The Catcher in the Rye Chapter 1-2

English 10: Period 5, 6, 7

Ms. Watts

Outcomes: The Novel

The Catcher in the Rye

Skills:

Review and apply the basic elements of plot and literary elements;
Evaluate the significance of titles;
Cite text as support either by direct quotations or paraphrase;
Identify themes of cultural conflict, relationships, internal and external struggle;
Explore cultural/historical issues presented in the novel and relate to self;
Respond to the literary aspects of a passage taken from the novel;
Write a processed literary analysis essay.

Literary Devices: (refer also to page 7-9)

Imagery, symbolism, metaphor, hyperbole, irony

Characterization
Plot
Dialect/Colloquialism/Idiom (Vernacular language)
Style: Stream of consciousness, methods of narration, use of flashback/digression, tone
Use of dialogue
Framework: genres for narration a) Quest Narrative, b) Picaresque, c) Psychological

Language Implications:

Define vocabulary specific to the unit and the study of literature, i.e., novel subplot, prose commentary, point of view, foreshadowing, symbol, voice, tone, etc.
Identify vocabulary within context.
Interpret vernacular language.
Process the abstract meaning, themes, issues, and cultural understandings in the novel by paraphrasing/summarizing/quoting passages for interpretation.
Use appropriate text types and language functions for analyzing literature in speaking and writing.

Oral/Written Assignments/Assessments:

Complete readingsas assigned
Reading comprehension quizzes
Vocabulary quizzes
Oral Seminars
Pastiche Writing
Literary Analysis Essay

The Catcher in the Rye

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:

How do we determine our identities and place in the world?
How do individuals cope with the maturation process?
How do major life events, such as a death, influence a person?
Is The Catcher in the Rye a comedy or a tragedy? Or both?
How does a novel set in 1950s USA affect International students in 2008?

THEMES AND ASSUMPTIONS:

LITERATURE MIRRORS SOCIETY. To appreciate how literature reflects society, we need to examine how and why authors accomplish the reflection. Holden’s adventures take place in different social settings and with people from varied backgrounds.

LITERATURE IS AN EXPRESSION OF IDEAS. To understand the place these ideas have in our own lives, we must analyze them and draw conclusions about them. Holden expresses his ideas in this psychological novel by showing what he is thinking.

LITERATURE IS ABOUT PEOPLE LIVING THEIR LIVES. People’s lives are about joy and suffering, problems and successes. Literature preserves these lives in written form for posterity to view the results of this living. We want to explore these results in order to make our own lives, personally and socially, more understandable. Holden’s life seems to be typical in many ways of the lives of American teenagers, showing problems and adjustments realistically.

LITERATURE EXPRESSES VALUES. How we view the world and interact with it results from our having determined what we believe to be important: our value system. Holden is critical of “phoniness,” thereby placing a value on aspects of this life and society.

LITERATURE REQUIRES CERTAIN SKILLS. Students need many skills in order to understand more fully the complexities of literature: reading, discussion, writing, thinking, analysis, and synthesis. Practice leading toward increased mastery in these skill areas is provided.

VALUES:

The values stressed in this unit are as follows:

the need for inner direction and commitment to action
a sensitive awareness of life’s compensations: a necessary balance of sympathy and rejection, joy and sorrow
the recognition of superficial standards of behaviour; the challenge of seeking positive change in one’s moral environment
the ability to feel compassion and to expect justice for all
the therapeutic worth of honesty in communications with others; the treatment of every person as an individual
the learning of universal love and empathy in one’s individual struggle against hypocrisy and worldly corruption

English 10

The Catcher in the Rye

Periods 5, 6 & 7

Monday January 11
-
Friday
January 15 /

Day 1

Intro to the novel Catcher in the Rye
Chapters 1&2
HW: Ch.3&4 / Day 2
Intro to the novel Catcher in the Rye
Chapters 1&2
HW: Ch.3&4 / Day 3
Intro to Pre-Reading Research
HW: Ch.3 & 4 / Day 4
Intro to Pre-Reading Research
HW: Ch.3 & 4 / Day 5
Pre-Reading Presentations
HW: Ch. 5 - 7
Monday
January 18
-
Friday
January 22 /

