The Odyssey: Book Twelve

Book Twelve:

Question Two- Who are Scylla and Charybdis? Describe them briefly.

Scylla is a twelve legged, six headed siren with three rows of fangs. No one ever gets passed her lair without a crew member dying by her snatching one of them up. She is immortal with no way of killing her or fighting her. The only way to get passed her is to flee her and escape. Charybdis is another siren who creates massive whirlpools to suck sailors into. 

Figuratively, these sirens represent a test for Odysseus to see if he can overcome the monsters. He has to escape his first trouble and try not to get sucked into his next. The sirens represent Odysseus' troubles and what he needs to defeat in order to make it home to Ithica.

Chapter 22: Question 5

        Given the context that has been developing, state what is represented by Holden's desire to catch kids so as to prevent them from falling off a cliff while playing in a field of rye? What could Holden mean by this odd reference?

            Holden's desire to catch kids so as to prevent them from falling off a cliff while playing in a field of rye represents Holden's desire to save kids' innocence. He wants to prevent them from "falling into adulthood." He doesn't want little kids like his sister, Phoebe, to grow up and become an adult. She speaks with Holden in an adult manner and I think it's getting to Holden and making him realize that she really is growing up and he doesn't want that to happen to her.

Also, Holden means that he doesn't want to grow up himself. He doesn't like it when Phoebe asks him what he wants to be when he grows up because he just doesn't want to. He doesn't want to lose his innocence, and by being the catcher in the rye, he wouldn't have to and he could prevent others from losing his/her innocence too.

Chapter Nine: Question 1

It is reemphasized that Holden doesn't have any friends or any family he can go to for support, or simply to talk to. He cannot talk to his brother because his brother is a big hot shot in Hollywood. He cannot talk to his little sister because she'd probably be in bed. He cannot talk to his parents yet. Then, he thinks about calling Jane's parents but he didn't feel like it. He thinks about calling Sally Hayes or Carl Luce, two friends that he rarely even speaks to anymore.

Holden is a loner. He spends about twenty minutes trying to think of someone he could call and he can't think of ANYONE who would actually be nice to talk to. Holden has no friends and a poorly structured family and all he wants to do is have someone he can tell that he is in New York to. There isn't even one person he can say that to.

Chapter 7: Question 1

1. Why does Holden feel "rotten" and "lonesome" in this chapter?

          Holden feels rotten and lonesome in this chapter because he likes Jane so much and Stradlater might have given her the time. He wants to get girls like Stradlater does. He wants to be liked by girls, just like Stradlater is. He wants girls to notice him and want to be with him so he doesn't have to feel lonesome or rotten.

Also, when Holden goes to talk to Ackley after his fight with Stradlater, he is disappointed in the fact that Ackley doesn't even care that much; all he wants to do is sleep. All Holden wants is some friends- girls and boys- and to be liked and noticed. He feels rotten when nobody wants to be with him, which makes him feel like he's all alone.

Chapter Five #2

Despite his dislike for Ackley's behavoir, how does Holden demonstrate sympathy for him in this chapter?

Holden feels sorry for Ackley because Ackley is kind of a mess. Even though Ackley doesn't have stellar behavior, Holden understands. Ackley has sinus trouble, pimples, bad teeth, halitosis and gross fingernails and Holden knows that must be hard.

Also, Holden demonstrates sympathy for Ackley by inviting Ackley to go to the movies with him and Mal Brossard because he knows that Ackley never has anything to do on Saturday nights. He invites Ackley and feels sympathy for him because Ackley is a foil for Holden. He is just like Holden in the way that he doesn't have the friendliest personality and is a bit of an outcast. Meaning, Holden may be feeling sorry for himself.

Lexi: you have a very nice blog started! Thanks for being so creative with our class materials. Please remember to make each post at least two paragraphs?
Mr. Murphy

Chapter Four Question 1

Do the characters Mr. Spencer, Ackley and Stradlater strike you as believable people? Do Holden's observations of them seem accurate or inaccurate? What method does Salinger use for Holden's description of people?

              Holden is an untrustworthy narrator and although he may get the right idea or generalization about a character, he doesn't tell the whole truth about him/her or his/her situation. The descriptions of Mr. Spencer, Ackley and Stadlater are generally accurate, but Holden probably leaves out a lot of details about them.