Journal 2 - the messy puppy

Once upon a time, in the small city of Springfield, there lived a little puppy named Sophie. Sophie was the sweetest puppy in the whole world and her owners loved her. She was only four months old, but she was already eighty pounds. She was a Great Dane, so this was very normal. Sophie's owners loved her very much. Sophie loved to snuggle, and her saggy skin made her even more adorable. The families next door also had dogs of their own, so Sophie was always taken over for puppy play dates. Her owners were very busy, so Sophie was often taken to one of the neighbors house so she would not be lonely. Although her owners loved her, the dogs of their neighbors did not like Sophie. Sophie was a messy puppy. Whenever the other dogs heard the owners talking outside of the door, or smelled Sophie's scent, they were instantly unhappy. Before the door opened and let the Great Dane in, the dogs would quickly run to find their toys, treats, blankets, anything that had any sort of special value, and hide them wherever they could. Sophie had a growing problem with being messy and playing with the other dog's toys too much. At first, the other dogs did not mind. She is just a puppy, they thought. She will learn someday. After so many play dates, the dogs realized that Sophie's behavior was not changing. One day, the dogs all gathered on the corner. They needed a way to make Sophie realize that she was ruining the fun and destroying their toys. Most of them had told her before, but Sophie was still a puppy so she had trouble listening. The dogs came up with a plan, which would have some consequences, but it was decided that it was better in the long run. They waited for an afternoon when Sophie's owner went on a walk, and crept into the house. In just a short amount of time, they had slobbered all over Sophie's toys, eaten her treats, and pottied in her yard. Sophie was passed out asleep in the front yard. She was woken up by the sound of her friends sprinting away from her house. Sophie was very upset about her things, especially her treats, but she understood what she had done. Deep down, she was also really mad. From then on, every time Sophie was dropped off next door, she was very careful with the other dogs' things. The end.

Journal 1 - how the elephant got it's trunk

Once upon a time, long long ago, there was a time before elephants had their long, magnificent trunks. Instead of the protruding mass, there was simply a flat surface with two pointed nostrils sticking out. There was a certain little elephant who changed her herd forever. Her name was Lola. Lola was a naughty elephant, and was often caught telling lies to the fellow elephants in her family. Lola liked to explore and always managed to get herself into trouble. Lola liked to scare the other small elephants. This always made the adults very upset with her, but Lola only wanted the attention. One day, Lola wandered off from the rest of the herd as they surrounded a small lake. No one had paid much attention to her that day, and she was feeling extra mischievous. TheJre was nothing but desert and grassland around them, so the elephants were not worried about predators for they assumed they would be easily seen. Lola came running back to her family. "Lions! Momma, there are lions coming!" All of the adults ran to find their children to protect them from the danger. When they finally got a chance to look around, there were no lions anywhere in sight. "Lola, why would you make up such a story to scare everyone? That could be very dangerous." Lola looked around. All of the elephants scowled at Lola, but she only felt more distant and deprived of attention. Lola wandered farther out. Being only a small elephant, the tall grass took away some of Lola's ability to see. She was not paying attention to how far she was going out. This time, Lola was not looking for trouble or attention. She felt sad and lonely, and the angry faces of her family would not leave her mind. Slowly, Lola made her way across the vast, deserted grassland. She wrapped in her thoughts. Back at the watering hole, Lola's mother looked around for her baby. "Have you seen Lola?" She went around asking all of the elephants to see if any of them had noticed where Lola had gone. "Oh do no worry about her," they all said. "She is probably hiding to get a rise out of us. If we act like we do not care, she will be back before sundown. Baby elephants do not like to be out past dark." Lola's mother hesitantly agreed with them, and resumed enjoying the water. By now, Lola was far from her herd. She finally noticed just how far she had gone, but had no idea where she was. The only thing fr miles was tall grass and sparse trees. "Momma?" Lola waited for an answer. She could not smell or sense any elephants with her short snout. All of a sudden, a pride of lions surrounded the little elephant. Lola ran as fast as she could, but she had no idea where she was going. The poor little elephant could not yell because she was out of breath. She tried and tried to make some sort of sound so her family could save her. She heaved and heaved, when all of a sudden, and huge, low tone exploded from the snout of Lola. It could be heard for miles! Lola persistently made her new sound, warning the herd of the pride. The lions were so startled by the sound that they ran away, but Lola was not the same when she came back. A massive trunk hung from below her eyes where he nose used to be. Lola took her place as the "protector" of her herd, and after many years evolution allowed all elephants to have the trunk.

