After reading THE CATCHER IN THE RYE and listening to the podcast about Holden Caulfield, would you agree that he is the "most American of characters"? Comment; in your response be sure to support your beliefs!
I agree with some of the other people when they say they don't understand what "the most american of characters". Just geussing but when you say most american of characters i think of lazy, making excuses, and rude. When i think of americans that's what i think of. If thats right I think Holden is a perfect example. He annoyed me very much. I think i would have slapped him had we been face to face. I have never heard someone whine so much in my entire life. I think he does set a good exaple to teenagers though that eventually you need to grow up. I hope that teenagers who read this book learned from him and don't make the mistakes that he did.
Holden is DEFINETELY "whiney" Holden portrays a chracter who is always complaining and he seems to always have excuses to make up for all of his mistakes. Also when Holden gets in trouble, like with Maurice, he always has an excuse and seems ver immmautre as he acts like wuss. Any other teenage boy would want to fight maurice and not back away like a baby. No offense.
I also agree with Steven. Holden does seem very "whiney" while at Mr. Spencer's house as he tries to find excuses for his actions. I also think that holden is really immature in most of his actions. Holden never faces reality that sometime he is wrong, and sometimes he makes mistakes. I tihnk that holdne needs to know that everyone makes mistakes and nobody is perfect. I just don think that HC is quite ready to grasp that though and face reality.
I just read Katie's comment, and it completely changed my prespective. You have to think of what an Americna is. Most american today, are stubborn and lazy. This si EXACTLy how HC is!
however, i tihnk that americans SHOULD be setting a good example, and living up to what people belive we are. Of course, Holden is not anthing close to what an ameircn is supposed to be portrayed as. P.S i also tihnk i would have slapped HOLden if we ever met.
I completely disagree with Becky. I think that because Holden has been on his own he grasps LIFE better than anyone else. Necause of his background he has not had the same up bringing and opportunites as most other people. He has had to take the world on almost single handedly with very little help along the way. I do agree with the fact that Holden is not a bad person because just simply he is not bad. Ya he gets in some trouble and doesn't apply himself at all... but if you think about it that is almost the typical teenager. Holden in some aspects (aside from family life) is living his life how if you were givin the opportunity you would grasp to because i kno i would. I would love to be absolutley carefree and do whatever i wanted whenever i wanted. Holden just doesn't look toward the future therefore he accomplishes the dream of an adolescent, but yet that dream is something that should be only a dream.
I think that Mr. Spencer was one good person in the book. I think all of the teachers are good in the book and try to help, unfortunatly holden doesn't want to listen to them. He only listens to himself. Oh yeah, and i also didn't think that the think we had to listen to( i really can't think of what is called right now, dumb i know) but i don't think that really made me think better about how he is the most "american character". The thing i got the most from that was that i actually did start to feel bad for Holden after they said how sad the book actually was.
I think that “unhappy but not devastated” would be the best way to describe Holden Caulfield in the book “The Catcher in the Rye”. I believe that during the pod cast, this term that they use to describe Holden Caulfield is very good. One example of where this phase occurs in the book is when he fights with Stadlater. He is mad that he had gone out with Jane, because Holden knows what Stradlater is capable of. This is a good example of how Holden Caulfield is “unhappy but not devastated” because he can still have a pretty normal life after this, even though his normal life would not be what I would think to be normal. Considering all that Holden has gone through, I am amazed that he can function as well as he can.
I'm not really sure what is meant by "The Most American of Characters". Holden might have represented some of the teen population in the 50’s, but I don’t really understand the phrase “The Most American of Characters". I agree with Madeline, I think Holden is really “whiney” and complains a lot. He’s always calling someone a phony, and I guess if you want the “most American” he doesn’t really show it to me. One of the girls in the pod cast said she wanted to punch him in the face, and I was laughing because it’s true. I also saw what Devin posted in disagreement with the post from Erica, and I thought he was right. Never in the book did it state that Holden was flunking out because he was rebelling… He was just lazy and didn’t care about his grades. I guess if a most American character were supposed to be Holden, I would disagree. He’s really lazy, kind of strange, not outgoing, and isn’t motivated (like Georgia said).