Day 6

Pre-Reading Presentations
HW: Ch. 5 - 7 / Day 7
Reading Quiz Ch. 1-7
Introduce Pastiche Assignment(page 39)
HW: Ch. 8-9 Brainstorm Pastiche Ass. / Day 8
Reading Quiz Ch. 1-7
Introduce Pastiche Assignment(page 39)
HW: Ch. 8-9 Brainstorm Pastiche Ass. / Day 1
In Class: Ch.10-11
HW: Ch.12-14 / Day 2
In Class: Ch.10-11
HW: Ch.12-14
Monday January 25
-
Friday
January 29 /

Day 3

Writer ‘s Workshop: Pastiche Assignment
HW: Ch. 15-17 / Day 4
Writer ‘s Workshop: Pastiche Assignment
HW: Ch. 15-17 / Day 5
Pastiche Assignment Due
H.W. Ch. 18-22 / Day 6
Pastiche Assignment Due
H.W. Ch. 18-22 / Day 7
Chapter 23-26
Monday February 1
-
Friday
February 5 /

Day 8

Chapter 23-26 / Day 1
Vocabulary Quiz
Novel Discussion Groups (page 25) / Day 2
Vocabulary Quiz
Novel Discussion Groups(page 25) / Day 3
Novel Discussion Groups
Seminar Presentation / Day 4
Novel Discussion Groups Seminar Presentation
Monday February 8 -
Friday
February 12 /

Week

Without

Walls

Week

Without

Walls

Week

Without

Walls

Week

Without

Walls

Week

Without

Walls

Monday February 15
-
Friday
February 19 /

Day 1

Writer’s Workshop:Literary Analysis Essay Outline
(page 41) / Day 2
Writer’s Workshop:Literary Analysis Essay Outline
(page 41) / Day 3
Writer’s Workshop: Literary AnalysisEssay Outline Due / Day 4
Writer’s Workshop: Literary AnalysisEssay Outline Due / Day 5
Writer’s Workshop
Literary Analysis Essay: Peer Edit
Monday February 22
-
Friday
February 26 /

Day 6

Writer’s Workshop
Literary Analysis Essay: Peer Edit / Day 7
Literary Analysis
Essay Due
Celebration of Student Learning / Day 8
Literary Analysis
Essay Due
Celebration of Student Learning / Day 1 / Professional Learning Day

SkillsAssessments:

Reading Comprehension / VocabularyReading / Vocabulary Quizzes – 20%

Oral Discussion/Presentation Novel Discussion/Seminar - 20%

Creative WritingCreative Writing Pastiche – 20%

Analytical WritingLiterary Analysis Essay – 40 %

The Catcher in the Rye

Setting and Background:

J.D. Salinger was born in New York City in 1919 to an affluent family. His full name is Jerome David Salinger. His family home was near the Museum of Natural History, by Central Park.

J.D. Salinger went to school in Manhattan, the same district as Phoebe’s school in the novel, and his schoolwork was of average standard. He as asked to leave several preparatory schools because of poor grades, just as Holden does in The Catcher in the Rye. At the age of fifteen his parents enrolled him in the Valley Forge Military Academy in Pennsylvania, the state where Salinger places Pencey Prep. In the novel Holden also says that his parents will probably send him to a military academy when they find out he has been expelled from Pencey Prep. J.D. Salinger successfully finished at Valley Forge in 1936. In 1937 he joined New York University but only stayed a short while before going to Vienna with his father to learn the family business (food import). He came back to America after a short time and took a short story writing course. This led to his first story being published in 1940 in a magazine called Story.

The Catcher in the Rye was first published as a serial 1945-46, and published as a novel in 1951. It is his only novel, but it became a classic amongst students and young people everywhere and remains so today.

Response to the Novel:

When first published in 1951, The Catcher in the Rye caused instant controversy. Many reviews said it was a sensational achievement while others objected to its use of “bad” language and shocking nature of some of the scenes. The novel’s narrator and main character, Holden Caulfield, was also thought to be a bad example to young people. In fact the novel was banned in certain areas and some education authorities condemned it.

To understand why the novel caused so much fuss, it is important to think about the time it is written and the prevailing attitudes of Americans at that time. Examine the Social, Historical and Cultural Context of the novel on the following page.

