in there along with his father. His father is in really horrible shape. He has not eaten in six days (Steinbeck 454). First of all, that is a long time! I do not think most people could handle not eating for only one day! I do not eat breakfast most of the time, but ninety percent of the time I have both lunch and dinner. So I find it amazing that the man even lasted six days without eating a single thing. If I recall correctly, most people can only go like three days without eating. That may be drinking water though. But three days without water sounds like an awfully long time. Either way, the man has not eaten in six days and is very sick. One of the characters in The Grapes of Wrath, Rose of Sharon, was pregnant. She had just given birth to a still baby. That means that the baby was dead before it was even born. When they get to the barn, she sees this man who cannot eat anymore. He cannot eat because he has gone so long without food that his stomach would not be able to handle any real solid food, so Rose of Sharon says that she will breast feed him considering she has all of that milk, and no child. I think this is so weird. I would kind of understand if it had been the young boy that needed the milk, but it is a grown man. I believe that this was a very sincere action, and I think that because she politely asked everyone else to leave. I think of it differently because she was not just doing that to show off or put out, she really seemed to care about the health of the starving man. The Grapes of Wrath was pretty interesting book to say the least.

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. NY: Penguin, 1939. Print.

Blog #29: The Grapes of Wrath

Another quote that I thought stuck out was from The Grapes of Wrath. It read, “It ain’t that big. The whole United Sates ain’t that big. It ain’t that big. It ain’t big enough. There ain’t room enough for you an’ me, for your kind an’ my kind, for rich and poor together all in one country, for thieves and honest men. For hunger and fat.(Steinbeck 120)” I think that this attitude is used a lot in today’s world. The world is so diverse, especially the United States of America. We have all types of ethnic groups, we have all different kinds of money classes, and we have just a big diversity of life. I think that people kind of have that attitude that the world is not big enough for all of us. I feel like the world was made this big for a reason. We are all welcome here, and we need to accept that others are welcome here too. I am a white middle class person, and I have no problem with an African American lower class person, or maybe an Asian upper class person. We all belong here. I think Americans, more than others sometimes, feel that the United States should only be for those born in it. But if you really think about, some of the best doctors have come from India, and some of the best sports players have come from the Caribbean. This world is really so diverse. The United States is a place for all people, and everyone should be accepted. I think that this quote really goes along with the way that the Joad’s were feeling as they were trying to get jobs. They were stuck in crowded places left only with hope of a job. They felt like the plantation was not big enough for everyone, and they were right and wrong. True, that particular plantation was way over-crowded, but there were other places for people to find jobs. There is room for all types of people in this world.

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. NY: Penguin, 1939. Print.

Blog #28: The Grapes of Wrath

One of my favorite quotes is from The Grapes of Wrath. In all three books I read, a lot of the passages really go right along with life. The line in The Grapes of Wrath reads, “The bank is something more than men, I tell you. It’s the monster. Men made it, but they can’t control it” (Steinbeck 32). I think this is so very true with life. Money is the underlining problem to almost any problem that anyone faces. It could seem like it is the furthest thing from money, but money factors in someway. Money is a actually quite a horrible thing. Those with money are usually the most heartless and unhappy. And those who lack a lot of money, are miserable because they do not think they have enough. Money is truly the root of all evil. I feel like the people with money think that they are better than everyone else, and are definitely not afraid of showing it. I feel that the people who are poor, so to say, are embarrassed of themselves and hide in the shadows of our world. That is really no way to live, either way. Then there are those in the middle class who, I do not even know how to explain. I think most of our area of people in the school district are well-off middle class. But there are always those who are exceptions. I am content with the life I live. I always think about what it would be like to have more money, but then I remember that money is the root of all evil. Then I am fine with being where I am. I have my own job, and I pay anything that is not considered essential according to my mom's discretion. I am being taught the responsibility of money and work. I feel like Tom Joad and the others in this novel already realize this. They know how hard it is to live sometimes, and they are trying their best.

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. NY: Penguin, 1939. Print.