Summer Work - Opinions

Another reason why I really, really did not like doing these blogs was the fact that I felt like I was repeating myself over and over and over again, and not just in a singular blog. I feel like every single one I did is exactly like that last one. I do not need three-hundred and twenty-five words or more to get my point across. I can do that in like three or four sentences, maybe ten sentences if you want to get crazy. There should have been more topics or structure to what we were supposed to write about instead of desperately babbling trying to get the last few words in. I could write more three hundred word blogs on how much I hated it than I could about the books we were supposed to read, and I actually read them! There was not enough structure in the directions of how to do them, so that leaves so much room for diversity in each students blogs. Is that what they are supposed to be about? That seems like it would be almost impossible to grade or talk about in class if everyone is talking about different things. I really hope that the blogs were allowed to be opinionated because that helped take up space. It is impossible to write fifty, three-hundred and twenty-five word blogs without your opinions mixed in. Otherwise, every single one of my blogs would have been a summary of the book I was writing about. I am very interested to see what happens to these blogs once school starts. How are we supposed to get graded on these, is it completion? In ways I think that is fair because they are all going to be so different, but it is not fair at all in other ways too. Some people did not even read the books so their blogs do not even make sense. It is definitely not reasonable to have the exact same grade as someone who slacked off when I actually read the books. Every aspect of the blogs is infuriating. Thank god I’m done.

The Catcher in the Rye

There are many reasons why I did not really like the main character, Holden Caulfield, of the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger. Hopefully, there are enough reasons to fill an entire blog. One reason why I was not a big fan of Holden was because he was always very negative. He never saw the good in anything or anyone around him. It made me so mad when he would be walking the streets of the amazing nineteen-fifties New York City and would only be thinking about how depressed he was or how his life was horrible or all of his problems. I wanted to jump in there are say “Holden, what the heck is wrong with you. Open your eyes, look around you, and stop feeling sorry for yourself. It is boring to read. Thank you.” Holden was very judgmental towards the people around him, which I think goes hand in hand with the negative attitude. He always had something bad to say about everyone, whether it was his jerk roommate, his grimy, dirty friend across the hall, his parents, or his teachers. There was literally one person in the entire book he was not negative towards, and that was his little sister Phoebe. Phoebe saved the story. I did not like how Holden Caulfield created his own problems and then tried to run away from them. The only thing he did not do was blame someone else for his problems; he was very aware and exceptive that he did that to himself. I wish he had had more fun while he was by himself in New York City, instead of moping around being bored and trying to find somewhere where he could drink underage. The story feels like it is going a lot slower when the main character is bored and feeling sorry for himself. Let me tell you something, depression is not fun to read about. Holden should have taken advantage of his youth and had the time of his life before he faced his fear and went home. There is a lot that Holden did that I did not agree with.

The Catcher in the Rye

In my opinion, I think that my favorite author out of Ernest Hemingway, author of Old Man and the Sea, John Steinbeck and Robert DeMott, authors of Grapes of Wrath, and J.D Salinger, author of The Catcher in the Rye, I would pick J.D Salinger over all of them. The Catcher in the Rye was not my favorite book by a long shot, but when I think about it, J.D was the best author. I have never read a book like The Catcher in the Rye before, and I think the thing that set it apart from other novels is the way it was written. It is written in first person from the point of view of a sixteen year old boy named Holden Caulfield. The story takes place in the nineteen-fifties in New York City. This is not your average kind of first person story telling, though. J.D Salinger made his character come alive and makes the reader feel like they are actually being spoken to by a teenage boy. J.D Salinger does this by using certain words, phrases, language, thoughts and ideas. Teenage boys, and teenagers in general, do not always use the best grammar. By not writing formally like other authors do, J.D Salinger wrote Holden Caulfield’s story in the exact way it would have been spoken. He also did not filter any of Holden’s thoughts. I think that during the time that this was written, it must have been absolutely scandalous. Nothing J.D Salinger is completely inappropriate, or would not be thought of as inappropriate today, but I can see where it could be seen as offensive in the nineteen-fifties. The times then were so much different than they are now. I think that the story would not have been the same at all if J.D Salinger had filtered or altered what a sixteen year old boy thought or said. It would not have the same impact on readers. I can see where J.D Salinger might have taken a risk by writing and publishing it during his time, and I always appreciate courage.