I don't neccessarily believe that you have just one personality. It depends on the time taking place. Your personality changes from time to time so it's kinda hard to pick just one personality for holden. He can be happy at times, but he's usually not and he's depressed. He complaints alot also. He complains about phonies, teachers, his family, and everything else in society. He's a baby. Instead of taking actions over his problems, he let's the problems take over him. For example the scene in the hotel room with the stripper and maurice. In the first place he never even should of stepped in the room with the stripper. He is young and doesn't need to be doing nonsence like that. So I believe that Holden is has a multi personality.
For anyone who says Holden is "the most American of characters... When is the last time you...
-Hired a prostitute -Flunked out of 4 schools in a row -Had a terrible relationship with your parents -Went over to some random kid on a teeter-totter and pushed on them -Called your brother "a prostitute" -Ended up in a phsyco house??!
I agree to some point that Holden is the “most American of characters” because he does show that he cares and also shows responsibility towards Phoebe, and he likes D.B. and cares about him, but his relationship with his parents is not good. Teens of the 40’s were sent to boarding schools, even though most wouldn’t flunk out, Holden didn’t try in school and flunked out of 4 schools. Holden didn’t try in school, much like the teens of his day, they didn’t care about school, and they were “rebels”. I think Holden acts like this because the loss of Allie and his family have never really gotten over losing Allie and they don’t want to get to close to any of there other children because they would fear that they will lose them also. I think it makes it harder also to have a good relationship with them because his father is a lawyer and is never home, and his mother is really emotional. This is why I think Holden is the “most American character”.
I agree that Holden is a very American character. Not to be steriotipical or anything, but a lot of American high school students do use bad language, and do a lot of the things that he does.
He gets into normal situations, that most people will get into at some period in their life
Ryan does have a good point. He could be considered very "American," because i feel that other countries view us as lazy and un able to do things ourselves. Holden is very lazy and that is why he is kicked out of so many schools. Anyone can pass school, all u have to do is put in a litle effort. Unfortunately many teens do flunk out of school like Holden. Bad language is also another thing i feel America may be known for. Not me, but everywhere I go i always hear swearing. Holden would be very stereotypical following these guidelines.
215 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 215 of 215I agree with some of the other people when they say they don't understand what "the most american of characters". Just geussing but when you say most american of characters i think of lazy, making excuses, and rude. When i think of americans that's what i think of. If thats right I think Holden is a perfect example. He annoyed me very much. I think i would have slapped him had we been face to face. I have never heard someone whine so much in my entire life. I think he does set a good exaple to teenagers though that eventually you need to grow up. I hope that teenagers who read this book learned from him and don't make the mistakes that he did.
Holden is DEFINETELY "whiney" Holden portrays a chracter who is always complaining and he seems to always have excuses to make up for all of his mistakes. Also when Holden gets in trouble, like with Maurice, he always has an excuse and seems ver immmautre as he acts like wuss. Any other teenage boy would want to fight maurice and not back away like a baby. No offense.
I also agree with Steven. Holden does seem very "whiney" while at Mr. Spencer's house as he tries to find excuses for his actions. I also think that holden is really immature in most of his actions. Holden never faces reality that sometime he is wrong, and sometimes he makes mistakes. I tihnk that holdne needs to know that everyone makes mistakes and nobody is perfect. I just don think that HC is quite ready to grasp that though and face reality.
I just read Katie's comment, and it completely changed my prespective. You have to think of what an Americna is. Most american today, are stubborn and lazy. This si EXACTLy how HC is!
however, i tihnk that americans SHOULD be setting a good example, and living up to what people belive we are. Of course, Holden is not anthing close to what an ameircn is supposed to be portrayed as.
P.S i also tihnk i would have slapped HOLden if we ever met.
I completely disagree with Becky. I think that because Holden has been on his own he grasps LIFE better than anyone else. Necause of his background he has not had the same up bringing and opportunites as most other people. He has had to take the world on almost single handedly with very little help along the way. I do agree with the fact that Holden is not a bad person because just simply he is not bad. Ya he gets in some trouble and doesn't apply himself at all... but if you think about it that is almost the typical teenager. Holden in some aspects (aside from family life) is living his life how if you were givin the opportunity you would grasp to because i kno i would. I would love to be absolutley carefree and do whatever i wanted whenever i wanted. Holden just doesn't look toward the future therefore he accomplishes the dream of an adolescent, but yet that dream is something that should be only a dream.
