Cather+in+the+Rye+Modern+Connections

Opening Activity

Grab a partner or talk with the people around you about the activity topic. If you do not feel obligated to share, you do not have to. Sure the teenage years are fun and eventful. Growing up can be fun because it’s all about finding out and trying out new things in the world. You don’t have to know everything right away – but it’s great to find out more about things that interest you. But what happens when you turn 18 and your truly responsible for your actions as an adult? Are you anxious? Excited? Nervous? What are your fears? If you had the choice to remain right as you are, as a teenager, forever, would you?

Modern Connection to Holden’s character: In common usage around the world, "adolescent", "teenager", "teen", "[|youth]", and "young person" may be considered synonyms - although the term 'teenager' is an artifact of the English counting system, not something that occurs in most languages. The term 'teenager' in its current form was reportedly first used by [|Bill Haley] in February of a 1952 UK concert. Adolescence is recognized as both a cultural/social phenomenon and as a [|standardized] [|human development] phase. In [|sociology], adolescence is seen as a cultural phenomenon for the working world and therefore its end points are not easily tied to physical milestones. The time is identified with dramatic changes in the body, along with developments in a person's psychology and academic career. In the onset of adolescence, children usually complete [|elementary school] and enter [|secondary education], such as middle school or high school. A person between early childhood and the teenage years is sometimes referred to as a [|pre-teen] or [|tween]. As a transitional stage of [|human development], adolescence is the period in which a child matures into an adult. This transition involves biological (i.e. [|pubertal]), social, and psychological changes, though the biological ones are the easiest to measure objectively. There are numerous activities in which teenagers engage, namely [|family], [|education], [|work] and [|recreation]; these occur in [|school], [|home], [|youth organizations] and other settings throughout the [|community]. Many argue that in Western culture, a distinct [|youth culture] has developed. This culture is often distinctly different from the mainstream culture, sometimes in rebellion against it, and thus is often referred to as a [|subculture] or [|counterculture], although subcultures or countercultures themselves are not always necessarily youth-oriented. This rebellion is also referred to as [|youth voice], and is used in positively ways, including [|youth leadership] and [|youth participation] activities. Since the explosion of the internet in popular culture during the late 1990s, Teens are able to communicate online using [|instant messaging] ([|AIM], [|MSN], [|Yahoo!]), [|internet forums] (LiveWire, Peer Support Network) and social-networking websites ([|Bebo], [|Myspace], [|Facebook], [|Friendster]). The internet has changed how teens interact with each other and has opened new possibilities for long-distance relationships both platonic and romantic in nature.

Discussion Questions: 3a) Does Holden’s "spritual beliefs" as an atheist affect his fascination with the dead (Allie, James Castle, etc.)? 3b) Holden, though a usually negative person, finds comfort with the nuns. Why do you think that is? 4) Holden is still suffering from the death of his brother, Allie. Do you believe traumatic events such as this affect teenagers differently than all other age groups?
 * 1) What do you believe Holden’s mistake about the line from the Robert Burns song—his substitution of "catch a body" for "meet a body"—is signifying? How is it relevant to the novel’s title?
 * 2) Luce, an old Whooton schoolmate of Holden, used to repetitively talk about sex. In Chapter 19, Holden aggressively questions Luce about sex, clearly wanting Luce to give him some kind of guidance and insight into adult sexuality, but his attempts to raise the subject are clumsy and immature. Luce refuses to interact with Holden on the same footing that they had at Whooton. Do you believe there’s a point at which one reaches adult maturity?

Works Cited

Adolescence. Wikipedia. 13 May 2007. . Salinger, J.D.. //The Catcher in the// //Rye.// Massachusetts: Little, Brown and Company Edition, 1951. Kiri Eberhart