Summer Work - Opinions

If you ask me, I have very strong opinions about this summer work. Very, very strong opinions. And most of those opinions are not positive in any way. I did not dislike the reading; I am actually very glad I had to opportunity to read Grapes of Wrath and The Catcher in the Rye because they are both classics, I had heard so much about them, and I had time to read them. I guess I was lucky to be able to read those two books because usually I hate required reading. I probably would have enjoyed The Catcher in the Rye more if it had not been required and I had read it on my own time. Every summer reading experience I have had in the past has been inconvenient because I do not have time to write a two page paper over a book I did not like. This summer was different though. I hated everything about the blogs. Not only were they more inconvenient than the papers in years past, there were way too many required. I do not understand how every student was expected to do this because they are so time consuming, and the internet is not a stable thing to work with. Internet connections go out all the time for no reason, especially if you live in the country. I would have much rather written a paper over the books we were required to read than spend my time staring at a computer screen. I do not see any point of the blogs because they are not helping or teaching students anything but how to use as many words as possible to meet the minimum. I can guarantee that at least forty-five percent of the Honors English 332 did not even read the books. I can imagine it is much easier to summarize and paraphrase someone else’s blog (because they are public to any user of the world wide web) than to make up your own ideas in a paper. It is a good thing the required reading was not that horrible, or else this would be the most pointless summer homework ever.

The Catcher in the Rye vs. Grapes of Wrath

Going along with the same topic, if I had to choose my favorite between the novels The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger and Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and Robert DeMott, I would probably pick Grapes of Wrath. They are two very different stories, but I liked a lot more about Grapes of Wrath than I did The Catcher in the Rye. One thing that I especially liked about Grapes of Wrath were the characters. Every one of the characters were relatable, and because I liked them I was more into the story. The Joad family was struggling for survival on their way out west to California, and even so when they got there because there was no work. No work meant no money, and no money meant no food to feed their family. Because I liked the characters, I wanted them to find work and succeed. I think that if readers enjoy or relate to the characters, they feel for them, almost as if there is a special bond or something. I legitimately wanted to Joad’s to be happy, and I did not feel the same way for Holden Caulfield, the main character in The Catcher in the Rye. I was into Holden’s story, but not in the same way. I found him to be annoying and he caused his own problems. Holden acted immature in his situation by running away from his fears. The Joads, however, used their fear as motivation and went head first into the problem to look for a solution. They worked and thought like a team, instead of being a loner like Holden Caulfield. Maybe a key word that makes a huge difference between my feelings towards Grapes of Wrath and The Catcher in the Rye would be sympathy. I had absolutely no sympathy for Holden because he created his own problems. I had the utmost sympathy for the Joad family because they did nothing wrong, and yet were still suffering. I can honestly say I can not wait to read Grapes of Wrath again.

The Catcher in the Rye vs. Old Man and the Sea

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. 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. 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 kind of goes hand in hand with 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. Even though there are no people in the middle of the deep blue sea, the old man in Old Man and the Sea still manages to have conversations. He talks to himself, 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 honestly a little weird, that he had nothing to talk to. You can only talk to your hand so much. I guess 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.

The Catcher in the Rye

I think that my least favorite part of the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger 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 can not 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 descent 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.

