Journal 3

Journal 3 asks how it might feel if you were in a hostage situation. It also asks how you might cope and handle life as a hostage.

If I was in a hostage situation I would be freaking out. (Well depending on the situation. If I was kept hostage by someone attractive or famous like Justin Beiber or Josh Hutchersion I would be happy and do what ever they wanted me to.I would want  to stay hostage forever because its Justin Beiber.) But if I was held hostage, like a serious hostage, I would be an emotional wreck. I would probably cry everyday and be the weak one. I would depend on another hostage and probably beg to leave. Honestly I would do about anything to get out of the situation. Being held hostage or being involve in a mass shooting is one of my biggest fears. Therefore I don't really like writing about it. But since I need approximently 200 more words I will make up a story about being held hostage. So here we go...

It was a cool fall day in Minneville, Connecticut. I was walking around the town shops with my mom and decided to go out to eat. We went to a local diner called The Old Dairy. We were sitting there looking at the menu when two suspicious men walked in wearing all black. I am a very curious and cautionary person and I began to worry. Because this is something I normally do my mom said to not worry and order. I listened to her. Of course she was wrong. Before we knew it all the lights in the diner went off. I screamed. Then came the worst part: gun shots. My mom and I hid under the table. I was balling. What seemed like hours was only minutes. The lights came back on and there was a man talking. He told us to drop our phones and money if we wanted to live. We listened. Then he said that we were staying here and were his prisoners. He told us he owned the store and called off the cops. I didn't know who to believe. NO one knew what to say or what to do. Then the next thing I knew Captain America walked in. He shot the villains and saved us all.

Journal 2

Manners are something most people use and everyone needs. This is even true with animals. This journal entry is about a group of animals who do not use there manners but do to kindness no one is hurt or killed. They just learn a lesson. So here we go....

Once upon a time a long long long time ago there lived a family of lions. They were the leaders of all the animals and everyone loved them. When an animal went to the lions den the kind and respectful thing to do is bow. It was natural for all the animals to bow because they had been doing it all there life. However not everyone in the world new this was the appropriate behavior.

One day a new group of animals came into the Pride Rock and while all the animals were gone at the watering hole. The animals included a hyena, a giraffe, a zebra and a dark lion. They thought they had found empty land and they went to the lions den, making themselves at home. They were tired for they had had a long journey so they went to sleep. While the new animals were asleep the old animals returned and were not pleased. They didn't know what to tell the new animals so they let the fearless money Mufasa handle the issue. He took his large walking stick and banged it on the floor. It shook the ground and woke up the animals. They were not pleased. "Why are waking us up?" they asked.  

The Pride Rock animals started to laugh. "This is our town and cave." They said.

The new animals got defensive because they thought they would be kicked out, hurt, or killed. "Calm down", the monkey Mufasa said, "You guys are welcome to stay"

The new animals were shocked. “Really?” they said, “That is so kind”

“We know.” They animals said. “We learned our manners from them”, looking at the lions.  

Assigment 1

Mary Rowlandson Narrative of Captivity and Restoration is a true story about a colonial American woman who was captured by Native Americans during King Philip's War and held for 11 weeks before being ransomed. The expert we read from the American Literature Textbook includes details about her religion and continuous faith throughout her captivity.

Mary Rowlandson was one of the thirty-seven captives held by Native Americans during the war. She believed in the Puritan religion.  The Puritans came to the New World as a business venture. The group of Protasents was seeking to purify the Church of England. They believed the spiritual world and the everyday world were intertwined. The Puritans also believed that religion was a personal and inner experience. They left England for a few reasons. One of these reasons was they believe Christian worship should be more simple and related more to the bible. By leaving the country they could for a religion that was more ideal for them. Another reason they left the Church of England was because many of the people were being persecuted. Obviously they did not want to belong or live in a society that was treating people unfairly. By leaving England the people were able to come up with their own beliefs and society. A major belief in the Puritan religion was “In Adam’s Fall, We Sinned All.”( I do not really understand what this quote means and do not want to discuss in because I do not like interperting and discussing detailed religion. But the Puritan’s believed in it. J) The Puritans believed in certain values such as self reliance and industriousness. They also believed in temperance and simplicity. The Puritain beleifs are shown through their writings. They believed the bible was a guide and model on how to live their lives. They believed by following this book God would provide and give them the tools or wisdom they needed to survive. I think this devotion to the bible, God, and their religion is shown throughout the narritive expert by Mary Rowlandson.  

Mary and her fellow captives were treated terribly while being hostages with the Native Americans. At the beginning of the expert she says, “I would rather be chose to be killed then held captive.” (Rowlandson 82).  Mary had a baby who was wounded and was taken from her on the journey. The baby ended up dying while she was in captivity. The captives were not given the approiate food wages or clothing. She and the other captives turned to God and passages in the bible during these hard times. This is prooven many times throught the expert reading including on page 85 when Mary says “So I turned to my bible (my great comforter at that time.)” I think religion is what helped Mary survive the captiviting. By being able to  believe in someone made her have hope which is why she was able to starve and lose people she loved and still come out alive.

Another poem in the American Literature Textbook relates to religion and god during the building of America. “Upon the Burning of Our House” by Anne Bradstreet is about a fire that destroyed her home and all her belongings. Because she was Puritan she believed God did this to test her and did it for a reason. She calls the fire a gift (Bradstreet 91). I think this relates to the first narrative because it really did happen and shows traits of the Puritan religion.

Journal 1

Write your own Native American creation stories.

Many wonder how the bird got its wings little do they now they their wings as punishment. A long time ago there was an athlete named Red Cloud. He was very fast at running and loved jumping up in the air. Everyone in the tribe looked up to him because he was so great at sports. However Red Cloud was not the noble guy people thought he was. While the town was sleeping he would go into the peoples houses and steal. No one in the town ever suspected the burglar to the famous Red Cloud. Everyone in the town believed it was his brother Blue Sky. Blue Sky was a sneaky looking man. He had long long long braids and a very hairy and long beard. He would jump high up in the air trying to fly. People thought he was weird and not very many people liked him.
One day Red Cloud put the stolen items in Blue Sky's satchel. Then he told the people of of the town he heard Blue Sky coming in late. Because Red Cloud was so respected in the town people believed him. Blue Cloud was arrested and forbidden to jump or go outside again. Red Cloud was not very smart though. He kept stealing even though Blue Sky was arrested. The town did not know what to do. They begin questioning everyone. The wise leader of the tribe decided to catch the thief. He had a town meeting and said to stop looking for the thief. Red Cloud thought he had gotten away with his bad deeds but it did not change him. The next night he snuck into the stables to steal the chief's horse brush. Little did he know the chief was hiding behind a hay stack.He hopped out from behind it and tackled Red Cloud. It was a loud noise because the chief was a big man. Many members of the town came running. They were shocked when they saw Red Cloud. The town felt terrible for how they treated Blue Sky. To show their forgiveness the tribe came together and made wings for Blue Sky. He was able to fly in the air. The wings were named after the four members of the tribe that make them. Bull. Iriqouis. Redneck. Dingho. And this is how the bird got its wings.

