Catcher in the Rye Essay Themes of Society and Growing Up

Themes of Society and Growing Up in The Catcher in the Rye In reading J.D. Salingers novel, The Catcher in the Rye, one is compelled to have a very strong reaction to the contents of the book. Whether that reaction is negative or positive, it is unquestionable that the reader will give the novel a second thought after reading it. There could be many reasons why this novel has such an impact on the readers. It may be the use of Salingers catchy slang phrases, bitingly sarcastic and usually negative, grabbing the attention of the reader. Another possibility is Holden, the novels subject and lead character. He describes everything as phony, is constantly in search of sincerity, and represents the first hero of adolescent†¦show more content†¦It is a widespread belief that much of Holden Caulfields candid outlook on life reflects issues relevant to the youth of today (Davis 317-18). Before his novel, J.D. Salinger was of basic non-literary status, having written for years without notice from critics or the general public. The Catch er in the Rye was his first step onto the literary playing field. This initial status left Salinger, as a serious writer, almost unique as a sort of free agent, not bound to one or more schools of critics, like many of his contemporaries were. This ability to write freely, his status as a nobody in the literary world, was Salingers greatest asset. Rather than to scope inside Salingers mind and create a greatness for him, we are content instead to note him for what he is: a beautifully deft, professional performer who gives us a chance to catch quick, half-amused, half-frightened glimpses of ourselves and our contemporaries, as he confronts us with his brilliant mirror images (Stevenson 217). Novels about teenagers rarely capture the melodrama of growing up and having those feelings of unworthiness and uselessness as this one did. Aside from all of thse clichà ©d growing pains that teens enjoy sympathizing with, however, there is still that side of Holdens character that is not quite optimistic but hinting of a softer side of him. This mannerism is inShow MoreRelatedComparison and Contrast of a Separate Peace and Catcher in the Rye1515 Words   |  7 PagesComparison and Contrast Essay A Separate Peace and The Catcher in the Rye The coming of age novels, The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D. Salinger, and A Separate Peace, written by John Knowles, both interpret the lives of adolescent boys journeying through their conflicts and inner confusion to reach the level of maturity. Salinger and Knowles both discern the literal ways a typical teenager grows up with the help of literary elements such as plot, setting, character development, conflictsRead MoreDaisy Caulfield : Minor Character1424 Words   |  6 PagesA minor character in The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D. Salinger, is Phoebe Caulfield, the main character, Holden’s younger sister. Holden describes his sister as not only the smartest kid in the world, but also a great dancer, and a very sympathetic listener. She’s also known as the funniest little sister ever. She is first introduced to readers when Holden says: â€Å"You d like her. I mean if you tell old Phoebe something, she knows exactly what the hell you re talking about. I mean you canRead MoreCatcher in the Rye4413 Words   |  18 PagesThe Catcher in the Rye â€Å"Is The Catcher in the Rye, as a work of literature still relevant for today’s youth?† Name: Sara Sigurdson Course: English A1 Supervisor: Mr. Peter Steadman Word count: 3851 Candidate number: 00136022 Table of Contents Content Page Number Abstract 3 Introduction 4 The Actual Catcher in the Rye 4 The Sexual Matter 5 The Caulfield Family 6 Narrator and Protagonist 8 Role Model 9 Mr. Antolini 10 Targeted Audience 10 Guidance 12 Read MoreReview Of The Perks Of Being A Wallflower 1569 Words   |  7 PagesEssay Organizer Adolescence is the stage in human development that prepares individuals for the transition from childhood to adulthood. Stephen Chobsky’s novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, are critically acclaimed coming of age stories that document the turbulence of adolescence. The protagonists of these novels, Charlie and Holden Caulfield, both encounter common themes in adolescence such as alienation, confusion of sexuality, and loss ofRead MoreHolden s Journey Toward Maturity2555 Words   |  11 Pages(Salinger 60). Holden’s concern for where the ducks go proves his anxiety and Holden feels he lacks anywhere safe to head to go in the world. Holden shows a growing ability to adapt to adult life. He also says people cannot rely on others to help them and sometimes people just have to do things without the assistance of others. Furthermore, part of growing up is to be able to go the distance for one’s own self. Th e ducks represent the Holden’s journey toward maturity because, throughout the novel, we seeRead MoreThe Catcher In The Rye: Why It Is An American Classic?2178 Words   |  9 PagesThis essay was written by a 16 Year Old (2006) in a selective high school (Sydney) in the top English class (later on became Dux of English). Was chosen to be the model essay, so I guess its an A+ or 10/10. 