Blog #27: The Grapes of Wrath

I really enjoyed Tom Joad in The Grapes of Wrath. I feel like he was that character that had underlining “thing” about him. He is just very interesting and kind of confusing to me. While in prison he has shaped himself into a whole new person. He is living for the day and is not worrying about the future. To him, the future seems so far away and something that should not even be thought about it. I tend to agree. I feel like in order to go into the future, you must first survive the day. If you are always worrying about the future and what it has in store for you, then you will spend all of your time just worrying about it. I do think about the future and what I am going to do, but then I remember that in order to get there, I must first get past today. I feel like Tom kind of has the same point of view. But throughout the novel, you realize that Tom is destined to be more than a day to day person. I guess our world needs both kinds of people. They need those who are just living for the day, and they need those who are committed to bettering the future. I feel like I am kind of both going back to my previous statement. I feel like that I am living for the day in order to better the future. I need to get done what I need done in order to help the future. It is kind of confusing when I think about it. But Tom is just an extraordinary character. He helps Jim Casy with his teachings, and I feel like he does a great job. At the end of the novel, Tom leaves the kind of life that most of the men of that time had, and sets out to help the world around him. Tom Joad was definitely one of my favorite characters because he was so intriguing throughout the whole novel.

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. NY: Penguin, 1939. Print.

Blog #26: The Grapes of Wrath

My initial opinion on The Grapes of Wrath was very negative. I heard people say that is was just a long, boring book you have to read for English class. So I judged the book before even reading it. I guess in the end, it definitely was not my favorite book of the summer reading, but it was not as bad as I thought it would be. I think the adventure is really what intrigued me. I liked the plot because it was pretty much based on fact. Many people traveled for jobs and for food. I also liked the characters and they all pretty much tied together. Most of them were family, but then there was not just random characters that I can recall. Everyone was somehow related. It was not necessarily family related, but they one knew this one who knew another one and so on. I also like kind of the tragedies in the story. I know that sounds a little weird, but I like a little suspense. When tragedies happen, it makes it more realistic because that is the way life is. Some authors lie to sugar-coat everything and then you do not really get the whole thing. I like when things are to the point and are straight on. I guess this novel just is just kind of intriguing to me. Like I said, it was not my favorite, but I really did not think it was that bad. I really liked Tom Joad. He was such a bad boy, but yet I thought that he (most of the time) acted with good intentions. I really enjoyed him. Kind of going back to things being sugar-coated, I liked how there was genuine hardships. People of this world need to know things. They can not just hide in the shadows of the world. They will never get anywhere. Overall, The Grapes of Wrath was not what I expected, but I still enjoyed it.

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. NY: Penguin, 1939. Print.

Blog #25: The Grapes of Wrath

Woah, We're halfway there; whoa-oh livin' on a prayer! (:

Okay, back to The Grapes of Wrath! When I begin to plan what I am going to write this blog about, I keep thinking back to the previous blog post about the behavior and the social issues of the time period. I think that this book was much more historically accurate than The Old Man and the Sea! I actually could follow the historical connection between the reality and the fictional story line. I think that the accuracy of the historical elements throughout the story made the book much more interesting. The author, John Steinbeck, obviously wants to show the social structure in the population. He thinks that it is important to show how the migrating farmers were treated during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. I noticed in chapter twenty-seven "Sack's full now...Argue. Scale man says you got rocks to make weight. How bout him? His scales fixed." (Steinbeck 407) This show the relationship between the workers and the bosses. It is absolutely ridiculous that the bosses use the migrant workers for all they can get. They put up the signs to advertise the work in the cotton fields and the wages are decent, but they are going to make the workers pay for the bags to collect the cotton?! I think that is absurd! Even at that they are still going to abuse the workers by rigging the scales so they do not weight correctly. I do see the fact that the workers are putting the rocks in the bags because they need the money. They are not simply doing this to upset the bosses or try to abuse them, they actually need the money to live. I am very glad that in today's business there are laws and other rules to keep the employers in line. I sympathize the migrating workers who were not treated fairly, but I also realize that they tried to cheat the system which do not make me very proud of them.

Bon Jovi, Jon, Richie Sambora, and Desmond Child. "Livin on a Prayer." Slippery When Wet. Bon Jovi. 1986.

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. NY: Penguin, 1939. Print.