Sources

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 2003. Print.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. New York: Penguin Group, 1995. Print

Blog 50!

Yay! I am finally on the 50^th blog of the summer. For my last blog I wanted to share my opinions about the readings. I started reading the summer books back in May. My goal was to get all of my blogs done before July. Obviously that did not happen. However I managed to write down my thoughts and opinions and was able to type them all out. (Which is why I posted them all in a few days). I think this was an okay approach. I mean I was able to finish before school starts (:

I thought the books for summer reading were better than last years. I still did not like them though. The books The Old Man and The Sea and The Moon is Down were so boring. I understood The Old Man and the Sea pretty well. I was able to comprehend the story and was able to write lots of blogs discussing the book. Unfortunately the Moon is Down did not go as well. I could not get myself into the book. I really tried but it just would not work. You can see this through my writing. I only did about ten blogs on the book. Catcher in the Rye was a good story. It did not seem like a book I was being forced to read and I really liked that. You can see I enjoyed the book because close to half my blogs are about it. I think that I understood this book more because I liked it.

The authors of the books affected my opinions of the book before I read them. What I mean is The Moon is Down is written by John Steinbeck who wrote one of my favorite books of all time. Therefore I expected to really like this book. Ernest Hemmingway wrote The Old Man and The Sea. I hate Ernest Hemmingway’s writings. I expected to totally hate this book. Honestly I was right about this one. I didn’t necessarily hate it but I didn’t like it. It was fine.

Overall I thought these books were okay. I survived summer reading!

Catcher in the Rye

 Even though The Catcher in the Rye was my favorite out of the three summer books I read there were parts I did not like. One particular part was when Holden Caulfield, the main character, was with the prostitute in his hotel room. I think that is so disgusting and immature of a sixteen year old boy to try to get with a prostitute. What did he think was going to happen? I just thought the entire situation was very weird and awkward. I almost felt bad for the prostitute because Holden was being so weird about it in the beginning. I was relieved when Holden politely asked her if it was okay if they just sat and talked instead. This is the part that made me mad. Shouldn’t the prostitute been happy or relieved or the least bit appreciative at all? For goodness sake, she was a child herself and I am sure she did not feel good about herself. I cannot imagine anyone who took part in such degrading acts would have very high self-esteem. The prostitute was mad! Even after Holden said he would still pay her! I just did not understand where those feelings were coming from her. Her only concern was whether she was getting paid or not, no matter what she had to do to get paid. I just felt like she would have been more than happy to sit down and have a conversation with Holden. She acted like he was the weirdest person on the planet for not wanting her services. She did not even give Holden a chance to show her that he was a fairly decent guy and was not joking around. And then when Holden paid her exactly what the man in the elevator said, he got in trouble for it. I feel bad for him that he got scammed. Not only did he get scammed out of ten dollars, but also out of a friendly conversation that could have helped get rid of some of his depression.

Least Favorite Summer Novel

My least favorite book I had to read this summer was an obvious choice. That choice would be the Moon is Down by John Steinbeck. It was SO hard to understand. When I began this book I was in the car on my way home from Florida. It was easy to pay attention because we had an extremely long car ride. I read nonstop and did not understand one word. I had no idea what was going on with this book which was really weird for me because I usually understand a book.

I think this book could have been great for many reasons. First of all it was written by John Steinbeck, who like I have said at least a million times, is a great and classic author. I think I had trouble understanding this book was because the setting and time period. The book was set in a European town during World War II. Talk about a serious tone. I think I am used to my favorite Steinbeck novel, Of Mice and Men. Which is serious but more interesting. The book also included murder. Two characters from different sides both were killed. It just makes me sad that murder and death were involved in the book. The theme of this book is very important but I found it a little difficult to follow. The theme of the book is to fight for what you believe in. This is a very important theme it just did not come across easily for me. I think if the story had been a little bit more interesting I would have liked the book.

Another reason I did not like this book was because it took a while to get to the action. The second I started reading Catcher in the Rye I knew I would like it but this just took a while. I still like the author because it is not his fault I do not like the book. Everyone has their own opinion and mine was not positive for this book.  

Holden

I think that in the book the Catcher in the Rye the main character is Holden Caulfield. I think Holden is the main character because he is the narrator of this book. Throughout the book we see things as Holden sees them and we learn everything through him. When we are introduced to Holden, he is sixteen years old and has been recently kicked out of school. Holden was expelled from school because he failed, but he is still seen as intelligent. The way Holden tells this story is very cynical because he hates the ugliness of the world so much it is intolerable. At some points in this book Holden displays just as much superficiality as everyone in this world that he was originally mad at. Holden has to pick between returning to school and saying goodbye to his sister Phoebe to go and travel the world. He faces this conflict for some time before he decides the best thing to do is to return to school.

Holden thinks in such an interesting way. He thought about how nothing ever changed in the museum. When you would go there, you would see things like Indians weaving a blanket like he saw. Overtime you would visit multiple times, but nothing ever changed. The Indian would always be weaving the blanket, and the people in the boat would always be paddling. Their facial expressions would never change. They were just statues, but they looked so real. This part of the story got to me. This passage is so true. It is not the museum that changes it is the person looking at it. This is true with so many things in like as well. An example is friends. As we get older we think people we care about change when really it is us.

Holden is a really complex character because he has so many issues. He is depressed with obviously makes him complex. I think Holden relates to many readers because he doesn’t like people and school. Lots of us hate that.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print.

Comparing the first two books

I think that if I had to choose between the novels The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger, and Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, I would definitely pick The Catcher in the Rye as my favorite of the two. I liked The Catcher in the Rye more than Old Man and the Sea for many reasons.

First of all, The Catcher in the Rye had a lot more characters, which added a lot more interest to the story. It gets very boring reading about the same man in the entire book, but with more characters there is more going on the book is more entertaining. I liked all of the dialogue between Holden Caulfield, the main character of The Catcher in the Rye, and the people that he met and interacted with throughout the whole book. Like I said before I like Holden sarcastic attitude. I also liked the setting of The Catcher in the Rye more than the setting of Old Man and the Sea. New York City in the nineteen-fifties is so much more exciting than in the middle of the ocean in Central or South America. This also relates to the characters. New York City is obviously a huge and extremely populated city, so there are going to be a ton of people. The middle of the ocean however there are absolutely no people. Because there all no people in the sea the old man in Old Man and the Sea talks to himself. He talks to his hand when it is cramped and to the great marlin that is dragging him away from home. I thought it was boring and weird that he had nothing to talk to. You can only talk to your hand so much.

Overall my main reason for liking The Catcher in the Rye more than Old Man and the Sea is the excitement. The plot is much more complicated, which makes it an easy and quick read. And also the characters.

Important Quote in Catcher in the Rye

I think the passage where Phoebe asked Holden why he got kicked out of the school Pencey was really important.