2000 words. *********************The Catcher In The Rye has been renowned as a classic due to a wide range of factors which have been able to garner appeal to the audience throughout the ages. JD Salinger has created a character- Holden Caulfield, which the audience can easily identify andRead MoreAnalysis Of I m Just A Kid 1825 Words   |  8 Pagescare for them siblings, grandparents, friends, a whole list, and it is very unlikely that at young ages kids would be left out because at young ages people are taught to respect one another, play nice, and be friends. However as time goes on kids grow up into teenagers, and eventually have to enter the adult world, which is completely different, they go through a transition were things aren’t handed to them they have to work for what they want. Generally individuals will have to adapt and create newRead MoreMacbeth vs Holden1435 Words   |  6 PagesShakespeare wrote the play Macbeth using Macbeth as a protagonist in this old English play. Holden Caulfield is also the main character in â€Å"the catcher in the rye† written by J.D Salinger. This essay will elaborate on the similarities of the characters and the difference in their individual societies. What external forces are used? Are they honest, do they lie? What kind of influence are women? I will illustrate the strategies used between the characters and different qualities they obtain. HoldenRead MoreEmotional Damage, Hidden Truths, and Accepting Responsibility in J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye 1996 Words   |  8 PagesEmotional Damage, Hidden Truths, and Accepting Responsibility in J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye When one finds themselves in a reader’s position, they search for things in the novel that they can relate to. J. D. Salinger wrote a story that contained countless topics that people, past, present and future, can relate to in several ways. The novel follows the story of a troubled boy named Holden who leaves school due to his poor academic performance, an altercation with his roommate, and complicationsRead MoreLiterary Criticism : The Free Encyclopedia 7351 Words   |  30 Pages20th century, it spread to Germany, Britain,[12] France,[13][14] and several other countries around the globe.[15] The genre translates fairly directly into cinematic form, the coming-of-age film. Plot outline[edit] A Bildungsroman relates the growing up or coming of age of a sensitive person who goes in search of answers to life s questions with the expectation that these will result from gaining experience of the world. The genre evolved from folklore tales of a dunce or youngest son going

What Is Love Essay - 796 Words

Challis Maxwell Philosophy 369 Due Monday Oct. 19th What is Love? According to Webster’s dictionary the word love is described as a strong, positive emotion of regard and affection. But in society today it seems as if we throw the word love around in such a loose manner it really has lost its meaning. Ranging from â€Å"I love Coach purses†, to actually telling a person â€Å"I love you† is now a common thing. Throughout this essay I’ll be taking a philosophical approach to help give a better understanding of what love is according to the speakers in the Symposium, and which conception of love I believe is most compelling. In the Symposium, each speaker decides to compose his own eulogy of Love. It all starts on page 9 with Eryximachus†¦show more content†¦I differentiate between the two as Common Love being a one night stand. There’s affection, passion, and eroticism, but there isn’t any emotional satisfaction. It’s like trying to fill some type of void that you’r e missing in your life. Heavenly Love on the other hand is that can’t eat, can’t sleep, heartache when you leave feeling that is truly undeniable. My favorite quote that defines this type of love is from the movie Wedding Crashers, â€Å"True love is your souls recognition of its counterpoint in another.† Each speaker looks at love in a mysterious and powerful way but with their own twist of ideas added to it. Love is Eros. Love is desire, essence, wholeness, beauty, and so much more according to all the speakers in the Symposium. Eryximachus speaks about how great and wonderful a god Love is, and how his power extends to all aspects of human and divine life. His way of understanding love is to compare it to medicine. And he says on page 19, â€Å"Medicine, in essence, is knowledge of the forms of bodily love as regards to filling and emptying.