The Catcher in the Rye

In my opinion, the best part of the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger was the very end. I have several reasons for why this is, though. The specific part I am talking about is when Holden Caulfield, the main character from whom the story is told, takes his little sister Phoebe to the zoo instead of taking her back to school. At this point in his life, Holden has been kicked out of many private schools. He is afraid to go home and tell his parents, so instead he is living in New York City by himself. Phoebe is the only person who he wants to talk to and who knows his secret. Holden (or, Holden’s teenage boy mind) plans on moving out west and starting a new life to avoid ever seeing his parents or getting in trouble again. Holden and Phoebe are at the zoo, and Phoebe’s excitement and joy finally makes Holden realize that what is most important to him is right under his nose, and he should accept the consequences of his actions. The way J.D Salinger describes the scene makes it sound very cute and something that would happen in a movie. Holden is trying to be “that guy,” and watch Phoebe from far away as she is riding on the carousel. He refused to go with her twice. As Phoebe’s happiness grows, it starts to dawn on Holden what is going on and what he has at risk. Leaving little Phoebe and making her sad and upset would definitely not be worth it. Holden would rather be with her and be the reason that she is happy and having fun. This was my favorite part of the book because it just seemed so cute. The way that Holden loves and admires Phoebe and the way Phoebe listens to and looks up to Holden is so timeless. Plus, it is the solution to the conflict. Phoebe convinces Holden to stay. Finally! It was getting exhausting to have to read the opinions of someone who was wrong. It was refreshing to read him thinking something that made sense.

The Catcher in the Rye

Another least favorite character of mine from the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger was Robert Ackley, the boy who lived in the dorm room across the hall from Holden Caulfield. A good portion of the book takes place at their school, Pency, so Ackley was around a lot of the time. I feel like Ackley was that friend that nobody likes, but is always around. He annoys Holden more than anything, but I do not think he honestly means to. The reason that he was one of my least favorite characters was because of the way that Holden described him. He sounds so disgusting! Holden was talking about how he was trying to read his book when Ackley burst in unannounced. He tended to do that a lot. Ackley then proceeded to rummage through all of the belongings that did not belong to him and pick his nasty nails. I could have thrown up when Holden was describing how Ackley had “crummy” nails and would pick and clean them in the middle of Holden’s room. I could not stop imagining grimy, dirty, disgusting hands with brown and yellow jagged nails. Holden definitely did not appreciate walking on the crusty remains that ended up on the floor. That is absolutely repulsive! I pride myself on manners and to hear this nasty kid being disgusting makes me want to go insane. My picture of Ackley is this: a big, dumb looking teenager who is very dirty all the time. Ackley is rude and sickening, and I seriously wanted to get sick at some of the parts of the book that involved him. If I were Holden, I would be so mad! He always barged in the room like he owned it! Holden also mentioned that Ackley failed to brush his teeth. Do I even have to say more. I guess I do not think that Ackley acted like this on purpose, but it is still more than unpleasant to read about.

The Catcher in the Rye

I feel like I had many least favorite characters in the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger. Is that possible? The first character that came to my head was the creepy teacher, Mr. Antolini. I am not exactly sure why, but I instantly thought of him when considering this topic. Mr. Antolini starts out as being someone who Holden can trust. He knows that he is very welcome in Mr. Antolini’s house and does not even blink or have a single doubt when he called him. Holden needed a place to sleep for the night because he was spending so much money on hotel rooms in New York City. Although it was late, Holden was welcomed with open arms from both Mr. and Mrs. Antolini. Maybe a little too open?… Holden describes Mr. Antolini as a very nice, generous, smart man who has his flaws. He is a very heavy drinker. At first, that seems to be his biggest flaw. He lets Holden vent about his situation without judgment, so he is obviously a very kind hearted man. Mr. Antolini even offers Holden the best drunken advice he can give him. This, of course, after a lot of uncomfortable silence as he was thinking. The reader thinks Holden is more than lucky to have such a friend who let him sleep on the couch at extremely short (and frankly, rude because Holden invited himself over). I am sure Holden deeply regretted going to sleep that night. He woke up to Mr. Antolini petting his head while he was asleep. I think this could have been taken as either creepy, like dangerous creepy, or simply the act of a drunk man who cares about the kid sleeping on his couch. I can see where it would come from both ways. Mr. Antolini definitely wins the award for creepiest scene in the book, which is why he is one of my least favorite characters in the book.