“Oh, God, Phoebe, don’t ask me. I’m sick of everybody asking me that. A million reasons why. It was one of the worst schools I ever went to. It was full of phonies. And mean guys. You never saw so many mean guys in your life. For instance, if you were having a bull session in somebody’s room, and somebody wanted to come in, nobody’d let them in if they were some dopey, imply guy. Everybody was always locking their door when somebody wanted to come in. And they had this goddam secret fraternity that I was too yellow not to join, and they wouldn’t let me in. I don’t even feel like talking about it. It was a stinking school take my word” (Salinger 167).

I found this quote very interesting. After he said this, Phoebe did not reply. I assume she had nothing to say. I would not know what to say to this, either. I would feel sorry for Holden and realize that maybe this school was not the best for him. Maybe he needed something else in his life. Maybe traveling was a good idea for him. I think that Phoebe understands, too. I do not think she did until this quote. But now I think she does and she feels bad for getting mad at him. Hopefully his parents can realize that a private and preppy school is not the best idea for Holden.

With this quote Holden shows he does not like people and he thinks he is better than everyone. He needs to realize he will always have to put up with people. He should learn that soon because the longer he just messes up his life to get away from his problems, he will not succeed. When Phoebe says, “You don’t like anything that’s happening,” I realized that she thinks the same thing I do. With this she will hopefully talk some sense into Holden’s head.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print.

Important Scene in Catcher in the Rye

In the book Catcher in the Rye, the author includes a very important scene that lets the reader completely in the main characters mind.

In this scene, Holden visits the Museum of Natural History in New York.  He finds himself studying an exhibit of Indians and Eskimos. The Indians are weaving a blanket and the Eskimos are canoeing on a stream. Holden goes into a deep thought while he is looking at these statues, and he begins to wonder to himself about how their lives are. He notices that no matter how many times you come to the museum and look at this exhibit, they will always be in the same position doing the same thing. Their facial expressions will never change and they will never move. He thinks to himself about how much he would like to live in a world where things never change and where things are always so predictable. I think that this scene is kind of sad because it shows how scared he is of changing and growing into an adult. Holden also notices how every time you come to the museum, you are the one who has changed. He notices that every time you come, you have changed either physically or mentally or changed in both ways. Holden is afraid of growing up and becoming an adult because he views adulthood as being equal to jumping off a cliff. I think this scene is very important to the message in this book because it is like a moment of realization for Holden. He realizes that he is growing up and that there is nothing he can do about it. I think that the author of the novel included this scene because of its importance to the overall message of this book.

I honestly love this scene. It really lets the reader get a better understanding of how Holden feels about growing up and maturing. This scene increases the total message of the book.

imagery in the old man and the sea

In the Old Man and the Sea, they author, Ernest Hemmingway,  uses a lot of imagery. I think the author uses imagery the most when the old man sees the marlin for the first time. The author describes the fish in such great detail that the book comes to life and becomes so much more interesting. The author uses words that describe the color, texture, and even the smell throughout the three day struggle the old man had with the marlin. The narrator says "He was bright in the sun and his head and back were dark purple and in the sun the stripes on his sides showed white and a light lavender. " In this quote the narrator is describing the marlin the old man has caught. The author also uses imagery to describe the shack the old man is living in. The narrator tells us that there are only a few things in his shack, a table, a chair, a table, and a bed. The narrator also tells us that there are two pictures in the old man’s shack, one of the Sacred Hear of Jesus, and one of the Virgin of Cobre. The narrator also tells us he took down the picture of his wife because it makes him feel to lonely. Another part in this book when imagery is used is when the author describes the way the old man's hands looked after he returned home from his trip. The narrator says his hands are so cut up that they looked like raw meat. I think that imagery in a book is very important because it can help readers get a better understanding of the situation the characters may be in. I also think imagery is important because without imagery this book would be so boring. Ernest Hemmingway does a really good with the imagery in this book because at some points in this book I felt like I could vividly see the fish because he described it in such good detail. I think that if an author does a good enough job with imagery, it can turn a boring book into something more like a picture book because you can see things so clearly.

Motifs in Catcher in the Rye

I think that in the book Catcher in the Rye, one of the most identifiable motifs is loneliness. Motifs are reoccurring structures that help develop the books major theme, and like I said before I think loneliness does that in this book. The main character Holden is very lonely because he isolates himself from the rest of the world, and he isolates himself because he is afraid of changing and growing up. Any relationship Holden may have had during this book he ruins with his rudeness. He purposely destroys any attempts he had to end his loneliness because he wants to keep a certain level of isolation for his own protection. Holden uses isolation as a security blanket, but this also causes him great pain. When Holden tries to end his loneliness by going out on a date with Sally Hayes, he ruins it by behaving badly and by being rude. Holden shows us while he is at the Museum of National History that he would like a world that is never changing, and very predictable. When Holden is presented with new relationships he realizes that people are unpredictable and that scares him right back into his isolation. Holden wishes people were just like the statues of the Indians in the museum and that they would never change and that they would be so predictable, but because they are not Holden continues to isolate himself from everyone in the world.

I think deception is another important motif in the book Catcher in the Rye. Holden thinks that deception is represented in the word phoniness and that deception and lying are the most hurtful categories in the word phoniness. Although it is obvious to us that Holden is guilty of being both deceptive and of lying, he still judges other people for being phony. (Which is totally ironic)

 I think motifs are very important in a book. They can help build up and inform the reader about the main theme of the book. Motifs were especially important in this book because the themes of deception and loneliness are repeated constantly.

Differences in the novels

I think the three books I read this summer were very different. The authors had three different writing styles and perspectives and the themes of the books did not really relate.

The first book I read was The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemmingway. This author does not use humor or mystery while telling the story. I was disappointed he did not because these are my favorite techniques while writing. He also used incorrect writing skills through the book (Well maybe not incorrect but certainly not satisfactory).  An example of this odd writing is when the old man talks to himself. He does not put quotations around the old man talking to himself making it extremely hard to follow and understand. The theme of this book is to not let age or uncontrollable things affect your abilities and how others view you. This lesson was the whole reason I even enjoyed this book. Actually I didn’t enjoy it, I tolerated it.

The second book I read this summer was The Catcher and the Rye. This novel was written by J.D Salinger. This author used humor, sarcasm, and a little bit of mystery. I really enjoyed his choices of writing. I personally find books so much more interesting when the author includes humor. I think this author’s goal was just to show people a different life. He included relatable things, like working in school and having to go through death. I think Salinger overdid it a bit. He really exaggerated his character Holden. He found flaws in everyone. He was super depressed. I wonder if Salinger wrote this while he was depressed or if a loved one was.

The third and final book I read was The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck. This author wrote one of my favorite books, Of Mice and Men. I was very disappointed in this book. I found it hard to follow and very confusing. He added so many unnecessary details like the mayor trimming his ears. Steinbeck obviously wrote this book during the war. I think his mind was in a confusing state. I think the theme of this book was a person can make a difference if everyone comes together.