† I don’t find this argument the most compelling along the lines of breaking down the core concept of love but it helps give a clearer and somewhat more defined definition of what love is. The one statement that is in the Symposium that I agree with is the one spoken by Aristophanes on page 26. He simply puts it as â€Å"love is the name for the desire andShow MoreRelatedWhat Is Love? What It Is?1527 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is Love? When asked the question â€Å"What is Love?† what are some of the first things that come to mind? Some people might say it is an emotion that we experience when we interact with the world around us. People can have love for many things such as money and other material possessions, family and friends, even the world around them. These are just a few examples of how we often use love in our lives. However, love is not only confined to our lives, it is also a very important emotion in religionsRead MoreWhat Is Love?1020 Words   |  5 Pages250 Tu/Thu 10/5/10 What is Love? Love is one of the most difficult words to define. I challenge you to try. You can even go the easy way and simply Google the word â€Å"love†. What you will find is not one but hundreds of definitions along with countless books, movies, and songs all having to do with love. The reason why it is so hard to define love is because there are different forms/stages of love and there are so many things that love can consist of. Also, love can have a different definitionRead MoreWhat is love?872 Words   |  3 PagesLove and passion is the burning sensation that drives humans to lead their lives into new horizons: following the heart hoping it will guide the way. 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These two bonds can be seen as the most real forms of love depicted in TwelfthRead MoreWhat is Love?559 Words   |  2 Pagesdictionary love is a feeling of strong affection for a person. (Merriam-Webster) In my opinion, love is a conjunction of different feelings altogether, when a person is in love they feel happy, sad, excited, and scared everything at the same time. What I am trying to say is that for me there is not real definition for love because nobody can really explain the mix of feelings that happened when one is in love. According to one of Latterell’s assumptions love conquers all, she says that, â€Å"true love willRead MoreWhat Is Love?1409 Words   |  6 Pageswaiting for his response. â€Å"I’m looking at love realistically this time around, instead of through the eyes of romantic delirium.† Julian scoffed. â€Å"You can’t fool me. Save your breath.† David was finding it harder to keep his cool. â€Å"I don’t even know the girl with whom I’m supposed to be in love. The whole thing was kind of an illusion, at least the romantic part. Cecilia was Daniel’s girl.† â€Å"That didn’t bother you this past summer—you were head over heels in love.† â€Å"Yeah, with a girl astral projectingRead MoreWhat is Love?589 Words   |  2 PagesWhat is â€Å"Love†? Love can be defined as different things. Love can be the love between brother and sister, sibling love, like Ender and Val. Love can also be the love between a boyfriend and girlfriend or a husband and wife, like Val and her husband, which the book doesn’t really talk much about, or Novinha and Libo. In strange cases, the love you should have for a girlfriend or wife but you feel that way for your sister, like Miro and Ouanda. Love is one of the weirdest feeling ever and is somethingRead MoreWhat Is Freedom For Love? Essay746 Words   |  3 PagesWhat is Freedom to Love? Some would say that freedom to love is, having no limitations or boundaries. To see everyone equally. 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Love, love, love, we hear it every day, every where , it is used so often that we don’t really give it a thought. The question that needs to be answered is what really is love? Was love created so that hate can be suppressed? Is love something that both man and woman hope for when their world comes crashing down on them? Does love help relief pain and suffering felt by victims of natural disasters? Aphrodite, Venus, Cupid, and Eros were well know as the gods of love and sex by

Motet Music Essay Example For Students

Motet Music Essay The genesis of the motet is, like the biblical birth of Eve, a matter of appendage. In the case of Eve, a rib was removed from Adam and fashioned into a women; the motet was a rib added to pre-existing clausulae. James C. Thomson describes this development as follows: In the thirteenth century, perhaps sooner, it became the practice to add a new text to the upper voice of a clausula. The newly worded, was then called motetus. (Thomson, 56) Despite its somewhat haphazard birth, the form was widely accepted. Grout describes its popularity as: Thousands of motets were written in the thirteenth century; the style spread from Paris throughout France and to all parts of western Europe. (Grout, 99)Originality was not a hallmark of the thirteenth century motet. In fact, of the two essential characteristics of the motet, one