The Cather in the Rye: The Ducks in the Lagoon motif

One of the reoccurring events in The Catcher in the Rye was the ducks on the pond in central zoo. Holden asks several people what happens to them when it’s winter, and thinks about it sometimes, randomly, when he’s supposed to be listening to what someone is saying, or if he’s talking, or lying. For example, when he’s talking Mr. Spencer, he finds himself thinking of the ducks. “The funny thing is, though, I was sort of thinking something else while I shot the bull. I live in New York, and I was thinking about the lagoon in Central Park down near Central Park South. I was wondering if it would be frozen over when I got home, and if it was, where did the ducks go. I was wondering where the ducks went when the lagoon got all icy and frozen over. I wondered if some guy came in a truck and took them away to a zoo or something. Or if they just flew away.” (Salinger pg. 13) Then, later, when he gets in a cab, he randomly asks the driver if he knows where they go. (Salinger pg. 60) The next day, he asks ANOTHER cab driver if he knows where they go. This question turns into an argument. (Salinger pg. 82) Along with these questions to the two different cab drivers, he asks them if they want to go get a drink with him. They both decline. Now, the question I kept asking myself was why does he find this topic so important, and why does he ask it in the first place? I think the main reason is because throughout the novel Holden is trying to connect with people. He wants to talk to someone because he is really lonely, and just won’t admit it to himself. He asks people this question because honestly, I think he hopes even though it’s a crazy question, they will know the answer. This motif further represents the loneliness that Holden has, and the alienation he has experienced. It shows how desperate he is to connect with a person, and the rejection of his question shows the separation he feels. I think that having his question rejected makes Holden feel like a weirdo, or like he doesn’t belong. It’s a sad thing, because Holden really is interested to know the answer, but when he asks it, he gets rejected and feels more like a freak.

            Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.

The Catcher in the Rye: Why it was my favorite novel out of Fahrenheit 451, The Old Man and the Sea, and The Moon Is Down

I enjoyed all four of the books that I read, but out of all of them, The Catcher in the Rye was my favorite of all. I’d always heard of this book, but I never actually knew the plot or character list. I’d seen it on the internet, on posters, and on summer reading lists, but I already assumed it was a more complicated read that would require a lot of thinking and line connecting. Surprisingly, it was an extremely EASY read and it flowed perfectly. It was upbeat and amusing, but also very touching and full of symbolism. It was completely unexpected from a book I’d known about for years that I’d never once touched. It wasn’t really the plot that made me like it, but the writing style. From the first   sentence, “If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don’t feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth,”( Salinger pg. 1) to the last two, “Don’t tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody” (Salinger pg. 214) I was completely intrigued. I liked how the story is written from the point of view of a seventeen year old rebel, and is full of humorous thoughts, sly comments, and repetitive bad language. Because he’s just a teenager, the story is easier to read. Holden describes everything from his personal point of view, and he prefers to keep it simple and too the point, which I really liked. Holden has his own personality, and is very opinionated on pretty much everything that he sees or anything that happens to him, which makes it funny. I really enjoyed it because Holden is such a big personality, and he makes a really humorous narrator. The Catcher in the Rye was the only book that was like that.

            Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.

The Catcher in the Rye: “I’d just be the catcher in the rye…”

“Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this bid field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody’s around—nobody big, I mean—except me. And I’m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff—I mean if they’re running and they don’t look where they’re going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That’s all I’d do all day. I’d just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it’s crazy, but that’s the only thing I’d really like to be. I know it’s crazy.” (Salinger pg. 173)