New York and Catcher in the Rye

In the novel The Catcher in Rye the setting takes place in New York. I think that this was an excellent place to say the book took place in because it is a big city and there are a lot of people there that have dreams. Holden belongs here because he has dreams. New York is a big city and it is always moving and changing. Holden is always moving and changing too. I think J.D Salinger decided to make this book in the city of New York because he can relate to Holden. He had dreams of becoming a writer and New York seemed like the place to make them happen.

 There is also a lot of crime in New York which makes the story mysterious. The city is intriguing and has a lot of secrets and one could say that Holden is the same way. I think it was a good idea of Salinger to make the story like this because everything fits together. At the end of the story the reader wonders if Holden runs around New York discovering his dreams and making them come true. New York is a place where anything can happen. I think it was good of the author to let the reader have a happy ending. The setting helped that.

 I would love to go to New York someday. I think that it is so cool and interesting, There are so many different people there that you could see and there are so many different things to do. You would never get bored. I think that this is funny and ironic that Holden is always bored or lonely in a city that has so many things in it. Personally I think you would always have something to do but maybe the reason why Holden was getting into bad stuff because he was just bored. The New York references make the book interesting and more fun to read.  

The Title Of Catcher and The Rye

I thought the title of this book was really random to me because it had nothing to do with a catcher or rye? Once I started reading it, it still really did not make any sense at all because this book was about him getting with girls and calling them up when he was bored because he is weird. It all began to make since when I got to the part in the book when Phoebe, Holden's younger sister, ends up asks Holden what he was planning on doing the rest of his life and where he wanted to go in the future. He surprisingly answers her and says that he would like to be spending his time up on a mountain in a rye field watching all of the children playing with each other (Salinger 112). I think that Holden wants to be involved with people like him on a mountain with his sister. He also says that while they are playing and having fun if one of them starts to slip and fall over the edge, he wants to save her and wants to be the one to catch them. He wants the gratitude of saving her and being the hero.

This is where the title the catcher in the rye came from. Even though this very troubled kid that does a lot of things that are not what an average kid would do, he still has dreams and he still wishes about what he would like or what he wants like a lot of kids do. He still has dreams like everyone else. This also shows you that he is internally a really nice and loving boy because this dream of his is really nice and caring about his sister and the girl that would supposedly slip and she would be saved by Holden. Inside every kid there is that little kid caring and naive sense that would help anyone if they were in trouble. Holden truly cares about people and he just wants to do something good for once in his life and I think that is why he dreams this and is what he wants to do when he is older. I think this also shows everyone has some good in them.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print

Catcher in the Rye favorite Character

My favorite character in the book The Catcher in the Rye would have to be Phoebe because she is Holden's saving grace kind of in a way. She is his sister and she loves him very much no matter what has happened between the two of them and what Holden has done. She cares about her brother and wants him to get his life on track and straightened out because she knows that he cannot live his life like this anymore. She just wants him to be happy and live life as someone who does not have to get in trouble all the time. Holden I think really appreciates her a lot because without her and the help that she has given him who knows where he would be and what he would be doing? She just really has a lot of love for him no matter what and I think that this should or does really mean a lot to him because he has just always wanted someone there for him and something to love him very much and she does. He feels the love that she brings him. She also brings him happiness. If you are not happy then you are living a sad life. You will always be questioning yourself and always wonder about everything. You need to find something that you love and something that you live for and you need to stay happy. Depression can kill you and make you a heartless person and you do not want to be like that because it is a sad and lonely life. You have your family and they will always care for you and that is why I think Phoebe was such a key role in the book. She reminded Holden of life and what he was missing out on the whole time he was getting in trouble. She also made him think of his dream of being in a rye field. Phoebe was the main reason Holden stays.

Final Thoughts on The Old Man and The Sea

Overall, I actually ended up enjoying this novel, The Old Man and the Sea. I said in the beginning how boring it was, and the book did have its moments. I would recommend this book to anyone, as it tells a good story of perseverance, and never giving up. Santiago could be seen as an idolized character, because despite the fact that he is being pulled across the ocean by a marlin, he never gives up. Yes he gets discouraged and starts talking to his cramped hand, the marlin, and the sea, but not once does he think of letting the line go. If I were to be in the old man's position, I would give up after the first day. The fish is strong as well for not giving up without a fight. Both the old man and the marlin did not give up, making them both an equal match for each other.
One thing I did not care for as much was the dialect and how Hemingway tended to have extremely short and choppy sentences, especially when the old man is by himself in his skiff with just the marlin and the sea. He begins talking to himself, and Hemingway does not use quotation marks, which made following what the man was saying and doing difficult to follow. I did like how short this novel was, as it made it a quick read. However, trying to decipher what message Hemingway is getting across can be difficult, as there are several I can come up with. Survival would have to be the main message. Also, I found two conflicts through the novel. There is the one between Santiago and himself, and also Santiago and the sea. It is quite a complex story, for being short.  I can see why Hemingway received the 1954 Nobel Prize for Literature. So I was surprised that I actually ended up enjoying this novel more than I had initially thought I would.

Reoccuring Dream in The Old Man and the Sea

In the novel the Old Man and the Sea, the main character, Santiago, has a recurring dream of a pride of lions playing together on the beach of Africa, a memory he has from a fishing trip along the coast of Africa. He apparently remembers the lions crawling over each other and just having fun, but he was not in any danger, for he was still out on the fishing vessel. Santiago dreams of this memory three times during the five-day story, and he also mentions that he had had the dream repeatedly for quite a long time before he goes on the fishing trip to find the marlin. The first time he has the dream is the night before he ventures far out, and he still had no idea of what is to come, so he is able to rest peacefully. The second occurs during his fight with the marlin when he is able to sleep briefly in the night and still hold onto the grand fish. The final time he dreams of the lions on the beach is when he is once again at home in his own bed and can sleep soundly knowing his friend, Manolin, is still there. The last viewing of the dream is the most comforting and heartwarming because the old man had just gone through three days of battle with hardly any rest to take his mind away from it all. It is such a fitting end to the book because it shows Santiago is happy with everything that happened as a whole, despite all the difficulties and troubles along the way. Since Santiago associates the lions on the beach with his childhood of fishing, the lions are symbols of the circle of life where such ferocious predators always have the side of compassion and adorability. Also because of that, the dream shows the harmony between life and death. The predators are playing and full of life that I cannot help but notice the grace and beauty of the line between life and death.

Unpredictable Parts in The Old Man and the Sea

In the book the  Old Man and the Sea the author was stubborn. Reading was boring and uneventful. That was until the old man was on the sea finally was able to reel in his monster of a fish. This "marlin" put up an amazing fight for just a fish, tugging the old man's boat for days, then surfacing momentarily only to go back under to pull the boat even further. I do not think it was not actually a fish. I think it must have been either an illusion put on by Santiago's own mind or an anchor that had come apart from its ship and was hooked accidentally. In the case of the anchor, the old man must also have been insane to think he saw it swimming. The current system in the ocean must have moved the anchor, which then also tugged the boat in a whole. Supposedly, Santiago was also able to hold onto the swimming fish with only his hands clamped to the line for dear life; it seems completely impossible for anything to hold onto anything voluntarily for too much more than about half an hour. Even if Santiago did have this strength, I question who he controlled the fish. The question remains without an answer. Or why would he want to stay with the fish for so long, knowing he was slowly being pulled farther and farther away from home, making it harder on himself to get the beast back into shore? It sounds quite unrealistic. The author, Ernest Hemingway, should have asked himself these sorts of questions before finishing the book, but that is just my opinion. Still, without understanding the flaws in the story, the plot in entirety was alluring but somewhat predictable. A man went out to find the catch of a lifetime, found it, fought it, and was unavoidably doomed from the start of took more than he could handle. In the end the marlin was unrealistic.