Blog #24: The Grapes of Wrath

John Steinbeck uses many different techniques to keep the readers engaged and entertained until finishing the whole book. I think that the two most commonly used tools used in this book to keep the novel entertaining were suspense and mystery. I thought that the use of the small descriptive chapters that did not include the story's main characters was another strong literary technique to keep the readers hooked. Those small chapters really seemed to help explain society's situation and also the conditions that the people of the 1930's were dealing with. I personally think that this strategy was a good one because the readers were completely able to understand the non-fiction parts of this book. I always have a problem with reading historical fiction books because I think that I have a hard time deciding which parts of the novel are fiction and which parts of the novel are non-fiction. In this book though I did not have that problem because the author made it really obvious to the readers. I noticed that the book used a lot of suspense combined with mystery. I think that throughout the whole book suspense was building because the reader was hoping inside that the Joad family would be able to find a sufficient home in California and be able to live a less stressful life and live out their dreams. I noticed the mystery and suspense building in chapter five. "They ignored hills and gulches, water courses, fences, houses." (Steinbeck 33) I think that this quote was an eye opener to me. I guess I never expected that they would begin to plow over peoples' houses to clear the farmers off the land. I think that they should have probably given the farmers some leeway because they had no control over the weather situation what so ever. By using a controversial topic for the book I think that the author made a good decision to use mystery and suspense to keep the readers hooked.

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. NY: Penguin, 1939. Print.

Blog #23: The Grapes of Wrath

Well, we are back to the same question... Why do we still read this book? I believe that this book is considered an American Classic novel because of its characters and their journey. In all of the classics that I have ever read, there seems to be one main hero that stands out, but in this book I did not find that to be a fact. I think that the reality of this book appeals to the readers because this actually happened and we have all learned about the Great Depression and/or the Dust Bowl of the 1930's. I think that the combination of the reality and the timeless universal theme really make this book the great American Classic that it is today. I am not sure if this is really directly related to the timelessness of this novel, but I always wonder what this book was like when it first came out. I understand that we read these books for English class, but when did this specific book become a "classic." I guess that I just do not understand when this book began to become known as a classic. Are there books that just came out this year that are going to be considered "classics" down the road. If so, what book, and my biggest question.. when? I believe that we can learn a lot just by reading this novel. I learned that even if the conditions are not favorable for your intended outcome, keep trying towards your goal and give at least one hundred percent effort. The resulting consequence may not be positive, but at least if you give your all you can tell others and your heart that you did your absolute best possible work. I think that the book The Grapes of Wrath is also considered a classic novel that we still read today because this book appeals to everyone. I did not notice that the book was targeting any specific audience, so I think that the author probably intended for adults or young adults from all walks of life would enjoy to read this timeless novel.

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. NY: Penguin, 1939. Print.

Blog #22: The Grapes of Wrath

I believe that the book, The Grapes of Wrath, is probably the most historically accurate book that I have read this summer. I think that the author, John Steinbeck, has done an excellent job explaining how things actually were back in the day of the 1930's. I think that by using the extra, smaller more descriptive chapters throughout the book, the author was able to really show reality in the social issues, social behavior, and the setting of the accurate time period. I saw that the author was really good at showing the social issues right from the very beginning. The other made it apparent that the story was set in the Great Depression in the Dust Bowl. I thought that it was really interesting how the author was able to portray the scene of the dust and sand by saying "The dawn came, but no day." (Steinbeck 2) I cannot even begin to imagine if I looked out by window and could not see anything because everything was blocked out by the dust. The sun is extremely bright, so I cannot even begin to think of how much dust really was up in the air and able to black out the sun enough for night and day not to be able to be distinguished. I looked at pictures on the Internet of the Dust Bowl and I feel like the author did a great job of accurately painting the picture in the readers' minds. I think that the social behavior was explained really well in the fifth chapter when the landowners said, " You'll have to get off the land, the plows'll go right through the dooryard." (Steinbeck 33) This proves that the landowners did not treat the farmers with respect, and that goes to show that the behavior of the higher social class was not the greatest. I do not agree with most of the events and behaviors in this book, but I realize that that was just how things went back in the 1930's.

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. NY: Penguin, 1939. Print.

"The Dust Bowl of the 1930s." The Wessels Living History Farm, the Story of Agricultural Innovation. Web. 17 Aug. 2011.