was that it was constructed on a cantus firmus, some pre-existent melody (Thomson, 57) The other was that it had at least two different texts. As Grout points out, the st ock of motet melodies, both tenors and upper parts, lay in the public domain; composers and performers freely helped themselves to the music of their predecessors without acknowledgment and altered it without notice. (Grout, 99)A unique characteristic of the motet of this period is the mixing of melodies and rhythms. Alfred Einstein described this technique as: This may be called polymelody, the compulsory combination of the two or more distinct melodies with different rhythms (Einstein, 26) With the acceptance of such combinations came the development of stranger mixtures. Side by side with a sacred liturgical text appeared secular texts of sometimes outrageous contrast. The mixture of sacred and secular text was a result of the fact that less and less notice was taken of the connection between the texts of the tenor and duplum. Einstein theorized this development was arbitrary, however most belief the music is premised on an, internal perception (Bukofzer, 28) and to the musician, to them a detail was a value in itself. (Mathiassen, 70)The motet blended the different planes of music. An additional development in the technique of mixing and adding is that not only was it polyphonic, polyrythmic, and polytextual, but music was now polyglot: one or more vernacular (French) texts might be substituted for Latin ones. (Thomson, 57)During this time, composers of the Notre Dame School concerned themselves with the development of clausulae in rhythmically identical patterns. (Harman, 53) Harman writes: This was not only the culmination of the Notre Dame preoccupation with rhythm, but was also a very important innovation, because it eventually developed into the chief structural device of the fourteenth century motet. (Harman, 53)The structural device alluded to above, goes under name of isorhythm, (same rhythm). At first, this concept of single rhythm was applied solely to the tenor part, but gradually the principle was applied to the other parts. Creating a greater unity and sense of whole to the listener. Philippe de Vitry (1291-1361) was a master of the isorythmic motet. (Thomson, 59) It was he who pioneered the application of the principle to the other parts. He and Guillaume de Machaut (c.1300-c.1377), whose claim that the ear should be used to check a completed composition was the first indication that the combination of the given melodies was beginning to yield to a freer, more individual attitude towards creative art. (Einstein, 34) Machaut was the most prominent practitioner of the strophic motet and preferred the use of French text. (Saide, 625) The fourteenth century also witnessed a change in attitude toward text. The polytextual thirteenth-century motet was replaced by the fourteenth-century forms, which typically had a single text, treated either as a solo (the French ballad) or distributed between the voices in such a way as to keep the words always clearly understandable. (Grout, 157)The development of the motet from the thirtee nth to the fifteenth centuries can be characterized as a gradual turning away from the abstract, nonsensuous principles of construction toward pleasure of sounds for their own sake, and toward a clarity of structure immediately apparent from the music itself, without reference to esoteric meanings. (Grout, 157) Many of the motets written during the fourteenth century were constructed in a fashion that has come to be called isoperiodic. In these the phrases were normally kept at the same length but were laid out so as to produce overlaps between the various voices. (Saide, 625) Up until the fifteenth century, the principle of cantus firmus, or pre-existent melody use, was rigidly adhered to. Womens Liberation Movement EssayTomas Luis de Victoria, a contemporary of Palestrina, was a more subjective composer of the motet. Though his style is like that of Palestrina, Victoria infuses his music with a mystical intensity, a quality which makes it both thoroughly personal and typically Spanish.(Grout, 273)Orlando di Lasso, another great contemporary of Palestrina, composed in a deeply personal tone. In his motets both the over-all form and the details are generated from a pictorial, dramatic approach to the text.(Grout, 274) Lassos In Hora Ultima demonstrates this approach in the abrupt musical depictions of those worldly vanities(Grout, 274)William Byrd, an English contemporary of Palestrina, is noted for his perfection of the imitative techniques of the Continent and, in contrast to Palestrina, his more intimate, subjective language.(Grout, 276)With the end of the sixteenth century, music history ushers in the baroque period. The three hundred year development of the all i mportant motet has laid the foundation of music for the great composers which would follow. The motet is called one of the most important music styles in history and its contributions have been limitless to our music history. Music Essays

