The The Catcher in Catcher in

the Ryethe Rye

Final Essay TestFinal Essay Test

TopicTopicChoose three vivid memories Choose three vivid memories

from Holden’s life and explain from Holden’s life and explain their relevance. The events their relevance. The events must occur in his past. Why did must occur in his past. Why did he choose to share these he choose to share these particular memories with his particular memories with his audience? What is their audience? What is their importance to his life?importance to his life?

Your Thesis Your Thesis StatementStatement

Writer’s purposeWriter’s purpose: Your : Your particular positionparticular position

Author CredentialsAuthor Credentials::– AuthorAuthor– Genre of literary workGenre of literary work– Title of literary workTitle of literary work

SubtopicsSubtopics: 3 supporting : 3 supporting examplesexamples

Your thesis statement MUST Your thesis statement MUST be arguable. It cannot be a be arguable. It cannot be a stated or obvious fact. stated or obvious fact.

Ask yourself: Can someone Ask yourself: Can someone take an opposing side to my take an opposing side to my main point? main point?

Thesis StatementThesis Statement

In J.D. Salinger’s novel, In J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in The Catcher in the Ryethe Rye, the protagonist Holden Caulfield , the protagonist Holden Caulfield chooses to reveal his self-inflicted injury chooses to reveal his self-inflicted injury due to his brother’s death, his due to his brother’s death, his interactions with Jane, and his interactions with Jane, and his recollection of his classmate’s suicide. recollection of his classmate’s suicide. Holden shares these particular memories Holden shares these particular memories with the audience because they with the audience because they represent Holden’s vulnerability and his represent Holden’s vulnerability and his need to feel connected to someone need to feel connected to someone despite his fears. despite his fears.

Analytical Paragraph Analytical Paragraph FormatFormat

1. Topic Sentence1. Topic Sentence2. Introduction of Evidence 2. Introduction of Evidence

(plot context)(plot context)3. Evidence3. Evidence4. Analysis4. Analysis5. Closing Sentence5. Closing Sentence

Textual Evidence: Textual Evidence: Choose quotes that Choose quotes that expand upon your main points (topic expand upon your main points (topic sentence)sentence)

– Pick quotesPick quotes you have something to you have something to say aboutsay about

– Pick quotes Pick quotes you can dissect to prove you can dissect to prove your pointsyour points

– Avoid quotesAvoid quotes that simply repeat that simply repeat what has already been saidwhat has already been said

– Avoid quotesAvoid quotes that have parts that have parts removed to make your pointremoved to make your point

– Avoid quotesAvoid quotes that have nothing to that have nothing to do with the topic sentence.do with the topic sentence.

QuoteQuote: “…the night he : “…the night he [Allie] died…I broke all the [Allie] died…I broke all the goddam windows with my goddam windows with my fist, just for the hell of it…I fist, just for the hell of it…I hardly didn’t even know I hardly didn’t even know I was doing it, and you didn’t was doing it, and you didn’t know Allie” (Salinger 39). know Allie” (Salinger 39).

Analysis: Analysis: This is where your ideas should This is where your ideas should reveal itself. This part is where you show the reveal itself. This part is where you show the reader how your quote proves your main reader how your quote proves your main point or topic sentencepoint or topic sentence

– Clearly explain the connections that you Clearly explain the connections that you see. see.

– Assume the reader has no idea what you are Assume the reader has no idea what you are trying to prove.trying to prove.

– DO NOT:DO NOT: restate the quote in your own words restate the quote in your own words (that is plot summary)(that is plot summary)

– AVOID:AVOID: “this quote shows” and “this proves “this quote shows” and “this proves that”that”

While Holden is resistant to reveal his deep While Holden is resistant to reveal his deep emotional feeling of loss because of Allie’s emotional feeling of loss because of Allie’s death, Holden does reveal to the audience death, Holden does reveal to the audience that night Allie died, he punched out all the that night Allie died, he punched out all the windows in the garage. Holden explains, “…windows in the garage. Holden explains, “…the night he [Allie] died…I broke all the the night he [Allie] died…I broke all the goddam windows with my fist, just for the hell goddam windows with my fist, just for the hell of it…I hardly didn’t even know I was doing it, of it…I hardly didn’t even know I was doing it, and you didn’t know Allie” (Salinger 39). and you didn’t know Allie” (Salinger 39). Holden used violence to cope with the Holden used violence to cope with the emotional loss of his brother. The fact that the emotional loss of his brother. The fact that the violence was self-inflicted further violence was self-inflicted further demonstrates Holden’s inability to deal with or demonstrates Holden’s inability to deal with or articulate his feelings. By revealing that he articulate his feelings. By revealing that he used physical pain as way to cover the used physical pain as way to cover the emotional pain that overwhelmed him shows emotional pain that overwhelmed him shows that Holden was trying to inform the audience that Holden was trying to inform the audience about the gravity of his emotional loss and about the gravity of his emotional loss and how vulnerable he felt in that moment. how vulnerable he felt in that moment.

Additionally, Holden’s admission that he “didn’t Additionally, Holden’s admission that he “didn’t really even know” what he was doing when he really even know” what he was doing when he broke the windows in the garage further broke the windows in the garage further indicates that Holden detaches from reality in indicates that Holden detaches from reality in an effort to distance himself from feeling the an effort to distance himself from feeling the emotional pain. Furthermore, Holden also emotional pain. Furthermore, Holden also reveals that “my hand still hurts once in a while reveals that “my hand still hurts once in a while when it rains and all, and I can’t make a real fist when it rains and all, and I can’t make a real fist anymore” (39). Holden’s recurring hand pain is anymore” (39). Holden’s recurring hand pain is also an indication that Holden is constantly also an indication that Holden is constantly reminded of the night his brother died. He reminded of the night his brother died. He chooses to inform the reader of his inability to chooses to inform the reader of his inability to make a complete fist to show that while he is make a complete fist to show that while he is not comfortable being vulnerable to discuss his not comfortable being vulnerable to discuss his emotional reaction to Allie’s death, he is offering emotional reaction to Allie’s death, he is offering the admission of his physical pain instead. the admission of his physical pain instead. Holden’s memory of Allie’s death becomes a Holden’s memory of Allie’s death becomes a preserved physical memory which serves to preserved physical memory which serves to mask Holden’s emotional vulnerability. mask Holden’s emotional vulnerability.

The Weight of MemoriesThe Weight of Memories I. I. Introductory ParagraphIntroductory Paragraph Hook (Hook (General statement related to General statement related to

the main topic in your paperthe main topic in your paper): ): While While specific memories preserve the specific memories preserve the details of events experienced, the details of events experienced, the memories also contain the memories also contain the emotions associated with events, emotions associated with events, Instead of using words to convey Instead of using words to convey an emotion, certain memories are an emotion, certain memories are selected to replace the need to selected to replace the need to confront difficult emotions.confront difficult emotions.