Blog #21: The Grapes of Wrath

I cannot specifically say that I saw only one character stand out as a hero in The Grapes of Wrath. I saw several characters acting as heroes at different times. I think that the fist hero that stuck out to me in the book was the truck driver. Without the truck driver I believe that Tom Joad would not have made it home in time before his family left for the journey west. Even though the truck driver broke the rules of his management, I still saw him as a hero because he went out of his own way to help someone who happened to be less fortunate than himself. I think that the conversation they had in the truck leads me to see the next hero in the book. Tom Joad. I think that Mr. Joad should be seen as a hero because he is caring, compassionate, and honest. I see him as being a caring person because he is going back home to his family because he knows that they will need all the help that they can get, and Tom feels like he should be there for his family in the time of need. I saw Tom also as being a compassionate hero because he helped out his family even if it meant he had to do something that he might not have really wanted to do. I think that this is a HUGE part of being a hero. In all of the super hero movies, the hero is helping someone inferior. I think that the only reason why someone should be considered a hero is if they display care and compassion toward others that they might not even know personally. The third reason that I see Tom Joad as a hero is that he is completely honest. Tom has served four years of jail time, but he is going to tbe the first to tell people what happened. I like the fact that he does not wait for the truck driver to ask him why he was in jail, he just goes ahead an explains it all on his own. I do think that there were other major heroes in the book including Tom's Mother, and Rose of Sharon, but they did not seem to be quite as significant.

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. NY: Penguin, 1939. Print.

Blog #20: The Grapes of Wrath

While I was reading, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, I noticed several themes. I think that the greatest of the themes that I noticed was that of Man's inhumanity to Man. I think that it is really apparent that the people of California treated the migrating farmers. I think that this happens in a lot of social situations. The greater people in the social structure seem to maneuver the people who happen to be lower in the structure whether it is the jocks and the nerds or the rich and the poor. I think that the people who are higher up think that they have to mistreat the lower people so that they can keep their status as high as possible. I am not sure why human nature has to make people think that they should mistreat other people to become the best or ruling people.

I noticed how in chapter nineteen Steinbeck portrays the state as the product of land-hungry squatters who took the land from the Mexicans and called it their own. I did not like the fact that the people of California were straight up mean. I think that they should not have taken the land away from the Mexicans because they clearly knew that the land was already taken. Of course they had to be the ones to get what they want because they are higher up in the social structure, and according to the grace of human nature that is how things go around here.

The higher people (In this case the Californians) feel like they have to separate themselves from the lower people, so I believe that they are the primary source of all of the evil and suffering in the world. They clearly treat the migrants like animals because they scoot them on to the next camp to the next as they all denied the migrants livable wages. Because the whole story was revolved around how the migrants were mistreated, I thought that this was the most noticeable theme in the novel.

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. NY: Penguin, 1939. Print.

Blog #19: The Grapes of Wrath

I believe that there were many causes, gains, and losses in The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. I saw many major conflicts in the book one of which is the farmers versus nature. The drought of the 1930's forced the farmers to migrate westward to California because they were not able to pay the landowners of their farms. All of the migrating farmers caused the local people of California to frown upon all of the migrating farmers. Overall I think that the conflict was between responding to hardship and disaster by focusing on personal needs and risking personal safety for a common good. I see this conflict because the Joad family was responding to the hardship of the drought and the dust bowl and they ended up facing many small disasters along the way sometimes risking safety just to get safely to California and have a steady income to get along in life with the bare minimum essentials.

The dust bowl caused the farmers to lose all of their crops because of the harsh conditions. Because the farmers were not making a good income from the sale of their crops, they were unable to pay the landowners the rent. I think that the whole plot/ story line is just a chain reaction. Each event conflict somehow leads to the next.

I believe that society gained hope. I think that the workers begin to realize if they work together, there is still hope for society. In chapter eight I noticed a quote, "When they're all workin' together, not one fella for another fella, but one fella kind of harnessed to the whole shebang. . . that's holy" (Steinbeck 43). I thought that this really proved my point that if all of the workers work together towards a common goal, they should still think they have hope.