The Catcher in the Rye

My favorite character in the story The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger was definitely Phoebe Caulfield, Holden Caulfield’s little sister. Although Holden is the main character and is telling the story to the reader, Phoebe won me over. If anyone thinks Holden was the best character then they are one of two things; they either have no heart or any sense of loving emotion, or something is seriously wrong with them…Maybe an extremely harsh and unnecessary opinion, but I am just trying to throw everything out there that I can think of to back up what I am saying. It takes up more words, too. Anyway, Phoebe was my favorite character for many reasons. First of all, she sounds darling. In my opinion, if she could get her sixteen year old big brother to like her (which is almost impossible for anyone else), then she must be the most likable little girl on the planet. I like how Holden describes her as being a good listener. Even though she is a lot younger than most of the people in the book, she listens to them talk and sometimes understands adult conversations. Phoebe is the only person Holden wants to talk to when he is at his lowest point. I got the impression that Phoebe does not like to mess around with the truth, and is always as honest as she can possibly be. This is a trait that I greatly admire and think that a good seventy-five percent of the people I know could use. I always appreciate a character who is genuine in wanting the best for people. Phoebe is pretty much the only thing that convinced Holden to stay home and tell his family that he was kicked out of school, instead of his plan of running west and never coming back. Phoebe was one of those characters who had a small part in the book, but had a huge impact on the plot and major characters. Small but mighty.

The Catcher in the Rye

Aside from the negative look on why I gave the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger a three out of five star rating, I liked this book for many reasons. I thought three stars was fair because it is over half, and I liked the book more than I disliked it. One reason why I really liked the story was the setting. I can only imagine what New York City was like the in nineteen-fifties. Without the crime and danger that goes through there--as well as pretty much everywhere--New York City must have been the perfect place to be. I always think of the nineteen-fifties as being very classy and fashionable and very interesting. It just seems like a fun time! Holden Caulfield, the main character, was able to walk around and live by himself in the city when he was only sixteen years old. He did not feel threatened or felt the need to be cautious of anything. Everyone was just out to go see movies, live singers, or simply walk around and enjoy where they were. I picture New York City to be beautiful in the fifties. I guess the word I am looking for to describe the image of the nineteen-fifties New York City in my mind would be this: glamorous. Holden talks about all of the prep schools and movie stars and live shows, it seems like everyone was having a good time. I picture it as being so different from out modern world, and that difference makes it that much more interesting. Everywhere Holden went, whether it was to a bar by himself or to a theatre with a girl, there was always a live show. Someone was singing classic tunes or a band was playing something upbeat. It was music in almost its purest form. I would absolutely love to go back in time with Holden and witness the glamour of nineteen-fifties New York City for myself.

The Catcher in the Rye

If I had to give the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger a rating based on a five star scale, I would give it a three. If I were not in a good mood I would probably lean more towards giving it a two or a two and a half, but I think a solid three stars suits it. In some ways I did not like the book very much, which is why I did not give it a higher rating. I liked how it was written in first person, so it was like hearing first hand everything that was going on. The thing the bothered me the most was the use of words that were said by the main character, Holden Caulfield. I understand that it was supposed to feel as if he were speaking to you, but his grammar made me so mad sometimes. I am definitely not trying to say that all teenagers have perfect grammar and pronunciation, because honestly most have the opposite, but his was a little bit on the ridiculous side. How many times was he going to say “and all” in the book? Was he trying to beat a world record or something? I think that J.D Salinger was trying to make a believable character, which he most certainly did, but his believable character was an unbelievably annoying character. If his choice of words, grammar, and language would have cleaned up a little bit, I would have no doubt in my mind that I would have enjoyed the book more. I probably would have given it a four or four and a half star rating. Really, it was his speech that got to me. The story was great “and all,” but Holden got on my last nerve. I am the type of person that gets annoyed very easily, and while Holden pushed all of my buttons, I saw past it enough to enjoy the story and decide that it deserves a three star rating.