This quote was one of the most meaningful ones of all. At first I didn’t know what it meant, but as I thought about it, the meaning became clear. Holden, during this book, is struggling with a major inner conflict. Maturity and his climb to adulthood. He’s around seventeen years old, and he’s coming to a point in his life where he is going to have to become an adult. Unfortunately, he’s having a terrible time with it, and he says, “I was sixteen then, and I’m seventeen now, and sometimes I act like I’m about thirteen.”( Salinger pg. 9) He then talks about how he has graying hair, since he was a kid,  and how his dad tells him he acts like he’s twelve. “I get bored sometimes when people tell me to act my age. Sometimes I act a lot older than I am—I really do—but people never notice it. Peole never notice anything.” (Salinger pg.9) The mention of his gray hair is what really tells the reader that he’s gone through a lot of things that a young kid should never have to go though. We later find out his brother Allie died and Holden had to be sent to a place because he broke all the windows in his garage out of anger and sadness. Holden had the majority of his childhood robbed from him when he had to go through the death of his brother. That is why this quote about the catcher in the rye means a lot. He’s talking about keeping little children from going over the cliff, and the cliff is adulthood and the point in which innocence doesn’t exist anymore. Holden wants to preserve child innocence, and I think he inwardly wishes someone would have done that for him. This whole story is about Holden losing all his innocence, and this quote describes what he wishes would have happened to him. He wants to correct that mistake and keep other children from making it, and ‘going over the edge of the cliff’.

            Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.

The Catcher in the Rye: How accurately does this novel reflect 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?

The Cather in the Rye addresses two main relationships. It talks about the relationship between a teacher and a student, and later, a brother and a sister. Mr. Spencer was a major adult influence on Holden, and I think that Salinger believes it is the elders responsibility to encourage and correct youth. It is the youth’s job to listen and take the advice in. Historically, back in the 40’s and early 50’s teachers and students were allowed to have closer connections on a less professional level, while today that is frowned upon. From the start, you can tell that Holden likes Mr. Spencer as a teacher, and a friend too. He says in the beginning that he wants to personally say good-bye to Mr. Spencer, because he knows he won’t be attending Pency next year. (Salinger pg. 3) Mr. Spencer also knows Holden enough to invite him to his house, and also to talk to him of his future. I think Salinger believes it is a teacher’s job to encourage and give advice to students. Teachers should help students become successful, and prepare them for the real world. “I’d like to put some sense in that head of yours, boy. I’m trying to help you. I’m trying to help you, if I can.” (Salinger pg. 14) Salinger also addresses the relationship between siblings. Holden has a very good relationship with his sister Phoebe. He thinks very positively of her, and is actually very proud of her. “You should see her. You never saw a little kid so pretty and smart in your whole life.” (Salinger pg. 67)He doesn’t say this begrudgingly though, he says it genuinely, and you can tell that he really likes and respects his little sister. He even buys her a record she’s been wanting towards the end of the story, and he knows how much it will mean to her. (Salinger pg. 116) I believe Salinger believes elder siblings should be kind and loving to their younger siblings. They should encourage them and be a good example. I think Salinger might have been influenced by teachers and siblings in his own life, and that might be why he believes these responsibilities lie in these social groups.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.

The Catcher in the Rye: 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.).

The book itself moves pretty slowly, and the events that happen are very random and have no real connection. It’s just about Holden wandering around in New York for three days, trying to burn some time before he has to go home. Though this book was mainly just a description of what Holden did during that time, I really enjoyed it. No, it wasn’t really all that mysterious, and it wasn’t suspenseful, but I still didn’t want to put it down. Salinger uses a different technique to engage readers, and it’s his main tool and the reason I continued reading this book and enjoying it. Salinger uses humor. He makes people laugh, and I don’t care what anyone says, Holden Caulfield says some pretty hilarious stuff. Like, for example, in my last post I talked about how people like the story because Holden wasn’t afraid to admit his flaws. One of the things he says is “I laughed. And I have one of these very loud, stupid laughs. I mean, if I ever sat behind myself in a movie or something, I’d probably lean over and tell myself to please shut up.” (Salinger pg. 134) That seriously made me laugh out loud, because I’m the exact same way. Holden says hilarious stuff throughout the book, and has a very humorous outlook on everything. Though the story is not exactly a happy one, Salinger animates Holden very well, and that’s why readers tend to like this story. Something that really made me laugh was when Holden was describing his roommate Stradlater. He talks about him being so self-absorbed and comments, saying, “The reason he fixed himself up to look good was because he was madly in love with himself. He thought he was the handsomest guy in the Western Hemisphere.” (Salinger pg. 27) It’s so funny because Holden doesn’t beat around the bush. He’s very frank, and it’s funny how he doesn’t really care at all. I think that Salinger planned on using humor because people like to laugh, and if someone picks up a book that humorous, they want to keep reading it.

                Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.

The Catcher in the Rye: Why do we still read this book? What is so timeless about its message and characters? What can we learn from reading this novel?