Although it did not seem like there were many gains in this book, I think that the people definitely gained hope. It did not take any time at all to think of the causes and the losses, but the gains took me a while. I think that the only major gain for the Joads and other members of society was hope.

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. NY: Penguin, 1939. Print.

Blog #18: The Grapes of Wrath

I believe that the book The Grapes of Wrath reveals many things about the author, John Steinbeck. I think that the way he has the novel set up is really good. I like the fact that he tells the story of the Joad family's journey of travel to California, but he also highlights the reality of the conditions. I think that the style that he chose to use was a very good choice for this story line and I think that it made the book much more interesting because I felt like I could actually understand the conditions and the struggles of the Joad family. I noticed that in the very first chapter I kind of thought that it seem to resemble the style of the Bible. I noticed that the style of the shorter descriptive chapters used a great deal of poetic language and style. This reveals that the author really wanted the reader to get the picture, but often used short symbolic stories throughout those most often odd numbered descriptive chapters. The chapters about the Joad family's travels are mostly the even numbered chapters, and they seemed to be more realistic representations of the family's situation and the conditions they were facing. I believe that the author has written this selection from the point of an anonymous narrator. The narrator seems to be all-knowing though, and I think that the author's chosen narrator is very sympathetic to the migrants, workers, and also the poor. The narrator seems to simply state the facts about the Joad family, but they seem to dance around the point in the more descriptive chapters in the novel. I had noticed that the narrator was pretty much straight to the point when they were talking about the journey, but they did not want to totally shock anyone with the reality of the conditions so they most often used symbolism or other literary elements to get he point across with the harshness of the conditions.

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. NY: Penguin, 1939. Print.

Blog #17: The Old Man and the Sea

(I have no idea why this blog is double spaced... because I typed it on blogger like I did all of my other ones...? I'm sorry, but I can't figure out how to fix it.)

I thought that the book, The Old Man and the Sea, was a really easy book to understand, but there was one topic that I really did not get. It was the lions on the beach. Ernest Hemingway referenced the lions sleeping on the beach many times and I do not think that I ever came to an understanding on why he included that into this book. I do recognize the fact that the old man associates the lions with his youth, but I have no idea why they were included three times in the novella. I hope that by not understanding this that I did not miss anything too huge in the book, but that was the only thing that I was really clueless about. Maybe I would have known if I had gone to the online book chat, but of course, I forgot when it was and that night passed by without me even thinking about it. I guess I really do not get it because he is dreaming about the lions on the beach of Africa, but the story takes place in Cuba and it ever talked about him going to Africa and seeing lions on the beach. Do lions even go on the beach? Well I have never heard of there being any lions on the beach anywhere. I have never been to Africa, but I have seen quite a few pictures of African lions and none of them have ever been of lions on the beach. I wonder what made Mr. Hemingway make the old man dream about lions. Why didn't he dream of a different animal like monkeys or elephants. I probably have missed something really important in the story, but I guess my brain simply does not have any ideas about why there are lions in a book about an old man that lives in a fishing town in Cuba. Santiago has not actually seen any lions in the book, so I do not know why we would have dreams about the especially sleeping on the beach.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 2003. Print.

Blog #16: The Old Man and the Sea

I hate having cuts on my hands or on my feet. I use my hands for basically everything I do, like lifting things, or holding things, or even touching things. In The Old Man and the Sea, the old man's hand gets absolutely ruined from the ropes. Instead of stopping to take care of it, he stuck it in the saltwater until it stopped hurting and then pretty much just ignored it and tried not to use it very much. That is ridiculous. It is incredible. The old man was like, who cares, I have a fish to catch. He had a huge cut across his entire palm, and he did not let that stop him from what he was doing. That is absolutely remarkable. I gained a lot of respect for him when that happened. I think that the old man was a very strong person, not only physically, but also mentally. The old man was so devoted to catching that fish and keeping it attached to the line on his skiff that he did not even care that his had was completely wounded from holding on to the rope so tightly. I think that it is cool that the author of this book gave the old man such strong will power. I definitely would have given up on holding the rope with my wounded hand, but I guess if it hurt him so bad that he felt like his hand was numbed, then it really would not matter which hand he held the rope in. This episode shows that the old man is both physically strong and also mentally strong. It shows that he is physically strong because he is fighting the pain and continuing to use his injured hand to hold the fishing line. I think that it also proves his mental strength because he has the will power to keep holding on. I admire Santiago's strength and I aspire to have good traits like him.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 2003. Print.

