Homework -Week 2

Holden is a very lonely guy... This is my recount of chapter 9 in third person

The first thing Holden did when he got off at deserted Penn Station was go to a phone booth. He was alone once again. He felt like giving somebody a buzz. All he wanted was someone to talk to, someone to tell how he was feeling. He left his bags outside the phone booth. For about 15 minutes he stood still in the phone booth leaning against the door with the phone in his hand. It was so late and no one was answering his calls. He really wanted to call Phoebe, his little sister but she would have been in bed, then he went to call D.B but he was in Hollywood. Holden eventually walked out of the phone booth and hollered over a cab in the still streets of New York. He gave the cab driver his home address naturally forgetting that he did not want to go there… They arrived at the hotel and he checked into a single room. Holden had no one to talk to, no one to room with, or no one to call. He stared out the window as it started to rain, at all of the people opposite him. He resorted to his last idea, which was to call this ‘whore’ he had been given the number of at the last party he went to years ago. Holden was so desperate. As soon as she answered she blew him off straight away. Again… Holden was left in his single room lonely, with no one to talk to or call. Imagine being as lonely as Holden...

18th of April Homework

Thursday

Look at the character of Stradlater in Chapter 4-6. What do we learn about him from Holden? What do we learn about Holden through him? Do you like Stradlater? Why?

We learn that, although Stradlater is a pretty boy he is very happy and joyful. We learn that he is the senior (Stradlater) and he uses it to his advantages. Stradlater is a phony, typical popular heart breaker that all the girls like. He is very confident and sure of himself, handsome and athletic and definitely a show off. Holden reveals that he is all about looks, and very showy. He reveals that Stradlater is a slob, “Ackley was a slob…so was Stradlater,” (Ch4, p.23). Although it is agreeable to suggest that Holden is jealous of Stradlater, wanting to be more like him, ‘a normal teenager.’ They have a love hate relationship. Holden reveals that he is very manipulative, getting him to write his music composition.  Throughout theses chapters it is obvious that Stradlater loves himself, “The reason he fixed himself to look good was because he was madly in love with himself,” (Ch 4, p.23). Holden reveals that Stradlater is the opposite of nosy; he was not interested in much at all, “he wasn’t too interested,” (Ch4, p.29). Stradlater easily overpowers Holden and is very short tempered, which is evident after coming home from his date and reading the irrelevant composition Holden wrote for him. We learn through Stradlater that Holden is very protective of Jane and has respect for her. We learn that Holden has a very conservative view on woman, in which they should be treated with respect. Through Stradlater we learn about his brother from the composition he writes and the relationship between Jane and Holden. He writes about Allies base ball mitt, who was said to be the most intelligent in the family but unfortunately got leukaemia young and died. It is clear through the compositions that he values family and has a positive view of Ally. Through Stradlater we learn that Holden does not appreciate education as it is revealed by Stradlater that he is getting expelled. Personally I do not like Stradlater because I do not like bossy people, especially those who think they are better than others. I do not associate with people who have no interest in you. Therefore I do not like Stradlater.

Write a description of the incident between Holden and Stradlater from Stradlater’s point of view. Try to give Stradlater a unique voice – different from Holden’s but essentially adolescent.

I was going on a date with Jane and Holden kid kept asking me questions about it whilst I was trying to get ready. I asked him to write an English composition for me while I was out because he was staying home. When I arrived home, I barged into the room. I read Holden’s composition and gee I was annoyed because it had nothing to do with the assignment and that it’s no wonder Holden is being expelled. I don’t know why but Holden got all emotional and threw it away. Just to annoy me he lit a cigarette in the room. Holden asked me about the date again and I began to get angry. I didn’t want to tell him anything and I wasn’t going to. So he attacked me but I pinned him to the floor and tried to calm him down. Holden started to insult me, so I punched him to shut him up. It was not even hard, he’s a wimp when it comes to fights. I was then worried that I was going to get in trouble for hurting a junior. Holden kept insulting me, so I left the room slamming the door behind me….