Social, Historical and Cultural Context

Social ContextThe society in which the novel takes place and how it influenced the characters’ lives.

Historical Context:What historical events took place during the time when the novel is set and how they influenced the characters’ lives.

Cultural Context:What major cultural movements were happening at the time the novel is set and how they influenced the characters’ lives.

Important Points

Book set just after World War II in America. Published in serial form between 1945 and 1946
America was becoming a much more materialistic society
Americans believed) that they lived in the greatest country in the world
People were very conservative and distrusted anything that was different, so there was a great pressure for everyone to conform and be like others
Americans mistrusted anyone who didn’t believe America was the greatest country
The Cold War with Russia was beginning and people were afraid of Communism
Before the 1950’s teenagers had no real identity but simply obeyed their parents
In the 1950’s teenagers began to form their own individual identity and speak up about their views even if they clashed with society or their parents – called The Rise of the Teenager
The 1950’s saw rebellious teens portrayed in films such as James Dean in ‘Rebel without a Cause’ or Marlon Brando in ‘The Wild One.’ Rock ‘n’ Roll also began to come into fashion
Culture was influenced by new inventions like the hula-hoop (not the crisps), photocopier and other things we now take for granted

The Catcher in the Rye: Literary Devices to Watch For

The Frame Story Arrangement:

The outside framework serves several purposes: It establishes time frames, defines the narrator or storyteller, sets a mood for the rest of the novel, and prepares the reader for the inside narrative. Example: In The Catcher in the Rye, the outside framework for the novel is the “rest home” from which Holden begins his story in chapter one and ends it in chapter twenty-six.

The inside framework introduces the reader to the true narrative viewpoint of the story. Example: In The Catcher in the Rye, the inside framework identifies Salinger’s selection of genre for the narration. Knowledge of several genres will assist in our understanding the plot of this novel. They include:

Quest Narrative: A story in which the central character is searching for something, such as a person, location, or abstract value.

Picaresque: An episodic plot, usually first person autobiographical

Psychological: Story focuses on the internal psychological aspects of the central character, yet still mixes outer narrative

Dialect / Colloquialism / Idiom (Vernacular Language)

The use of dialect/colloquialism allows the reader to "hear" the uniqueness of the character and to better understand the differences between characters and settings. Vernacular is everyday language. Idiom refers to the peculiarities of vernacular language. It is the use of words in such a way that the meaning is lost if the expression is translated literally.

Stream of consciousness

In this writing technique the writer tries to capture the exact flow of the character's thoughts. Example: Notice that when Holden narrates the story he jumps from one thing to another. People don't think in "straight lines" and neither does Holden. Our thoughts flow like a stream… a stream of consciousness.

Flashback / Digression

A flashback is an account of something that has already happened in the story. A flashback usually involves an interruption in the action of the story. Example: Notice that, in the novel, Holden is telling us what happened to him and how he got where he is. He interrupts his present to tell us about action that has already occurred. Digression is a part of something spoken or written that departs from the central topic or line of thinking: digression is a diversion of thought. Salinger uses flashback as a digression.

Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing occurs when the author gives us a hint at something that is going to happen.

Hyperbole

A statement that is an obvious exaggeration is called hyperbole. Hyperbole is so much a part of our conversation that we don't even realize it.

Images / Symbolism / Motif

Images, symbols and motifs are used by writers for many reasons: to focus attention on what the writer wants a reader to notice; to create interior patterns within the literary work; to lend continuity; to create emphasis; to create a structural unity; to add texture to the prose.

Images: Words that create pictures in the readers mind or suggest special impressions. Images can be visual or sensual – smell, taste, touch, or colour.

Symbols: An image, person, place, or thing which also represents something larger or more abstract, in the way that a flag symbolizes a country.

Symbols to explore in The Catcher in the Rye:
the hunting hat; New York City; Central Park; the skate key; the baseball mitt; “madman”; “shoot the bull”; the ducks; “Old’…”; “kings in back row”; the gold ring on the carrousel; the museum

Motif: A recurring pattern of features – objects, images, symbols – in a literary work.

Pastiche: A literary technique employing a generally light-hearted tongue-in-cheek imitation of another’s style; although jocular, it is usually respectful (as opposed to parody, which is not).

