Last Day of Catcher...

Well, seniors, you made it through Catcher in the Rye. Today is your final reading day; therefore, you must read chapters 23-29. When finished, I want you to prepare five Socratic Seminar questions for Monday's final discussion.

For a quick reminder, here are the types of Socratic Seminar questions:
1. Open Ended
2. Close Ended
3. Real World Connection
4. Universal Theme/ Essential Question
5. Literary Analysis

It is important to think about questions that are left unanswered for you as you close the back cover of the book.

When you finish, choose one of your questions to answer as a final blog entry. Although you might not have the answer, record your thoughts, reactions, feelings, etc. This will help you prepare for the discussion on Monday.

Tuesday will be your Catcher in the Rye test. We will talk about it more on Monday.

Have a great weekend! -Mrs. J.

You never saw so many phonies in your life...

Today, you were assigned to read chapters 19-20 of Catcher, and on Wednesday, you will continue on with chapters 21-22. You must also finish your found poem on marriage. A typed copy of this will be due in class on Thursday!

You may put your poem on your blog; however, everyone must respond to the following question after your reading today. This will count as one of your entries for week 4!

Here is the question:

There are many characters throughout Catcher in the Rye whom Holden interacts with or refers to. In chapters 19 & 20 alone, he mentions Luce, Sally, his mother and father, Phoebe, and Allie. In your blog, choose one of these characters and analyze Holden's feelings toward that person. How does Holden feel about them? How does he try to connect to them? How are they significant to the entire book? Respond using examples from the text to support!

I was surrounded by JERKS...

Thursday's Work Day

Thursday is an in-class reading/work day. You will have the class period to read Chapters 16-18 and complete the following blog entry:

Chapters 16-18 are filled with important details and references which impact the remainder of the book. As you read, take note of one important and insightful passage. This could be a quote from Holden or one of his thoughts about the world or events around him. After choosing your quote and copying it on your blog, describe and answer the following three questions in your analysis:

1. What does it say? (paraphrase and describe the context)
2. What does it mean? (analyze and explain)
3. Why does it matter? (explain the significance to the rest of the book)

You must complete one quote analysis for your blog this week; however, if you find more than one quote interesting, make these both of your blogs for the week.

Remember, you have no boundaries when it comes to creativity. Take a risk and write something new!

Discussion Questions

Tomorrow (Thursday), I want to have a large group discussion over what you will read today in class (through Chapter 11). In addition to your blog entry, I would also like you to write five Socratic Seminar questions for class tomorrow.

Bring these questions to class with you on Thursday. The following types of Socratic Seminar Questions are as follows:

1. Close-Ended
2. Open-Ended
3. Real-World Connection
4. Universal Theme/Essential Question
5. Literary Analysis Question (about Salinger's writing)

You will receive points for these questions, as well as points for discussion tomorrow!

Week 2 - Blog Entry

For this week's blog, I will give you a couple of options. You may write about one, both, or none; this all depends on whether you have ideas for response or not.

OPTION 1: After reading between the lines and acting out Chapter 6 on Monday, we were able to see the different emotions driving both Holden and Stradlater's decisions. Especially after Holden was hit in the face, many of you commented that Holden's behavior was childish. As you read Chapters 9-11, it is obvious Holden deals with feelings of alienation; however, he is also torn in the middle of two worlds: childhood and adulthood.

For your blog entry... How do you see this theme play out in the chapters you read for today (9-11)? How is this struggle evident? How is Holden like a child? How is he like an adult? ALSO...Connect to your life! Explain TWO struggles you or others face as you move from childhood to adulthood. Where does Holden fit on this path? How are like/dislike Holden Caulfield?

OPTION 2: This option comes from one of Eddie's responses from last week. Eddie wrote:

"So far Holden Caulfied is a character that I can see in many people I know. I know many lazy, unmotivated students who just refuse to play by the "rules" and apply themselves in school. I do not mind this character so far, but I think if I knew him in person I would not like him all that much."
"In general I would say JD Salinger is putting a problem which is generally overlooked or intentionally ignored about teens in America. That problem is disrespect to authority and lack of motivation in school. Too many of our nation's bright students don't care about school, and don't think about how their actions today, will affect the rest of their lives. I don't know what Holden's goals for life are... but flunking out of school usually isn't a great start for anything."