I think we can agree that everyone likes a book that revolves around a relatable character. No one likes to feel alone in their thoughts, and readers want to read a story about someone who they can make a connection with. That’s why I think The Catcher in the Rye is such a timeless book. Holden Caulfield, the main character, is what makes it timeless. He’s a young teenage kid trying to find his way in the world. He’s immature, he lies, he’s impulsive, but he’s also generous, considerate, thoughtful, and sentimental. He’s a normal kid with normal problems. The only difference is how he handles them. He’s brutally honest, and openly admits his own downfalls, like his “yellowness” or cowardice (Salinger, pg. 89), and his tendency to lie (Salinger pg. 16). He even makes fun of his own obnoxious laugh, and says, “I laughed. And I have one of these very loud, stupid laughs. I mean, if I ever sat behind myself in a movie or something, I’d probably lean over and tell myself to please shut up.” (Salinger pg. 134) Holden is very humorous, and despite the fact that his language is terrible, he uses it in the funniest places. He also admits that he doesn't even act his age. “I was sixteen then, and I’m seventeen now, and sometimes I act like I’m about thirteen.” (Salinger pg. 9) He’s just a lost and confused kid, and everyone, no matter what age, has been through a time like that in their lives before. Everyone has been  scared of their future and had doubts and uncertainty. This book teachers readers that they aren’t alone. Everyone goes through rough times. Everyone has had to grow up. To mature. To take responsibility of their lives. But sometimes, people aren’t ready for it yet, just like Holden wasn’t. It also teacher us that, in order to be successful, plan ahead. Don’t be afraid of the future, welcome it. Set goals and plan for your own success. Go make your own luck. This book is timeless because of how Holden deals with it all. Growing up and maturing. He tries to run from it, but in the end, he has to face it just the same.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.

The Catcher in the Rye: How does this novel reflect the history, behavior and social issues of the time period and setting?

The Catcher in the Rye takes place in the late 1940’s or the early 1950’s. I think this book is very excellent at reflecting its time period. There are actually several instances that are very accurate to the period and setting. For example, early on in the novel, Holden goes to a bar and socializes with some women. He eventually asks them to dance with him, and mentions doing the jitterbug with them.(Salinger pg. 72) The jitterbug was actually an extremely popular dance at the time that Holden lives in, and dancing was a common way of enjoyment , and was much different than the dancing we enjoy doing today. In that same bar, Holden messes around with the girls and tells them that he thought he saw Gary Cooper on the other side of the dance floor! (Salinger pg. 74) Gary Cooper was a renowned American film actor, mostly known for his Western movies and romantic comedies at the time, and was involved in over 100 films.(Gary Cooper) He was very well known in the early 1940’s and 1950’s, and many watched and enjoyed his movies. Another example of how this novel reflects history is when Holden purchases a very hard to get record for Phoebe for five dollars (Salinger pg. 116). This reveals two things. One is the fact that that today we don’t use records anymore, but in the 40’s and 50’s they were very common and that was all they had to play music. The second thing I noticed was how Holden said the record was very, very hard to get, and that they charged him five dollars for it, which he makes out to be a lot of money. Back then, five dollars WAS expensive, but today, it’s nothing. No one feels empty pocketed if they spend five bucks. It’s not a lot today. Another thing Holden says reveals the time period yet again. He says his brother D.B  was in the Army for four years, and then says, “He was in the war too—he landed on D-Day and all—but  I really think he hated the Army worse than the war.” (Salinger pg. 140) D-Day was the day when the United States army attacked Normandy, France on June 6, 1944. (I know that from taking 20^th Century history with Mrs. Crossland!) His brother was there on D-day, and though Holden mentions being “practically a child”, it was still in his generation, further reflecting the time period this novel takes place in On the more social issues of the time, it shows how easy back then it was for prostitution to thrive, and for young people like Holden to get access to drugs and alcohol. Behaviorally, it shows that the youth back then struggle with the same things the youth of today struggle with.

"Gary Cooper." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 22 July 2012. Web. 25 July 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Cooper>.

 Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.

The Catcher in the Rye: Who is the "hero" in this book and what are some of his/her traits? What does he/she accomplish, and how is he/she portrayed? Does the hero represent an abstract idea such as goodness, truth, courage or evil?