The Catcher in the Rye

Another reason why the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger would be the timeless characters. The story is told from the point of view of sixteen year old Holden Caulfield. Because it is written in first person, the reader is opened up to the thoughts going on in his head, as well as the dialogue and story of other characters. Holden is your typical teenaged boy. He likes to use curse words, could not care less about his education, is obsessed with girls, and truly believes that he can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. Holden does not always have the best attitude. I think it is simply because he is angsty, but sometimes he is quick to judge people. The reader may notice that while Holden has so much going on in his head, he does not say much of it out loud. He comes off as being outspoken because of his attitude and thoughts of people, but really it is all in his head. While Holden is sitting in some bar where there are many people, he always seems to choose somewhere a little secluded so he can watch all of the people, but also stay by himself. He only interacts with people when he wants to. Somehow, someway, these traits of Holden Caulfield make him an easy character to read about. It seems like the reader would get annoyed with his judgments and naïve thoughts, but it makes him seem more like a real person. I honestly think that that is why The Catcher in the Rye is still such a popular classic. The author makes the reader feel like they have some sort of personal connection to Holden, as if he were speaking directly to them. Holden is also extremely honest, which is usually a very much appreciated characteristic of someone. He somehow finds a way to be ignorant and outspoken at times, but always manages to stay a charming character. He really is the average teenage boy: complicated and full of problems.

The Catcher in the Rye

In my opinion, there are many reasons why we still read the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger. Not only does it display many things in our history that are different from our modern society and interesting to read about, but also timeless characters and life lessons. The story takes place in the nineteen-fifties in New York, and is about a sixteen year old boy named Holden Caulfield. Holden has recently been kicked out of another school, and he is afraid of going home to tell his parents. He comes from a pretty wealthy family, and back then it was more common the send kids--especially high school aged kids--to private schools away from home for better education. This is something not seen as much nowadays, or it is at least not as advertised. That only a very small look on this time in our history as compared to the rest of the book as a whole. As Holden is escaping his fears and putting off going home until the absolute last possible second, he takes a few days to live in the heart of New York City by himself. This was a time where you could walk around the city streets at night and not be scared, and a time when strangers were friendly instead of threatening. It is so cool to read how a teenager was able to be by themselves in such a busy city without worried about being in danger. Getting into more detailed aspects, this book also talked about going to the movies and the shows. Movies were a lot cheaper than they are today, and Holden talked about how he had seen one many, many times. Seeing a movie more than once nowadays would cost you an arm and a leg. Although there are still concerts and Broadway today, these were created during this time period. They would be a lot more popular and exciting to go to back then.

The Catcher in the Rye

I think that the author of the novel The Catcher in the Rye, J.D Salinger, uses an obvious technique to engage the readers in the story. The story is told from the point of view of Holden Caulfield, a sixteen year old boy. Since it is written in first person, the reader feels like Holden is talking to them and personally telling his side of the story. It is definitely not written formally, either. Holden likes to use curse words, slang, and repeats himself a lot. I think he used the phrase “and all” about a million times throughout the book. Anyway, it is told as if a real teenage boy was sitting down with you, telling everything he can remember about a time in his life. I think that this certain feeling of almost a personal bond with the character keeps the readers engaged in the book. You would never interrupt someone or make them stop telling you a story (unless it was a really boring story), so why would you interrupt Holden from telling you his? It may not be the same, but I think the writing style has a lot to do with why this novel is so popular. Holden Caulfield is not your average character. He is a little quirky, sarcastic, and naïve at times, but he is very interesting because the reader gets to know all of his thoughts. Since this story takes place in the nineteen-fifties, I feel like not many books were written like this. Holden is very outspoken, and thinks and does whatever he pleases., whenever he pleases. I think that J.D Salinger made a character like this on purpose because it is different than every other story, and the uniqueness of his character makes readers interested in the plot of the story. I bet that J.D Salinger took a huge risk in writing like this in the fifties, and maybe that risk and small rebellion against “normal” society engages readers the most.

The Catcher in the Rye

Another universal theme that J.D Salinger, the author of the novel The Catcher in the Rye, used may be solely directed at teenagers and young adults. The story is told from the point of view of Holden Caulfield, who is a sixteen year old boy. The writing style makes the reader feel like they are having a conversation with a teenage boy because of the use of words and his attitude. For younger readers, it is easy to understand and relate to him. This could be the author’s way of making sure this certain universal theme gets across to the reader. I think that J.D Salinger wanted teenagers to read this book, understand where Holden was coming from or going through, and realize that he was being a little more difficult than he should have been. Holden is stubborn, and we see this through his acts of staying away from home and his problems for as long as possible. He also feels like everyone and everything is out to get him, which everyone sometimes feel. As the reader recognizes these similar feelings of wanting to run away from their problems, they start to see that Holden is being immature. Nothing he does is practical. He only stays away from the safety of his home, interacts with complete strangers, and blows all of the money that he has. All the while, he is thinking how, deep down, he needs to go home. This may be a lesson and a wake up call that even if you do not want to do something, it is better to get it over with than to be stupid and waste your time. If the reader finds themselves running away from their problems, they may think back to Holden Caulfield from this novel and remember how annoying it was to read about how he was making the situation ten times worse for himself. It almost seems like J.D Salinger wanted to scare his readers into doing the right thing by making a character they can relate to, and then show them what an idiot he is.