Old Man and the Sea Invisible Characters

There are three main and important characters in The Old Man and the Sea who are never even physically present in the story. These characters are Joe DiMaggio, the famous New York Yankees' center fielder, Perico, a friendly store owner in the village, and Martin, another nice man who works in the village. Although they never speak or show themselves, all three play important parts in the plot in each of their own unique ways. Joe DiMaggio, for example, is hundreds of miles away in New York, but he is still not only Santiago's favorite baseball player, but also a major role model. When Santiago feels weak or down, he thinks of the "great Joe DiMaggio" and of what he might do in the same situation. DiMaggio comes up multiple times in The Old Man and the Sea as an inspiration for Santiago. One notable occurance is when Santiago's left hand, being under too much stress, cramps and becomes useless. He thinks of the "great Joe DiMaggio" and how he played through a bone spur, and he set his mind to getting over the cramp and forcing it to release. DiMaggio is worshiped as a character of amazing strength and commitment. Perico is the owner of a shop in town. He is only mentioned a few times in the book, but he seems to be a friendly character. His role in The Old Man and the Sea is to provide the daily newspaper to Santiago, so he can read through it and mainly check the baseball box scores. It is not stated, but as I understand, Perico gives this service for no charge. This says a lot about the values of him as a human; he must be a very generous and caring man. Martin serves about the same purpose as Perico, but he gives Santiago food instead of the paper from the cafe he runs in the village. Then Manolin goes and fetches the food most days from the restaurant and brings it back to the man for him.

Character Thoughts in the Old Man and the Sea

In the book, The Old Man and The Sea, there are two major characters.  The two defined characters are Santiago (the old man) and Manolin (the young boy). They are really the only two characters in the book. They are together in the beginning of the book, but then it is basically a story of Santiago. From the beginning, the reader could feel and see a close bond between Santiago and Manolin. Although they have no relation to one another, they watch out and show a lot of gratitude for each other. I am sure that it is not easy going on all alone to fish, but Santiago wanted to see Manolin succeed. He was not going to be able to do that with the luck that Santiago was having, so he told the boy to go with the other fisherman. "You're with a luck boat. Stay with them." (Hemingway, 10). It really shows how much love and care about one another. Manolin wants to go with Santiago, but Santiago wants to see Manolin catch fish. Even though Santiago does not have much money, Manolin always finds a way to get Santiago dinner, coffee, or whatever he needs. Throughout the book, when Santiago is by himself fishing, he is constantly saying, "I wish I had the boy. To help me and to see this." (Hemingway, 48). Even though he told Manolin he could not come with him, he is always wishing he had him to help.

The other character that is in The Old Man and the Sea is really a group of people in the town. They are the group of fishermen that make fun of Santiago for not being able to catch any fish. At the beginning, they are making fun of him at the bar, but Santiago ignores them. At the end of the book, when Santiago has the skeleton of the marlin that he caught, the fisherman see it and they are immediately taken back. They realize how big the fish is and are amazed, and they probably will stop teasing him.

Old Man and The Sea Irony

In the book, The Old Man and The Sea, Santiago has not caught a fish in eighty-four days. Although the bad luck, he goes out fishing each day and is pessimistic about the chance of catching  the big one. Although it never happens, his attitude never changes about the subject of fishing. On the eighty-fifth day, Santiago's luck is about to change, although he does not know what is to come. He gets a bite and is praying that the fish take the bait. "Come on, make another turn. Just smell them. Aren't they lovely? Eat them good now and then there is the tuna. Hard and cold and lovely. Don't be shy, fish. Eat them." (Hemingway, 42). He is begging the fish to take the bait and he finally does. He has finally caught a fish and it is massive. Unfortunately for Santiago more bad luck is to come. The fish is soon devoured by sharks. Santiago tries everything to keep the sharks away, but he is no match. This is so ironic due to the fact that Santiago finally caught his fish, and now all that is left is the skeleton of the beast that was. He had done all this for nothing and his unfortunate luck continues. "What a fish it was, the proprietor said. There has never been such a fish. Those were two fine fish you took yesterday too. Damn my fish, the boy said and he started to cry again. Do you want a drink of any kind? the proprietor asked. No, the boy said. Tell them not to bother Santiago. I'll be back. Tell him how sorry I am. Thanks, the boy said." (Hemingway, 123). Another thing that is ironic about this situation is the fact that everybody (besides the young boy) was making fun of Santiago for his bad luck. Now they are feeling bad and are showing gratitude towards him. They are also amazed at what he had caught. It is amazing how peoples' attitude can change when someone does something big.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 2003. Print.

Old Man and the Sea- luck

Throughout the story Santiago keeps mentioning how he is unlucky (The town says so too). This is the reason the boy is no longer allowed to work with him, because there are other fisherman who have been catching fish lately. With all of the expertise and experience that the old man has, it seems strange that he still believes that luck is the reason for his success being stopped in its tracks. One quote of Santiago is quite interesting. He said, “Only I have no luck anymore. But who knows? Maybe today. Everyday is a new day. It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes you are ready.”(Hemmingway 37). The fact that he stated it is better to be lucky really made an impression on me upon reading this part. It is evident that he prefers to be exact and he most definitely is. During the story he speaks about how great he is, but this seems to differ that thought. One would think that at this point in his life and after all of his years of experience he would trust in his abilities, but the old man is still thinking that it is better to be lucky in the trade of fishing. Sure luck has something to do with it, but if there are people who do it for a living it seems like there would be a certain way to do it that comes with time and experience. I would not trust in luck if I had to go catch fish to pay the bills and keep myself alive. I would much rather have a good plan and know what I’m doing before I go out to fish. This is probably why this part of the book really stuck out to me. Because if you know you’re good at something, it seems reasonable to be confident in yourself and do that rather than just saying, “I wish I was luckier.”
Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 2003. Print..

Symbolism in the Catcher in the Rye

There is symbolism in most classic novels especially this book. Catcher in the Rye is by J.D Salinger.    

This novel has a lot of symbolism going on in it. One of the symbols is the ducks in the pond at the park. Holden presents a very serious and strong interest in these ducks. He is constantly asking and wondering what exactly happens to them during the winter when the lake is frozen. He actually asks quite a few people throughout the story and they just seemed to be annoyed by the questions. The first way this is symbolic is simply the fact that Holden does have this curiosity. With this being a novel about coming of age, the questioning of what happens to the ducks shows a different side of Holden; this being the child in him. Curiosity is something quite often associated with youth. Most of the time in the novel, Holden shows himself as knowledgeable compared to the other and it is the questions about the ducks that show a more juvenile side of him.