The protagonist and “hero” in this story is Holden Caulfield. Honestly, he is one of the most interesting characters I have ever read about. He is impulsive, and does things without much thought, like calling random people on a payphone and walking right out of his boarding school on a dime, but he can also be very thoughtful, like when he thinks of his brother Allie and sister Phoebe, and when he thinks about Sunny buying a new dress (Salinger pg. 96). He is carefree, but sometimes very concerned. He is judgmental, and thinks the majority of everyone is a phony, but also sentimental to some people, like his little sister Phoebe. He’s a liar, and even admits it and says, “I’m the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. It’s awful” (Salinger, pg. 16) but also truthful, especially when he’s talking to Phoebe. He can be rude and mean, but also kind and generous, and he shows this when he gives money to the nuns, when he tries to be friendly to people, and when he buys something and thinks good thoughts of his sister. He has so many characteristics, and his emotions are all over the place the majority of the time. But he’s real. He tries not to be fake, and he’s really just a regular teenage guy trying to find his way. Accomplishment wise, he’s done very little. He’s not good in school at all, except for English, which he excels in. (Salinger pg. 10) He doesn’t know what he’s going to do when he grows up, or where he wants to go with his life. All he really wants to do is find some peace of mind, and Phoebe helps him with that. That’s why I like him so much. He’s got very little accomplishments, but he tries.  Most people in the book don’t really like him, except for his two teachers and his sister. Most think he’s too wild and uncaring. They see him as clumsy and unimportant, still a child. Holden wants to connect with people and get friends, but he just doesn’t seem to really fit in with anyone. He’s not portrayed in a good way by most, by his two teachers and his sister see him as a desperate kid who is just struggling with life in general.

If Holden was an abstract idea, I’d probably put him as uncertainty. He’s uncertain about what he wants to do with his life. He’s uncertain about his future, and his past, and he struggles a lot with day to day decisions. He runs away from school because he’s uncertain how his parents will react to him failing out. He runs away, wandering New York, just completely uncertain about what he’s going to do. Uncertainty really fits him, I think, because that’s really what he is.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.

The Catcher in the Rye: What universal themes does this book address? What does the author understand about human nature?

“Do you feel absolutely no concern for your future, boy?”  

“Oh, I feel some concern for my future, all right. Sure. Sure I do." I thought about it for a minute. “But   not too much, I guess. Not too much, I guess.”

“You will,” old Spencer said. “You will, boy. You will when it’s too late.”

That dialogue from the book was taken from page 14, when Holden was being talked to my Mr. Spencer about his future and his failure at school. One of the themes this book addresses is the fact that everyone must take responsibility in their lives and become mature. Holden, from the start, is not a responsible kid at all. He mentions forgetting the fencing team equipment on the subway (Salinger pg.2), and later on, this discussion with Mr.Spencer reveals how irresponsible he is in school. Mr. Antolini, a teacher he meets later, tells Holden that this irresponsibility is going to lead to his fall. He says. “The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.” (Salinger pg,188) Soon after he says, “I think that one of these days, you’re going to have to find out where you want to go. And then you’ve got to start going there. But immediately. You can’t afford to lose a minute. Not you.” (Salinger pg.188) Holden has to take responsibility and become more mature in his actions, or he’s going to only make things worse for himself. It is unavoidable. In order to succeed in life, you have to take responsibility. You have to choose which actions to take, and choose wisely.

Salinger understands SO MUCH about human nature. You can tell this because of how his character Holden acts. Salinger understands that all people in this world have a hard time growing up. Becoming responsible for yourself is a hard thing to do, and people can relate to Holden in a way because he struggles with these pressures throughout the novel. Its difficult deciding where you want to go and what choices you should make in your life, especially when you are young. It’s only human nature to fear the unknown and to also fear the outcome of your choices. Holden is the same way. He doesn’t know what his life is going to turn out like. In fact, he gets so frightened, he even thinks about running away and escaping everything. (Salinger pg. 200) Salinger also understands that it’s human nature to reject things that seem fake, or phony. We naturally want people to be REAL. To be genuine. Holden fights this problem with “phonyness”, and is extremely judgmental of people.        Holden is just another human, and he suffers the same nature as us all.       

            Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.

The Catcher in the Rye: What are the causes, gains, and losses of the conflict dealt with in this book?

This book is full of many small and troublesome conflicts and obstacles, but the main conflict takes place internally. It rages inside Holden’s own mind. Because this conflict is internal, it is easier to see the rises and falls of the conflict, but also difficult because Holden’s mind and emotions are a roller coaster of uncertainty.

The basic conflict is that Holden is being pressured to grow up and take responsibility over his life and accept a role of adulthood, but he doesn’t feel he’s ready for that yet. He feels pressured and compressed, and he starts not caring anymore, flunking out of schools and failing at his education. Some of the causes of Holden’s depression and his rejection of responsibility over his life is the past death of his brother Allie, the bad relationship he has with his parents,  the loneliness and alienation he feels from being in a boarding school, his feeling of phoniness from the adult world,  and the feeling he has of having no one care about him. Those things are the main causes to his inner conflict. You can tell that the death of Allie is a main contributor to the conflict when Holden talks about him for the first time, (Salinger, pg. 38) and later when he’s having a mental breakdown and uses Allies image to comfort him (Salinger, pg. 198). I think that Allie’s death robbed some of his childhood from him, and Holden wants to hold on to what he has left and his thoughts and memories of him and Allie preserve his childhood self.

What are some of the gains of this conflict? Throughout Holden’s struggle with this conflict, he finds out that there ARE people in his life who care about him, and that sometimes what you need is a little home to help you find yourself again. He finds that there are people that care about him, like his teacher Mr. Spencer, and his sister Phoebe. And in the end, going home to Phoebe is what starts to heal him. She understands him and he even claims “I mean, if you tell old Phoebe something, she knows exactly what the h*** you’re talking about.” (Salinger, pg. 67) He feels like he can tell her anything and she comforts him. He loves her a lot and throughout the story, she’s the one he really wants to talk too. I think that is what he realizes. He realizes how good a friend  his sister Phoebe is to him. In the end Holden decides he’s not ready to be an adult yet.

What does Holden loose in this conflict? Holden actually ends up losing his mind in the novel, and the authors use of first person allows us to see his steady downfall from sanity. It’s a decline and it begins with him just not caring. He moves from place to place, desperately trying to connect with anyone he meets. As the story progresses, he fails more and more to connect with people. He becomes emotionally unstable and restless as he attempts to overcome his inner conflict. You start to see him have a nervous breakdown and he begins to spiral toward dark thoughts, when he's in the hotel and he says " What i really felt like, though, was comitting suicide. I felt like jumping out the window. I probaby would've done it, too, if i'd been sure somebody'd coer me up as soon as i landed." (Salinger, pg. 104)  then he asks Sally to run away with him, then when he goes to the park and notices that he’s freezing but he doesn’t really care, later he goes to Phoebe’s school and the Museum and keeps noticing the bad words written on the walls. He finally passes out after that. (Salinger, pg. 204) In the end, he ends up having to go to a recovery place because he gets himself sick and his mind has to recover.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.

The Catcher in the Rye: What does the writing reveal about the author's values and attitudes? From what perspective does he/she write?

The Catcher in the Rye, to me, is a book about growing up and having to accept the fact that all children become adults. It’s inevitable, and you can’t escape it. This book discusses a boy having to overcome that fear about becoming and adult, and the inner struggle inside him.

 Salinger writes this in First person to let readers see into the mind of Holden, and this helps readers to understand the story better.

 Salinger uses what Holden goes through to illustrate his values and attitudes. I think one thing that the author believes is that all young people go through a struggle and a fight against growing up, and that’s alright. Even I don’t want to become and adult, and I get worried sometimes just thinking about it! But Salinger really wants to stress the fact that were not alone in this struggle. Salinger also uses his writing to represent the idea that elders and adults in our life should push youth to strive for greater things, and that youth should value advice given to them. I think that is one of the values he includes in this novel. In the story, Holden receives two lectures from two of his favorite teachers. One is more harsh, but only because he knows Holden can do better. “I’d like to put some sence in that head of yours, boy. I’m trying to help you. I’m trying to help you, if I can.” (Salinger, pg.14) His teacher Mr. Spencer says that to him, and tries to get Holden to understand the severity of his education. Another teacher, Mr. Antolini is a little more layed back, but what he says seems more profound and hits a deeper level. He talks about how Holden  is heading toward a fall, but he doesn’t even know he’s falling. He’s searching and looking for something he thinks can’t be provided, and he gives up, but he realy hasn’t looked yet. (Salinger, pg.187) He urges him to try new things and to figure out what he wants to do and get on it immediately because he’s running out of time. The things that these teachers say mean a lot to Holden and he thinks about it later and eventualy comes to a resolution at the end of the novel.

            Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.

Is Pride Santiago’s Downfall or is it His Heroic Trait?

Santiago is seen sometimes as a tragic hero, and pride is one of his said downfalls. Pride can do a lot to a person. It can make them, or it can break them. In The Old Man and the Sea, I think it does both. Santiago addresses his pride several times in the novel. First he questions it.  “You did not kill the fish only to keep alive and to sell for food, he thought. You killed him for pride and because you are a fisherman. You loved him when he was alive and you loved him after. If you love him, it is not a sin to kill him. Or is it more?” (Hemingway, pg. 105) Pride, he believes, is the real reason that he killed the fish. Because of his bad luck streak, he felt the need to redeem himself, and he did this by traveling far out to sea to catch a fish. When he caught the Marlin, Santiago knew he was huge. In fact, later he found out he was so huge, he was as big as his own boat, making it an almost impossible catch. But it was Santiago’s own pride that drove him to stick it out and attempt to catch the Marlin despite it’s massive size.  His pride in himself was what motivated him to continue chasing after the Marlin. It helped him achieve his goal.  Later on, though, Santiago begins to curse his own pride, and blames it for his undoing and the destruction of his prize Marlin. “Fish that you were. I am sorry that I went too far out. I ruined us both.” (Hemingway, pg. 115) He was so prideful in himself that he believed he could handle going so far out to sea. He believed in his skill as a fisherman and thought that would get him by.Unfortunatly, in the end, going far out was a terrible idea because it separated him from land and from help. He went so far out no other fishermen could come to his aid when the sharks attacked, and he lost his fish. Despite this, his pride helped him beat the sharks too. He took them on, fighting like he’d never fought before, using whatever means necessary. He had pride in his own strength, and believed that it would hold him till the end.  Pride was his motivation, and it made him force himself to fight because he didn’t want to die at the hand of sharks so close to victory. He survived, and his pride DID save him, but it was too late for his fish. Santiago’s pride helped him and undid him. His pride was his motivation and heroic trait, and it was his downfall.

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

A lesson in Isolation in The Old Man and the Sea

Though the old man does have one friend, Manolin, we get the strong impression that throughout the book Santiago is isolated and alienated from the rest of society. He lives alone in his little shack with a picture of his deceased wife that he can’t bare to look at (Hemingway, pg. 16), and because of his economic hardship, he doesn’t have a lot to eat and barely a bed to sleep on. Because of his 84 day streak without catching a single fish, he is made fun of and pitied by other fishermen, and isn’t close to anyone but the boy, his skiff, and the Sea. Though he didn’t get angry back at fishermen (Hemingway pg. 11), you can tell that over time things like that can really bother a person.  From the very beginning, Santiago looks like a very lonely and isolated person who doesn’t really fit in anywhere. Most people would find this as a hardship, but Santiago keeps a very clear head and optimistic attitude throughout the story. While reading, I came to the conclusion that you are only isolated if you think you are isolated. It’s a perspective. Santiago, though clearly isolated, doesn’t see that he really is.  At sea he thinks that you are really never alone and in truth, you really aren’t. In fact, Santiago clearly doesn’t seem bothered by the isolation that much, because he chooses to go out to sea, knowing that he will be isolated from land and from people like the boy.  The only time I believe the isolation starts to get to him is when he realizes how much he wishes he had the boy, and when he begins talking to himself in order to not feel as lonely. But even then, he seems quite humorous about this fact. “If others heard me talking out loud they would think that I am crazy,” He said aloud. “But since I am not crazy, I do not care.” (Hemingway, pg. 39) He even admits that when he had the boy, they didn’t talk unless it was necessary, so he is used to the silence anyway. (Hemingway, pg. 39) Santiago is not bothered by this isolation, which is why I believe that this book also teachers readers that isolation is a point of view and a perspective. You can choose to feel isolated, or you cannot. It is up to you, and you can choose how to view it.