Blog #15: The Old Man and the Sea

I seem to be writing most of my "free write" blogs about things in the book that I am questioning, so I hope that these blogs are at least close to what you are looking for. Well this blog is going to talk about the old man and why I think that he never got married and started a family of his own. I am kind of disappointed in the old man for not getting married because then we would not ever be lonely. I like the fact that the young boy was always there for Santiago. This made me not feel so bad for the old man because I knew that he did have someone that he had a close relationship with.

I wonder why Santiago did not ever get married. I think that he sounds like a really nice guy, and he possesses some very strong character traits. I am really stumped when I try to think of a reason why he would not want to get married and have a family of his own. Maybe when he was growing up he did not like his mother, so he would not want to have kids that may also not like their mother. This is so mind boggling to me, but if I really think about today's world, there really are some people who just simply choose not to get married and have a family. Some people are so devoted to what they do for a living, and some other people are animal lovers and would rather live alone with several animals. I think that the first reason I stated is probably the most likely for Santiago because he seems to be really devoted to his fishing career even though he may not be the best fisherman. I can relate to the old man because I have the same situation with golf. I love to play it, but I really am not that great. I am sure that other people in tournaments I play in wonder why I golf so much, but I enjoy playing it even thought I am kind of bad.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 2003. Print.

Blog #14: The Old Man and the Sea

This is going to be a really weird statement to begin my blog, but... I wonder if the old man ever got bored while he was at sea all day. Sometimes when I go fishing with my dad or with my grandpa I get bored. I think that it would be really hard to go out to sea everyday with a good mentality if I have not caught a fish in over eighty days. I admire the old man for having the perseverance, but I have no idea how he does it. Like I said when I do not catch a fish for like ten or twenty minutes I get frustrated and start to give up on fishing in that same spot. I think that where you are fishing has a really big impact on the size of the fish that you are going to catch. Santiago obviously know that he had to go way out into the Gulf of Mexico in order to make a really good catch, but he also knew that the fish he would deal with would be a lot stronger and more accommodated in the deep water that the old man was not really used to at all.

I also wonder if the old man ever doubted himself. I believe that the author makes it sound like the old man had an almost flawless character make up, but no one is perfect, so there has to be some flaw. I think that the flaw in the old man was that he did not always have confidence in himself. I believe that in order to be "lucky" at something, you have to believe that you have what it takes and you can do it. The old man probably did not have the greatest confidence after he had gone so many days without catching a fish. I think that I may have already stated this in a previous blog, but I would have lost all confidence in my fishing skills and I probably would have moved on to something other than fishing.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 2003. Print.

Blog #13: The Old Man and the Sea

The setting of the Old Man and the Sea is in a little fishing village on the coast of Cuba. There really is not much to it. Most of the men there are fishermen. The wives, like most wives of that era, were stay-at-home women. The men made the money and worked out on the sea all day. The women cleaned the house and made sure that everything ran smoothly. The men came home, expecting a home cooked meal on the table, and the women made sure the man’s expectations were fulfilled. All of the women, in my opinion, were there for show. The men wanted the women to always be clean, cut, and gorgeous.

Then, secondly, the women had to be able to do all of the “women’s” work. I do not think that is what or how it should be, but that was the lifestyle back then. It was not just in the Cuban fishing village, but all over the world. The men were typical men, like I already said, of that time. I think some people still have that mentality today, but it is not quite true. There are plenty of families where the wife stays at home and the men work. Then again there is probably more families where both the woman and the man work. The children of the families in the Cuban fishing village were just kids. The little girls followed their mother around so they could learn how to do all of the housework that they would be expected to do once they were older. The young boys followed older brothers or their dad around to learn their trade. The kids did go to school and learned. But, at a certain age, the boys would be expected to become an apprentice to someone and be on the right route to finding a job. The setting and style of life was pretty normal in that day and age’s society. Though it has changed in today’s world, some people still have the old mentality.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 2003. Print.