Another major symbol in the story is Holden's infamous red hunting hat. I believe that this hat really is just a symbol of Holden's character and personality. He is constantly wearing it and it basically becomes a part of him. He seems to comment a lot about how it looks and he only really wears it when he is walking around by himself. The hat is quite unique in nature and this really is the main way that it symbolizes Holden. It is not something that most people wear in a metropolitan area and Holden is not really an average kid compared to the others that are around him.

These are a few examples of the major symbolism in the novel, The Catcher in the Rye. The hat symbolizes Holden's uniqueness and the questioning of the ducks at the lake emphasizes the child that is still left in him.

The Moon is Down 8

Question eight asks how accurately this novel reflects events in history. What responsibilities does the author believe exist between various groups in society, such as workers and bosses, men and women, blacks and whites, etc.? What people, ideas, and events probably influenced this author?

I think the events in "The Moon is Down" by John Steinbeck accurately reflect events in history. The main historical event going on during this time period is World War II. This book was written in 1941 and published in 1942. This was a major influence on the story. The reader can see this because of the plot. The characters also show history. There are two groups of people in this novel. One group is the invaders. These soldiers represent the Nazi’s. In the book they are Colonel Lanser, Captain Bentick, Major Hunt, Captain Loft, Lieutenant Prackle, and Lieutenant Tonder. The other group was the townspeople. They include Alex Morden, Dr. Winter, Annie, Mary Morden, Mayor Orden, and Joseph.  

Another way history is reflected in this book is simply the plot and conflict. Like I have said a million times before. The plot of this story takes place during the early days of World War II and is about when a group of Nazis soldiers or invaders that invade a coal-mining village. The people of this town try to keep their freedom and revolt. I think Steinbeck successfully described the event in history. It is obvious that the author is talking about World War II.

I think a responsibility Steinbeck believed existed was roles between men and women. I think this because of the contrary roles the men and women in this book. They had many different jobs. Men worked and women stayed home. I do not think John Steinbeck had an issue with women working, I just think life was different back then. I think John Steinbeck also believed responsibilities existed in this society were between the soldiers and the townspeople. This is because the townspeople revolt. OveralI, think John Steinbeck got his ideas of the people, ideas, and events from World War II.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. Ney York: Penguin Group, 1995. Print.

The Moon is Down 7

Question seven for the novel The Moon is Down asks what techniques does the author use to engage the audience and make the story effective? Give examples to support your analysis (mystery, humor, symbolism, suspense, etc.).

In the book, "The Moon is Down" by John Steinbeck, Steinbeck uses many techniques to keep the audience interested and make the story effective. One of these techniques is suspense. I think suspense is one of the most interesting things for the reader to read. The reader should want to know what would happen and to keep reading. I think the most suspenseful part of the book, The Moon is Down, is after the parachutes arrive and the townspeople start to revolt. The townspeople blow up the railroad tracks. I find this very suspenseful for many reasons. One, they could die while trying to blow it up. Two, the Nazi soldiers could take revenge on all the towns people. An example of this is when Will and Tom Anders set out to sail to other countries to find support against the villager's plight (Steinbeck 78). This causes the reader to wonder whether the brothers will be able to spread the word about the villager's situation. Another example of suspense is when Molly kills Lieutenant Tonder. The reader doesn’t know what will happen. I found myself asking would she really do it? Would he fight back? I think it was Steinbeck’s goal. He wanted the reader to ask themselves what would happen and worry about the characters.

Another technique used in The Moon is Down is rebellion. This is what the whole story is about. An example of this is when Alexander Morden stands up for himself and when Annie throws the boiling water on the soldiers. Another example would be when Molly Morden kills Lieutenant Tonder. And last but not least blue parachutes and the destruction of the Nazis rail road tracks. These suspenseful events all represent rebellion. I like how the author combined the techniques to form one novel.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. Ney York: Penguin Group, 1995. Print.

The Moon is Down 6

Question six for the novel The Moon is Down asks why we still read this book and what is so timeless about its message and characters. It also asks what we can learn. I think this is the most important question because why would we read the book if there was not a timeless message.

We still read the novel The Moon is Down for many reasons. I think the main reason while we read this novel by John Steinbeck is because of the lesson of courage. This courage is show numerous times throughout the book starting with Alex Morden. He refuses to listen to the invaders and in the end losses his life for fighting for his beliefs. He died with courage.  The townspeople show courage when they rebel by blowing up the train tracks.  We also read this book because it’s a Steinbeck classic. All of John Steinbeck’s book reflect a time period in history as well as teach a lesson. I think anyone can learn from at least one of this author’s books.  

I think we also read this book for the plot. The plot shows a lot about history and is timeless.  The plot is accurate to the history of the war. Soldiers really did just walk into a town and took it over. The people of real towns did have to come together and form a plan of attack.

Another timeless message shown is that you can do anything. It took so much strength and courage to take over and fight back against the soldiers.  The invaders come into the town thinking that the people will not resist and that it will be an easy job. They soon find however that this is not the case. The townspeople show the readers you can fight for your rights and freedom no matter what the circumstance is.

Another reason this book is still read is because of the timeless characters. By standing up for what they believe in and coming together as one. The townspeople, which include Mayor Orden, Molly, and Alex,  show readers anything is possible.  

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. New York: Penguin Group, 1995. Print.

Tone in The Moon is Down

The tone of a book majorly effects how the reader will interpret the book and receive the message and story. The tone used in "The Moon is Down" by John Steinbeck is very serious and climatic. I think the tone is more a serious tone because it is about a war. Wars are never humorous or fun. They are serious and depressing. I expected this would be a serious story from the beginning where the reader could easily see it was a serious plot. Like I have said before, the plot of this book is about a group of Nazi soldiers that invade a small coal-mining village in Europe and begin to take over and control the people. However the townspeople try to maintain their freedom and begin to revolt. The time period that this all takes place in is the early days of World War II. The country was stressed and everyone was uncertain of what would happen.  There was not a lot of happiness or joy during these times. I think it was a good idea for Steinbeck to keep the tone serious. It was respectful and mature to keep the events true to the history of World War II.

Another tone used in the novel The Moon is Down is suspense. There are many climatic events in this story beginning with the War. When there is a war going on no one knows what will happen or who will win. There is also suspense with the townspeople. First there is suspense when Alex Moreden is shot and killed (Steinbeck 38). Another point of suspsense is when the townspeople revolt. We do not know if they will succeed with blowing up the train tracks or if they will be killed while doing it.

I think Steinbeck has a good balance of tone throughout this novel. This once again shows Steinbecks amazing writing talents and understanding of human nature.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. NewYork: Penguin Group, 1995. Print.