Forms of comedy: (Refer to the definitions on the following page.)

Make Additional Notes Here:

Forms of Comedy

Directions: The Catcher in the Rye uses several forms of satire and comedy for humorous effect. Study the list of satiric and comic terms below and the definition of each term. Locate one example of each type used in the novel. Cite the page.

TERM / DEFINITIONS / EXAMPLES / PAGE
Parody / A comic imitation of known literary work
Burlesque / Treating of a serious subject in a vulgar, slapstick manner
Stereotype / A composite treatment of a known type of character
Sarcasm / Using praise to mock
Verbal Irony / Character says one thing but means another
Situational
Irony / Discrepancy between the expected results and what happens
Tall Tales / Exaggerated, false stories
Slapstick / Physical comedy – slips, slaps, etc.

VOCABULARY - The Catcher in the Rye

You will be responsible for the following vocabulary. You will largely work on it independently. You will be tested on it on the final test.

Chapters 1 - 4

Part I: Using Prior Knowledge and Contextual Clues

Below are the sentences in which the vocabulary words appear in the text. Read the sentence. Use any clues you can find in the sentence combined with your prior knowledge, and write what you think the underlined words mean in the space provided.

1.“... my parents would have about two hemorrhagesa piece if I told anything personal about them.”

hemorrhages:

2. “The whole team ostracizedme the whole way back on the train.”

3. “Do you have any particular qualmsabout leaving Pencey?”

4. “... he made us have compulsorystudy hall in the academic building ....”

5. “I started groping around in front of me, like a blind guy, but without getting up or anything.”

6. “I was pretty sadisticwith him quite often.”

13. “It was very ironical. It really was. ‘I'm the one that's flunking out of the goddam place, and you're asking me to write you a goddam composition,’ I said.”

8. “All I need's an audience. I'm an exhibitionist.”

Part II: Determining the Meaning: Match the vocabulary words to their dictionary definitions.

______hemorrhages

______ostracized

______qualms

______compulsory

______groping

______sadistic

______ironical

______exhibitionist

A. getting pleasure from inflicting pain on others

B. one who likes to show off and get attention

C. bursting of blood vessels

D. meaning the opposite of what is expressed

E.shunned; excluded; left out

F.reaching blindly

G. feelings of doubt

H. required; must be done

VOCABULARY - The Catcher in the Rye

Chapters 5 - 9

Part I: Using Prior Knowledge and Contextual Clues

“If you knew Stradlater, you'd have been worried, too .... He was unscrupulous.”
“It partly scared me and it partly fascinatedme.”
“I'm not too tough. I'm a pacifistif you want to know the truth.”
“My grandmother'd just sent me a wad about a week before. I have this grandmother that's quite lavishwith her dough.”
“It's not a paradise or anything, but it's as good as most schools. Some of the faculty are pretty conscientious.”
“Well, a bunch of us wanted old Ernie to be president of the class. I mean he was the unanimouschoice.”
“ .... I don't want to stay at any hotels on the East Side where I might run into some acquaintances of mine. I'm traveling incognito.”

Part II: Determining the Meaning: Match the vocabulary words to their dictionary definitions.

______unscrupulous

______fascinated

______pacifist

______lavish

______conscientious

______unanimous

______incognito

A. attentive to duty; diligent

B. in disguise

C. having no moral code; unprincipled

D. generous or liberal in giving or spending

E. held the attention of; captivated

F. one who opposes the use of force under any

circumstances

G. showing or based on total agreement

VOCABULARY - The Catcher in the Rye

Chapters 10 - 13

Part I: Using Prior Knowledge and Contextual Clues

“The band was putrid. Buddy singer. Very brassy, but not good brassy--corny brassy.”
“.... the whole summer long we played tennis together almost every morning and golf almost every afternoon. I really got to know her quite intimately.”
“.... old Ernie turned around on his stool and gave this very phony, humble bow.”
“One thing I have, it's a terrific capacity. I can drink all night and not even show it, ifI'm in the mood.”
“He got stinking, but I hardly didn't even show it. I just got very cool and nonchalant.”
“Do you mind getting me my frock?”

Part II: Determining the Meaning:Match the vocabulary words to their dictionary definitions.