The Catcher in the Rye

I believe that the universal theme in the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger is pretty obvious; there may even be more than one. One theme or lesson that the reader can take from this book would be to face your problems head on instead of running away from them. Holden Caulfield, the sixteen year old main character from whom the story is told, has been expelled from his school for lack of effort. (This, itself, can be it’s own theme: always try your best in private school because if you fail, you only cause more problems for yourself. Especially if you’ve been expelled by more than one school…) This is not his first time, and he is very afraid of going home and informing his parents of the bad news. Instead of manning up and dealing with the consequences, Holden decides to put it off by spending a few days alone in New York City, using the excuse of winter break to keep him from home. He knows deep down he will have to go home eventually, but his stubborn teenage mind comes up with a plan. To get out of getting in trouble with his mother and father, he will move out west and start a new life. That is obviously a lot more work than getting lectured for a few hours at home. I think that J.D Salinger used Holden’s point of view so the reader could see where he was coming from--because no one likes to be in trouble with their parents--but also so it would be clear that Holden was a little far fetched. The reader would have to be an infant to no recognize the point being made. Holden clearly should have gone home immediately and told his parents. Moral of the story, it is much easier and quicker to come clean and accept responsibility for your actions than trying to flee the area to avoid getting in trouble.

The Catcher in the Rye

In my opinion, there is only one true hero in the story The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger, and it is not the main character. Usually, the main character is or has something to do with the hero, but not in this case. The main character, sixteen year old Holden Caulfield, whose point of view the story is told, is pretty much the opposite of the hero. He is not really an antagonist because he is not conflicting with the hero, but Holden creates his own problems and does not really do much to help himself. I would definitely say that his little sister Phoebe is the hero of the story. Holden brings her up a lot in the beginning because he thinks about her all of the time, but she is not significant to the plot until later on. Holden is always thinking about he only wants to see her and no one else from his family. Holden admires her for her listening skills because even if she does not know what is being talked about, she is always listening. She is also very smart. Phoebe is Holden’s inspiration to come home and make peace with his parents after being kicked out of his school. At first, he plans on running away and going out west. This would allow him to avoid ever seeing his parents again if he did not want to. Before he leaves, Holden decided he wanted to see Phoebe one last time. He leaves her a note at school to meet somewhere, and she showed up with her own suitcase. I think that this small thing shows what kind of bond Holden and Phoebe have. Phoebe was ready to move out west with her brother immediately so he would not be alone. This is a wake up call for Holden. I think he may have thought, “I have something that I love more than anything right here. Am I really going to be selfish and throw it all away?” Holden considered the advice Phoebe had given him about coming home and facing his parents. Without Phoebe, Holden would have escaped out west and ran away from his problems instead of doing what was right and fixing them head on.

The Catcher in the Rye

Other things to consider in the novel The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D Salinger, would be the gains. When talking about the gains, we are talking about the gains of Holden Caulfield. Holden is the main character, and the story is told from his teenage point of view. In my opinion, the only things gained in the entire book were not tangible, but more like life lessons, skills, and emotions. Nothing is physically gained. One thing that Holden gains would be the sense of independence. He is already a little persnickety about his personal items, especially since he goes to boarding schools where he shares a roommate, but that is not raw independence. When he gets expelled from Pency, his school, Holden decides to wait a few days before he goes home to break the news to his parents. He does not want to stay in his dorm at the school, and he has no other place to go. His plan of action is to live in the heart of New York City until he can finally go home. Holden has to deal with keeping track of money, his belongings, and strangers that are less than friendly. He gets a real taste of what life is like when you are on your own. I think that it humbles him a little bit because he was a little overconfident at times. It probably scared him into appreciating his parents more, too. When he begins to gain the feelings and emotions of realizing what he wants in his life, he also begins to respect his little sister Phoebe, too. Even though she is a lot younger than he, Holden trusts, loves, and admires her more than any other person in his life. Phoebe is pretty much the only reason why he was finally convinced to go home and face his parents. Holden gained the knowledge to make decisions, and the emotions to love and respect everything he has going for him.

