Research Paper on The Catcher in the Rye

GT 9

SO, YOU WANT ME TO DO RESEARCH ON WHAT?

Assignment:

Your assignment is to do the following:

  1. Do research on J.D. Salinger’s background and address the questions listed in “Author’s

Background” below.

  1. Choose one of the five psychologists’ beliefs/ studies to analyze Holden’s neurosis. The five psychologists from which you may choose to base your diagnosis on are: Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud, Erik Erikson, Alfred Adler, and Abraham Maslow. Information about these psychologists’ studies on neurosis will be presented to you prior to starting your paper so you can determine whose theory you are going to use to prove your thesis.
  2. What is the origin of the neurosis?
  3. What are the problems of the neurosis?
  4. What is the psychological solution to these problems?
  5. Identify all of the traumatic events that occur in Holden’s life. Then pick 2-3 of those traumatic events in order to prove your thesis statement.
  6. Write an outline based on the three controls and guiding questions listed below.
  7. Write and TYPE your first draft. This will be graded by the teacher.
  8. Write and TYPE your second draft.
  9. Peer revisions of second draft.
  10. Final draft. The paper MUST BE in MLA format, double-spaced, 12 point font, 2-4 typed pages in length.

When completing this assignment, you must consider its importance as a literary work and the execution of the story while evaluating it within its historical/ biographical context. You are expected to formulate ORIGINAL ideas about Holden’s psychological analysis. Then, when you have organized your thoughts, you need to find examples from not only the actual text, but also from valid sources to support your opinion. HOWEVER, you are not writing this paper in first person; it should be all critical. It is necessary to repeatedly search, gather, analyze, organize, and re-evaluate sources. This is a challenging task, but not impossible. By driving your research with framing questions, you can remain a focused and efficient researcher.

STEP #1: Ask yourself, “What is the main question being asked?” WRITE IT DOWN if necessary. Underline, circle, or bracket any specific parts of the question so you avoid leaving any part of it out. Formulate a preliminary response to the question. This response is the skeleton for your thesis. Although it isn’t required, you may want to do some preliminary research to improve your thesis and divide it into three clearly-expressed reasons for your opinion.

The more concise and specific your thesis is, the easier it will be to focus your research. This is why writing a clear thesis is the most important step to writing an analysis. For this project, the question being asked gives you clues that will guide the three requirements to the question. In order to help you find direction in your research, the following is a list of secondary questions that might help you write your thesis.

AUTHOR’S BACKGROUND:How does the author’s life impact the novel? Why was it written?

What happened in the author’s life that caused him to present

the plot/ setting/ characters in the way he did?

PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH:How does the Psychological Approach apply to your novel? How

Is Holden Caulfield viewed because of his thoughts/ behaviors? How would a one of the above psychologists analyze Holden after knowing the main events in his life that shaped him? What are some passages or quotations that prove your analysis? What do critics and psychologists say about the character in the novel in relationship to his sanity or mental state? What is the origin of his neurosis?

HISTORICAL CONTEXT:How does the setting (time and place) affect the novel? Is the story appropriately placed in its era/ decade? How do you know?

How did the society in the novel view the main character because of the influences or beliefs of the time period?

STEP #2: Use the three main ideas described in your thesis to form more specific questions about Holden’s psychological state. These questions should give you terms, names, dates, events, and criticism to look up in the library. Then REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT these steps. Form questions, find answers, and narrow your search until you are satisfied that you have identified enough examples from the novel and outside sources to make a strong argument.

STEP #3: After you feel you have enough support, organize your ideas in an outline or diagram format. This will allow you to see if you need additional research and to identify where to place each quotation/ criticism. It may also help to have someone else look over your notes to see if the flow of your ideas proves your thesis. This feedback can be very helpful in the creative process, so try to be open to ideas.

STEP #4: Write your rough draft and have someone proofread it, providing more feedback. All first drafts will be graded and edited by me so I can catch any major errors. Complete some final research if necessary, and then write your second draft. These will be peer edited, unless you need me to see your paper again. You will then write your final third revised draft in the correct MLA format that you have been taught. Be sure you have perfected all errors in grammar, citations, sentence structure, and punctuation. These errors will not be tolerated! Use spell check and grammar check!

Due Dates for Research Paper
The Catcher in the Rye
The Psychological Approach / Dates for A Day Classes and Possible Points
Library time
Note Check / Wednesday, December 19 10 points
Notes on Salinger and 50 blank notecards
Library Time / Friday, December 21 10 points
Signed Plagiarism Sheet by Parents
Outline instruction / Thursday, January 3 10 points
Library time; Exit Slip / Thursday, January 3 10 points
25 Notecards based on Critical research / Monday, January 7 30 points
Completed Outline Due
Library time / Friday, January 11 30 points
Complete First Draft
MUST BE TYPED! / Tuesday, January 15 40 points
Graded first drafts returned / Thursday, January 17
Revised Second Draft (TYPED)
Peer Editing / Tuesday, January 22 20 points
20 points
Complete Works Cited page
(TYPED) / Thursday, January 24 20 points
Final Paper Due with all drafts and
Works Cited / Tuesday, January 29 100 points
TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS / 300 POINTS