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

DiMaggio’s Bone Spur Imagery in The Old Man and the Sea

Santiago talks of DiMaggio, his favorite baseball player, a lot in the story. He mentions him in the beginning ,calling him “The Great DiMaggio”, (Hemingway pg.17) and claims that he “makes the difference” (Hemingway pg.21) when Manolin points out that there are other players besides DiMaggio on the team and they can play well also. Despite this, Santiago is completely convinced that DIMaggio is the best out of all of them. It is true that DiMaggio was a fantastic player, like I said in my previous blog. He was an extremely successful part of his team. Now, I didn’t really think anything of this when Santiago first mentioned it. But later on, DiMaggio’s name kept popping up and Santiago began mentioning him more. He also mentions that DiMaggio had a very painful injury, a bone spur, and though Santiago claims to have no idea what that is, he knows that it is something bad.  After getting very tired at sea, Santiago begins to think of baseball and DiMaggio. He says, “I must have confidence and I must be worthy of the great DiMaggio who does all things perfectly, even with the pain of the bone spur in his heel.” (Hemingway pg. 68) and then “Do you believe the great DIMaggio would stay with a fish as long as I will stay with this one? He thought. I am sure he would and more sense he is young and strong. Also his father was a fisherman.  But would the bone spur hurt him to much?” (Hemingway pg.68) Even though Santiago doesn’t even KNOW DiMaggio personally, he still wants to impress him and be ‘worthy’ of such a great player. One reason why Santiago admires DIMaggio, the main reason, is because DiMaggio is such a great player despite the fact that he has an injury. Santiago can relate to him because he is old and has injury’s and problems he faces every day because he is getting elderly. DiMaggio, despite the fact that he had a bone spur, was still la great player and still won games and did his part for the team.  Santaigo believes that because DiMaggio could be great in injury, he can too, and that is why Santiago thinks of DiMaggio as a role model and why he thinks of DiMaggio when he is feeling weak or down.

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

The Lions on the beach motif in The Old Man and the Sea

One of the reoccurring subjects in this book is the lions on the beach. Santiago falls asleep and dreams several times in the novel, and when he does, he almost always is dreaming of the lions on the beach. The book mentions him dreaming of them three times. Once in the beginning, after Santiago talks to Manolin, he goes to sleep and it says, “He only dreamed of places now and of the lions on the beach. They played like young cars in the dusk and he loved them as he loved the boy.” (Hemingway pg. 25) Later, when Santiago is on the boat and is very tired and uncomfortable from being pulled by the Marlin,  he finally lets himself sleep, and the book describes this, saying, “ After that he began to dream of the long yellow beach and he saw the first of the lions come down onto it in the early dark and then the other lions came and he rested his chin on the wood of the bows where the ship lay anchored with the evening off-shore breeze and he waited to see if there would be more lions and he was happy.” (Hemingway pg. 81) At the end of the book, after Santiago has come back home and is exhausted and grieving his loss of the Marlin, the book describes him, saying, “Up the road, in his shack, the old man was sleeping again. He was still sleeping on his face and the boy was sitting by him watching him. The old man was dreaming about the lions.” (Hemingway pg. 127) After reading about these three instances, and after noticing the reoccurrence of the lions, I began to think about why the old man chooses to dream of them so often, and what they mean to him. I believe that the lions on the beach represent Santiago’s happy place. A place he remembers at one time where he was happy and comforted, and interested. It is a glimpse into Santiago’s mind, and it shows that one of the most amazing and comforting things he remembers seeing in his lifetime was lions playing together on a beach. He dreams about them mainly when he is in a bad situation, and he finds a sense of peace dreaming about this memory because he was at peace when it really happened. Santiago dreams of them at home, when he is depressed and saddened about coming home empty handed, when is exhausted and upset and in pain on the boat, and when he comes home grieving the loss of his Marlin. He doesn’t dream of his misfortune, instead, he dreams of a good memory he once had, and how happy it made him. In his dreams, he escapes to a place where he was truly happy.