The Moon is Down 5

Question five asks how accurately does the novel The Moon is Down reflect history, behavior, and social issues of the time period and setting. Before I can answer the question a few things must be noted. The period in which this book was written is 1942 during the early days of World War II. The setting of "The Moon is Down" is in a small coal-mining village somewhere in Europe. The actual country in Europe that this story takes place is never specifically mentioned.

The plot of the story shows the history. The invaders, which are the Nazis, invade a small coal-mining village and the townspeople who live in it.  The townspeople struggle to maintain their freedom and decide to revolt. The characters are another thing that represents the history of the war. The major characters would be the "invaders" or soldiers. They reflect the history of the war because they are the enemy These included Captain Bentick, Captain Loft, Colonel Lanser, Major Hunter, Lieutenant Tonder, and Lieutenant Prackle.

Behavior and social issues are due to the war. The invaders treat the townspeople with hatred and disrespect because there leader is telling them too. The behavior from the townspeople is related to the social issues as well. The soldiers are treating the townspeople bad so the townspeople rebel.

The symbolic significance of "The Moon is Down" would be World War II. I think this because of the plot and what the book symbolizes. I think the thematic significance of this book would be the courage shown by the townspeople. Examples of this courage would be when Alexander sticks up for himself, when Molly kills Lieutenant Tonder, and the destruction of the rail road tracks. This is a theme of courage is shown through the entire story. Examples of this

I think this book is a good representation of the war. The themes are admirable and teach readers a good lesson. I think Steinbeck did a good job of representing World War II.

The Moon is Down 4

Question four for The Moon is Down asks who the hero of the story is and what.  This question is going to be very hard to answer because there is not just one hero in this book. I like that this book has more than one hero. I think it makes it stand out from just the normal novel. It makes you remember the book, which was probably the author’s goal while writing.  

There are many people in the novel The Moon is Down who have heroic traits.  I believe that all the townspeople are heroes because they stood up for what they believed in. They fought for their freedom even when it seemed impossible for them to win. It would have been much easier to let the invaders stay and peacefully listen to them. I think this shows strength and courage. Not very many people would stand up to frightening soldiers, without weapons.

Alex is the first person to act out against the soldiers and rebel (Steinbeck 38). Even though he pays for this rebellion with his life, he gets the other people of the town to do the same and starts a full-scale rebellion against the soldiers.

The heroes in this book include Mayor Orden, Alex and Molly Morden, Dr. Winter, Sarah, and many more townspeople. The most important accomplishment though of these heroes is what they inspire the readers of the book. Like I said before they fought for their freedom with the lowest of odds. It inspires readers to stand up for what they believe in and defy odds. I like how the heroes in this book are just regular people. By blowing up bridges the townspeople let the invaders know they would not leave peacefully.  

If I was in their position I would probably not have had the courage to fight for my rights. I find it inspiring and heroic that the people of the town would stand up for themselves. I think every can learn from this book.

The Moon is Down 3

Question three for the novel The Moon Is Down asks what universal themes are shown throughout the book. It also asks what the author understands about human nature. This book is written by John Steinbeck.

The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck addresses numerous universal themes. One of these themes is unity. There is unity showed throughout the entire book. The first sign of unity is the Nazi soldiers. They enter the town as one. They fight together to try to take over the town. The soldiers are brought together by Hitler. The second sign of unity is through the town. They come together to rebel against the Nazi’s.  They are brought together by the blue parachutes. The parachutes gave them the resources they did not have. It also gave them the courage to rebel and come together as one.

Strength is also a universal theme shown throughout the book. Both the townspeople and the soldiers had to show strength during the book.  The townspeople had to fight against the soldiers who were trying to take over their land and lives.  The soldiers were fighting for themselves as well as their leader. I think strength is a universal theme because it comes in many different types. Strength can be mental or physical. It can be helpful or hurtful.  

I think the author, John Steinbeck, understands a lot about human nature.  I think he wanted to show the nature of freedom. He shows this through the townspeople as they try to revolt. He also shows this through Alexander Morden. He was fighting for his freedom and his life was taken because of that.  This was a small turning point for the townspeople. They realized if they wanted a change in the town they would have to come together as one. I think it was his goal to show if people come together they can make a change.

John Steinbeck shows that we need love and compassion. The soldiers talk about their families and friends they miss. I think the soldiers lost passion from the lack of compassion. In the end I think Steinbeck shows a lot about human nature.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. New York: Penguin Group, 1995. Print.

The Moon is Down 2

Question two asks what the causes gains and losses dealt with in the book. The book I will be writing about is The Moon is Down. The author is John Steinbeck.

There are many causes, gains, and losses, dealt with in "The Moon is Down"  The main conflict of the story is that the Nazi's are taking over a coal mining town but cannot seem to control the townspeople who do not want the soldiers there. The cause of this conflict is World War II. The fact that there is a coal mine in the town makes it a key spot for the Nazi’s in war. Therefore another cause is the Nazi’s. They want to control everyone in the town and of course the town doesn’t want that. The Nazi's use threats and punishment to scare the townspeople. Alexander Morden is an example of the Nazi’s punishment. Captain Loft demanded Alexander, who had a very short temper, to get back to work when he did not want too. Another solider, Captain Bentick, was killed when he tried to interfere.  Alexander was then sentenced to trial and was shot in a public execution. This led to his wife Molly to kill different solider later in the book. When the Nazi’s arrived in the town they built train tracks. This ended up being a loss for them because the townspeople blow them up towards the end of the book. Finally, a loss for the soldiers is the soldiers themselves. They lose by having some of their own die.  

I do not think that there are very many gains from the conflict. I guess that one gain is for the soldiers. They scared the townspeople by killing Alex in public. I think the townspeople gain the most. Because of the parachutes the townspeople come together and rebel against the townspeople.  

Overall I think the book focuses on the conflict the entire time.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. New York: Penguin Group, 1995. Print.

The Moon is Down 1

The first question for the novel The Moon Is Down asks what were the author’s values and attitudes when writing the book. The author of this book is John Steinbeck. The novel is written in third person. I think this was the best decision for the book because it is not just about one character. We do not see the book just from the Nazi’s point of view or just the townsmen view.  

The writing in the book "The Moon is Down" reveals many of John Steinbeck's values and attitudes. One value that is shown throughout the book is bravery. This is shown through the townspeople. At the end of the book they plan to revolt against the Nazi’s. The first act of revolt comes from Molly. The second time lieutenant Tonder visits, she kills him. This is her revenge from the death of her husband. If I was in her position I think I would have done the same thing. She had to be brave and courageous to kill him. I think the author wanted to show that these traits come in different actions. Bravery is also displayed when the planes carrying the parachutes are sent. These blue parachutes needed to get the townspeople to revolt. These gifts contained chocolate, dynamite, and directions on exactly what to do with it. The townspeople needed to have bravery in order to pull this off and they did.

The Moon is Down also revealed the authors, John Steinbeck’s, attitudes. This story I think reveals John Steinbeck's attitude about the war. The reader can see Steinbeck does not agree with Germany’s beliefs. He celebrates there defeat by the characters revolts and victories. Again this would be when Molly kills Lieutenant Tonder and the delivery of the parachutes.  This is also shown when they blow up the Nazi’s train tracks. It also shows his attitudes about freedom. He believes in revenge and freedom for people who have done nothing.