I think that Mr. Spencer was one good person in the book. I think all of the teachers are good in the book and try to help, unfortunatly holden doesn't want to listen to them. He only listens to himself. Oh yeah, and i also didn't think that the think we had to listen to( i really can't think of what is called right now, dumb i know) but i don't think that really made me think better about how he is the most "american character". The thing i got the most from that was that i actually did start to feel bad for Holden after they said how sad the book actually was.
I think that “unhappy but not devastated” would be the best way to describe Holden Caulfield in the book “The Catcher in the Rye”. I believe that during the pod cast, this term that they use to describe Holden Caulfield is very good. One example of where this phase occurs in the book is when he fights with Stadlater. He is mad that he had gone out with Jane, because Holden knows what Stradlater is capable of. This is a good example of how Holden Caulfield is “unhappy but not devastated” because he can still have a pretty normal life after this, even though his normal life would not be what I would think to be normal. Considering all that Holden has gone through, I am amazed that he can function as well as he can.
I'm not really sure what is meant by "The Most American of Characters". Holden might have represented some of the teen population in the 50’s, but I don’t really understand the phrase “The Most American of Characters". I agree with Madeline, I think Holden is really “whiney” and complains a lot. He’s always calling someone a phony, and I guess if you want the “most American” he doesn’t really show it to me. One of the girls in the pod cast said she wanted to punch him in the face, and I was laughing because it’s true. I also saw what Devin posted in disagreement with the post from Erica, and I thought he was right. Never in the book did it state that Holden was flunking out because he was rebelling… He was just lazy and didn’t care about his grades. I guess if a most American character were supposed to be Holden, I would disagree. He’s really lazy, kind of strange, not outgoing, and isn’t motivated (like Georgia said).
I don't neccessarily believe that you have just one personality. It depends on the time taking place. Your personality changes from time to time so it's kinda hard to pick just one personality for holden. He can be happy at times, but he's usually not and he's depressed. He complaints alot also. He complains about phonies, teachers, his family, and everything else in society. He's a baby. Instead of taking actions over his problems, he let's the problems take over him. For example the scene in the hotel room with the stripper and maurice. In the first place he never even should of stepped in the room with the stripper. He is young and doesn't need to be doing nonsence like that. So I believe that Holden is has a multi personality.
For anyone who says Holden is "the most American of characters...
When is the last time you...
-Hired a prostitute
-Flunked out of 4 schools in a row
-Had a terrible relationship with your parents
-Went over to some random kid on a teeter-totter and pushed on them
-Called your brother "a prostitute"
-Ended up in a phsyco house??!
I agree to some point that Holden is the “most American of characters” because he does show that he cares and also shows responsibility towards Phoebe, and he likes D.B. and cares about him, but his relationship with his parents is not good. Teens of the 40’s were sent to boarding schools, even though most wouldn’t flunk out, Holden didn’t try in school and flunked out of 4 schools. Holden didn’t try in school, much like the teens of his day, they didn’t care about school, and they were “rebels”. I think Holden acts like this because the loss of Allie and his family have never really gotten over losing Allie and they don’t want to get to close to any of there other children because they would fear that they will lose them also. I think it makes it harder also to have a good relationship with them because his father is a lawyer and is never home, and his mother is really emotional. This is why I think Holden is the “most American character”.
I agree that Holden is a very American character. Not to be steriotipical or anything, but a lot of American high school students do use bad language, and do a lot of the things that he does.
He gets into normal situations, that most people will get into at some period in their life
Ryan does have a good point. He could be considered very "American," because i feel that other countries view us as lazy and un able to do things ourselves. Holden is very lazy and that is why he is kicked out of so many schools. Anyone can pass school, all u have to do is put in a litle effort. Unfortunately many teens do flunk out of school like Holden. Bad language is also another thing i feel America may be known for. Not me, but everywhere I go i always hear swearing. Holden would be very stereotypical following these guidelines.
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