Respond to this entry. Does Holden have a lack of respect for authority? A lack of motivation? Does this apply to today? Why do you think so many students suffer from lack of authority and/or motivation in school? How might this problem be counteracted? Think about this response and formulate your own response on your blog.

Great job, Eddie! You definitely bring up some extremely valid points!

Starting Conversations...

Each weekend, I will check your blogs for two things: your entries and your response/conversations with other students in the class.

You must have two entries per week (some will be response to prompts given by me, some will be open), as well as two responses to others. This weekend I will grade for Week 1.
I will also be commenting on your blogs, hoping to start a conversation with not only you, but other people in the class. I encourage you to respond to responses, write entire entries about someone else's blog, or find other material/connections that might be interesting for other people to read and share. Think of your blogs as Socratic Seminars done outside of class; therefore, your responses should not be 'one and done.'

First Impressions???

For your second blog entry, I want you to think about your first impressions of Holden Caulfield. Think about times during your reading when something struck a cord with you. Did you connect to him at any point? Were you annoyed with him? Can you analyze what type of person he is at this point in the book?

Remember, Holden Caulfield is a creation. He is not real. JD Salinger meant to make a statement when he developed this influential character. Analyze the character development and examine the larger statement Salinger is attempting to make through the confused eyes of Holden.

Blog URL's

Here are the blog urls. Go to your 'dashboard,' or your 'home base,' and go to 'MANAGE.' Click the 'ADD' button and copy and paste each URL. This will give you a listing on your 'Dashboard' so you can navigate from one blog to the next.

Remember...your first blog entry is due tomorrow.

Tanner - http://tannerawesome.blogspot.com
Emmett - http://emmettintroblog.blogspot.com
Eddie - http://introtocollegelit.blogspot.com
Spencer - http://swaggercatcher.blogspot.com
Ridwana - http://ridzaman.blogspot.com
Cara - http://harringtoncatcher.blogspot.com
Haley - http://haley-catcher-rye.blogspot.com
Dominique - http://nique4.blogspot.com
Jalen - http://jalencatcher.blogspot.com
Ta'mone - http://taywill33.blogspot.com
Rhyanne - http://rhyanne-lovesfood.blogspot.com
Kyra - http://kdaniellesmith.blogspot.com
Rameses - http://rsmith.blogspot.com
Mrs. J - http://catcherjorgensen.blogspot.com

Pre-Reading for 'Catcher in the Rye'

Before we begin the book, I want to bring to the surface some big questions explored not only in the book, but as we concluded 'One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest' as well.

With the pre-reading discussion questions you received today, I want you to choose one to elaborate on for your first blog entry. Continue to express your answer to the question, as well as connect with personal/societal examples, other material from class, etc. This will be your first blog entry for the week; therefore, you must also respond to your classmate's writing as well! Start up a conversation, initiate an argument, and begin to set the tone for reading Catcher in the Rye.

Here are the pre-reading questions again in case you left your handout at school:
1. What does it mean to be alienated or separated from others? Describe a time when you or someone you know has been alienated. Why did this occur? What did the person do?

2. What is the difference between adulthood and childhood? When do you move from one to the other? Are you looking forward to becoming an adult? Why or why not?

3. Explain two struggles you or others face as you/they move from childhood to adulthood.

4. Why do teenagers feel the need to rebel against the rules or against other people?

5. How do we as citizens of America and/or individuals deal with others who do not share our perspective of truth?

6. Is life a game? If so, what are the rules? What happens if one does not play by the rules?

Blogging about Catcher in the Rye

For the next four weeks, we will be reading, discussing, and writing about one of the most 'talked about' books in history. You will be applying the five critical literary theories to your reading, as well as connecting the book and character of Holden Caulfield to other texts and characters we've read throughout the semester (especially R.P. MacMurphy). In addition to these weekly assignments, you will be responding to the book informally through blogging. This blog should serve as your 'home base.' On it, you will find discussion questions, directions of assignments, and prompts for your writing.

Above all, this blog should be a place for your conversation about Catcher to extend outside of the classroom. I want you to incorporate your interests in your blog and not feel confined to writing in a certain format or according to a specific thesis. Praise, vent, connect, and create...as long as you are getting involved with the themes and characters of the book, there are no boundaries in what you write on this blog.