Steinbeck, John. The Moon Is Down. New York: Penguin Group, 1995. Print.

The tone in the Old Man and the Sea

The book 'The Old Man and the Sea' has a very relaxed tone. The tone of the book relates to the relaxed tone that the sea has. The sea is calming and peaceful. The old man is also very relaxed in the book. The old man remains calm even when he is desperately trying to catch the fish. He never freaks out or seems stressed. If I was the old man I would have been freaking out and very stressed. The tone of the book reflects the personality of the old man. It is very simple, like the life that the old man lives. He lives in a simple small shack near the sea: the inside of the shack, like the outside is very plain. He has a bed, a table and chair, and a small place for a fire where he can cook his food. He lives a very plain and easy life. He has the same routine every day. He wakes up very early in the morning, he goes to wake up the young boy, They both go down to the old man's shack and drink coffee that the young boy brings, They chat while they drink their morning coffee. The old man and the young boy then carry the old man's supplies down to the old man's boat. After they have prepared everything for the day, they wish each other luck and part on the beach. The old man fishes all day, most of the time with no luck, and then returns home to read about the baseball scores. He eats a very simple meal every night that the young boy brings to him. The man is dependent on the boy, he is really all he needs in his life. The old man keeps things very simple. I think this could relate to a lot of older people. They live simple lives. This makes me assume the author was old when he wrote this. The author does a good job of keeping the tone easy going and simple.

Tone in Catcher and the Rye

I think the main tone in the novel The Catcher in the Rye is depressed. Although there are some sub-tones.

Holden complains throughout the whole story. He is always complaining about how annoying people or he complaining about how horrible he feels. He tells the reader that he is worried or he is depressed. He finds a lot of things that make him sad and in a bad mood. So of course a tone of the book would be sad. He is a sixteen year old boy on his own in one of the biggest cities in the world and is too scared to go home. However there is another tone to the book that is quite surprising due to the character’s attitude. This tone is compassion. Holden really cares about one person in the book, which would be his younger sister Phoebe. She is possibly the only person that can make Holden truly happy. She makes him laugh a lot. They can also have great conversations together. There is one more person Holden shows compassion towards. That person is Jane Gallagher. He gets upset when she goes on a date with his roommate. Holden knows Jane deserves better. He thinks about her multiple times throughout the book. Holden thinks about how they would hold hands and how he would kiss her. He remembers random details about her like how she played checkers. This shows his compassion for her.

Unfortunately the tone can also be judgmental. Holden judges just about everyone he meets. He can barely tolerate people and he finds flaws with everyone. Holden thinks bad things about everyone. Of course, everyone has their flaws but Holden takes it to the next level. He hates when people talk too much or don't talk enough. He hates movies and how actors are phony, even though it is their job to act as someone else. Holden thinks just about everyone is phony and he can't stand it. He judges everyone.

The Ducks in The Catcher and the Rye

In the novel the Catcher and the Rye the main character Holden mentions that ducks live in a lagoon in south Central Park. He thinks about where the ducks might go during the story and asks different people if he knows where they go. He wonders if the ducks fly away or if people take them somewhere warm. He worries about the ducks. I find it interesting that Holden cares so much about the ducks. He seems to not care about many things so it is surprising he cares about animals. Later on in this story the reader can relate the ducks to his deceased brother Allie. Holden asks Allie not to let the ducks die, basically he asks his brother to protect them and be there angel. This shows that Holden does have a heart and does care. He is probably depressed because of his brother’s death.

Later on in the story Holden is alone in the city and has nowhere to go so he goes to that lagoon. He decides to look for the ducks. He gets very close to the water, so close that he about falls in. Finally he realized there are no ducks there. Holden is surprised and sad they are not there even though he knew it would be unlikely (it was winter). Because the ducks are not there he starts thinking about his dead brother, Allie. To me this hints that Holden thinks the ducks are dead. Holden worries about small things that don't even concern him. He worried all the time throughout this book. He even worried about just a few ducks that have obviously left to find warmer weather. Holden assumes not being seen is like being dead. Again I think this is due to his brother’s death.

I think the ducks show that Holden does have a heart and does care about something other than himself. I think the ducks play a big role on showing who Holden really is.

The Sharks in Old Man and the Sea

The story focuses around the old man and the fish and his journey. I think it was important to do at least one blog on how the sharks destroyed the fish. The sharks destroyed the old man’s dream and prize.

The old man struggled throughout the book to catch a giant Marlin. Once he finally caught the giant fish he was beyond proud. The fish was too big to fit inside the old man's boat so he had to strap the fish onto the side of his boat. The old man began his long trip back to his home. As you as know along the way he runs into some problems. The biggest being the sharks. As the man gets closer to home he runs into sharks along the way. Each of them taking bites away from the beautiful fish. The old man's heart breaks as pieces of his prize fish get torn away. It got to a point where the old man couldn't even look at the fish. He was too scared of what he might see. He did not want to see the fish he worked so hard for destroyed. Of course the sharks had no idea of the struggle the old man and that fish went through. I think if they did know they wouldn’t have ate the fish but that would be impossible because they are animals.  The sharks thought it was just any other fish and they were probably hungry. I think the fish would have been eaten or destroyed by something even if the sharks didn’t eat it. I think it would have been too hard for the old man to bring the monster fish into the island alone.

The sharks are the antagonist in the book because they destroy the protagonists dream. I feel bad for the old man because he worked so hard but I think him not catching the fish made the story stand out. Instead of having a normal happy ending the character had to fight even more.

Compare and Contrast

The Catcher in the Rye and The Old Man and the Sea are very different books but they do have a couple of similarities. I surprisingly enjoyed both of them.  The main character in The Catcher in Rye by J.D Salinger is Holden Caulfield. The main character in The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemmingway is the old man Santiago.

I am going to start with identifying the similarities in the novels. There are not very many but I still think they should be named. Both books were very quick reads and works of fiction. By being short and interesting I was able to get through The Catcher and the Rye and the Old Man and the Sea in a few just a few days. Both of the protagonists do not care what people think of them. Holden is a depressed teenager who has been kicked out of four schools. He obviously does not care about his education. The Old Man is known as unlucky and crazy through his town. He does not let that get him down. They also have a character that they care about. Holden cares about Phoebe, his little sister. The old man has the boy.

There were many differences between both books. To begin with the main characters. Holden is a very upfront, blunt, and rebellious character.  The old man, on the other hand, is mellow and kind of shy. He is very kind. Their ages are also very different. Holden is a teenager in school and Santiago is an old man working as a fisherman. The authors used different techniques when writing these novels. J.D Salinger used more humor and suspense while Ernest Hemmingway used details and a slower story pace.

I think both authors got what they wanted out of their novels. Hemmingway focused on a lesson while Salinger focused on relating. In the end I think both authors did an extraordinary job with books that will be read forever.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner, 1952. Print.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print.