The Sixties Essays (2483 words) - Kennedy Family, Bouvier Family

The Sixties Why were the sixties a importance to our country's history? The sixties were an exciting, revolutionary, turbulent time of great social and technological change: assassination, unforgettable fashion, new musical styles, Camelot, civil rights, women's liberation, a controversial and decisive war in Vietnam, the anti-war protest to go along with the war, space exploration and the space race, peace marches, flower power, great TV and film and sexual freedom, and of course the great babyboomers. The sixties also showed Communism coming into the Western hemisphere and thus coming to the Cuban Missile Crisis. Movements towards the end to poverty, helping the environment, and the women's rights all came to be in the sixties. Medical breakthroughs were important in the sixties. This essay explains the events and people of the sixties from 1960 to 1970. One thing in the sixties was the years of the American Camelot. In 1960 a president was elected by the slimmest measure of margin since 1884, John Fitzgerald Kennedy is elected president by just over 100,000 votes(Turbulent Years 23). Some say that John's father bought the election, but the truth is unknown. This election was the first election that was on radio and television. Kennedy and Nixon engaged in the first televised campaign debates. President Kennedy was the youngest man to become president and the youngest president to die in office. President Kennedy was also the first and only Roman Catholic President in history. During President Kennedy's Presidency, he had to make many decisions about the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union. In the sixties the Cold War was heating up. Before President Kennedy came into office, a U-2 plane was shot down in the Soviet Union while spying on the Soviet Union, thus cutting all Diplomatic ties between the Soviet Union and the United States. Amongst other problems President Kennedy faced with the Soviet Union, no other was more serious than the Cuban Missile Crisis. In 1960, Soviet Premier Khrushchev supplied Cuba with nuclear missiles that would put the eastern United States within range of nuclear missile attack. During the summer of 1962, U. S. spy planes flying over Cuba photographed Soviet-managed construction sites and spotted the first missile on October 14. Kennedy consulted with advisors for seven days , discussing the possible means of action. On October 22, Kennedy told the nation about the discovery of the missiles and demanded that the Soviet Union remove the missiles, he also declared the waters around Cuba a quarantine zone. For several tense days, Soviet vessels en route to Cuba avoided the quarantine zone, while Khrushchev and Kennedy discussed the issue through diplomatic channels. Khrushchev, realizing his weak military position, sent a message to Kennedy in which he agreed to remove the missiles. The following day, before the United States could respond to the first note a second note was sent by Khrushchev to try and negotiate terms. Kennedy responded to the first message and an agreement was met for the Soviet missiles to be dismantled and removed from Cuba. In return Kennedy secretly promised not to invade Cuba and to remove older missiles from Turkey. These decisions were perhaps Kennedy's greatest moment as president. Many feel that because of Kennedy's aggression that perhaps WWIII or a Nuclear war was avoided. Kennedy was also a strong supporter of civil rights. He was strongly against segregation. President Kennedy helped Dr. Martin Luther King with his fight for civil rights. Many Black leaders had sided with Kennedy in the presidential race because Kennedy claimed to be a strong believer in civil rights. In the beginning President Kennedy ignored his claims for civil rights but in his later presidency he changed and began trying to pass laws against segregation. November 22, 1963, President and Mrs. Kennedy were in Dallas, Texas. As the motorcade approached an underpass, two shots were fired in rapid succession. One bullet passed through Kennedy's neck, and the other bullet hit the president in the head. At 1:00PM, he was pronounced dead; he had never regained consciousness. Ninety minutes after Kennedy was fatally shot, Vice-president Johnson was sworn in as president on Air Force One. That afternoon, Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested and charged with murder. On November 24, a Dallas Man, Jack Ruby, shot and killed Oswald before there was a chance to put him on trial. (www.thinkquest.com). John F. Kennedy was survived by his wife and his two children. Kennedy's death was the fall of the American Camelot. During the sixties, the Civil Rights Movement was in full force. With leaders like Martin Luther King and Malcolm X,