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

The Old Man and the Sea: How accurately does this novel reflect 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

This story expresses the fact that younger people should give their elders respect, and later, that even opponents should respect each other. This is seen very clearly in the relationship between Santiago and Manolin, the young boy Santiago teaches to fish. Manolin, from the start, has a great respect for Santiago, and even honors the old man despite his terrible misfortune and poor living conditions.  He honors him and helps him. Manolin still trusts Santiago’s word and listens to him when he speaks. He helps the old man, checks up on him and brings him food. (Hemingway pg.17-21) Santiago also has a resononsibility. He teaches Manolin how to fish and raises him with his good morals, teaches him how to be a man.  Hemingway here, sets the responsibilities for Youth and Elders. The Youth should respect and listen to their elders, and the Elders should teach the Youth. Manolin also shows his respect to his parents, and listens to them when they tell him to seek employment somewhere besides Santiago. Hemingway also addresses Bosses and Workers.  Manolin is employed by a fisherman other than Santiago. He also shows respect to his boss, and makes sure to do his work, though he wishes he was with Santiago. Hemingway shows relationship between opponents to. Santiago is an opponent to the Marlin, and vice versa. Opponents should respect each other, even though they are fighting against their cause. Santiago often refers to the fish as his brother, and even thinks he is unworthy to be eaten. Santiago does this because he knows the marlin matches him in strength and is a worthy opponent.

I think that scenery and the place where Hemingway lived for a while was what influenced Hemingway to write this novella. According to sparknotes, he lived in Cuba for a bit of his life, and spent a lot of time fishing in the Gulf Stream and fishing in the Caribbean. The Old Man and the Sea also takes place in Cuba, and I think that this was the main influence Hemingway had to write this book. He spent so much time out on the sea that it inspired him to write it. The sea is a really inspiring place to be, and I can easily see how it can influence someone, especially a writer in need of a good break, to write a book.

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

SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on The Old Man and the Sea.” SparkNotes LLC. 2002. http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/oldman/ (accessed June 26, 2012).

The Old Man and the Sea: 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.).

Hemingway uses a variety of techniques to engage readers. Overall, though, I thought that the book itself was quite slow and very carefully written. This book wasn’t one of those action or mystery books that keep readers on the edge of their seats. Hemingway never meant it to be that way. I think he originally wrote it because he wanted us to get something out of it, like a lesson. I don’t believe he wrote it to entertain readers exactly, but mainly to teach readers something.

Hemingway uses suspense, some action, and many details to engage readers. The suspense in the book is built up throughout the story. After Santiago goes out to sea to catch some fish, he snags the Marlin after several days and ends up having to hold on to it as it pulls his boat. (Hemingway pg. 41) During this time, Santiago is in a lot of pain, and he’s hungry and thirsty. He really wants to have the strength to pull the Marlin out, but the Marlin is still so full of strength that he can’t. SO he waits patiently on the boat for the Marlin to run out of strength before he does. The suspense builds here because readers are waiting for that moment when Santiago kills the Marlin and takes him home. Readers want to read that Santiago bravely kills the Marlin, then brings it home and receives money and fame for his catch. We WANT him to catch his fish, and Hemingway makes the readers wait a bit, and builds up the suspense of Santiago’s catch.

Hemingway also uses some action in his book. Though the action is only near the end, he uses it too hook readers on to the story, you know, finish with a ‘bang’. This action is also surrounded by suspense, because wherever there is action, there must be suspense too. The point of action begins after Santiago has finally killed the Marlin and safely tied it to his skiff. Readers, at this point, are happy for Santiago, and are waiting for him to take it home.  But Hemingway adds his action here. The Marlin, having being killed, leaks blood as Santiago travels, and anywhere there is blood, there are also sharks. The sharks begin to attack Santiago’s Marlin. (Hemingway pg. 100) At this time, readers know that Santiago is only an old man, and that he is alone with no one to help him. There is no way he can fight off all the sharks that will come. He says, “I cannot keep him from hitting me, but maybe I can hit him.” (Hemingway pg.101) And Santiago begins to fight them on his own. This is where all the action is! Santiago beats them off and each time they take away parts of his Marlin. At night, more come, and Santiago has to fight them in the dark. Suspense builds because readers want to know if he’s going to be able to keep it up, or if he’s going to get hurt.

 

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