The Catcher in the Rye

Besides there being many losses in the story of The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger, there are also many causes. Pretty much the main conflict is that Holden Caulfield, the main character, does not want to go home and face his parents after being expelled from another school. Holden did not apply himself to his studies, which caused him to fail the majority of his classes. The failure of these classes caused the school to be forced to expel him from being a student. It is pretty obvious that every aspect of this book has a cause to it. Holden did not want to go immediately home because he knew his parents would absolutely freak out on him. This was not the first, and definitely one of few schools he had gotten kicked out of. He knew that his mother and father, his father especially, would be very upset. Holden, being a sixteen year old boy, naturally did not want to deal with being ridiculed once again. Instead of going home, he decided to fend for himself for a few days in New York City. His decision was not only caused by the fear of going home, but also his teenage angst that made him feel like rebelling, or feel like he was capable of living on his own. Teenagers are so weird. We think we can do anything. In a way, Holden’s natural rebellion against his parents and formal education caused a positive impact on him; he began to think about what he seriously wanted to do and get out of his life. Though they were caused by something bad, they helped Holden begin to shape his future. After “living on his own” for several days, Holden finally decided to go home. This was caused by many emotions, including his feelings towards his little sister Phoebe. He admired her very much, and I think she inspired him to do the right thing. By the end of the novel, Holden Caulfield basically had his life in order.

The Catcher in the Rye

I think that there are many causes, losses, and gains in the story The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger. The novel is told from the point of view of a sixteen year old boy, Holden Caulfield, so the reader experiences what he experiences. In the beginning of the story, Holden has recently found out that he is being kicked out of his private school because he is failing too many classes. In a way, this is a loss for Holden. He has lost another school, therefore losing another opportunity for his education. There are several other losses that Holden goes through throughout the book. I think that after awhile of being expelled from schools, Holden lost his way in life. He obviously has no idea where he wants to go, what he wants to be, or what he wants to do. He is simply going through the motions of life without meeting many requirements. Holden lost is sense of stability because of a few reasons. First of all, his life was always changing. He changed schools many times, therefore going to new places and meeting new people. The excitement of those wears off after too many times. Another reason why Holden Caulfield lost his sense of stability was because he was afraid to go home when he got expelled. He would have to tell his parents himself, which he knew would make his parents extremely upset. Holden was still young, and to feel like you can not even go home is a horrible feeling. He would definitely be losing respect from his parents, possibly from others who knew also knew him well. With all of this on his mind, I think that Holden lost interest in the direction of life he was headed for. He really did not care anymore. I think that since Holden was going through the motions and going along with whatever came up, he lost his sense of independence and making decisions.

Grapes of Wrath & Old Man and the Sea

So far, out of reading the novels Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and Robert DeMott and Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, Grapes of Wrath was definitely my favorite. Not only did I give it a higher rating on a five star scale, but I also liked way more things about this book than the other. One thing about this novel that I preferred over the other was the characters. There were a lot more characters in Grapes of Wrath, which added much more interest to the story. The more characters there were, the more interaction there was. The interaction of the different characters made it less boring because there was more going on. It made your mind work a little bit more, totally in a good way. Old Man and the Sea was lacking in this kind of interest because there were so few characters. Another aspect of Grapes of Wrath that I really enjoyed was the feeling, as a reader, that I was going on the journey with the Joad family. You are exposed to everything: the good, the bad, and the ugly. The reader is along for every twist and turn of the entire trip to California. Nothing skips forward or bypasses any details; it is as if you are a part of the family. While reading Old Man and the Sea, I did not get that same experience. Old Man and the Sea was a lot less complicated than Grapes of Wrath because it was about one man with one goal during one journey. The plot was very simple. With Grapes of Wrath, on the other hand, it was an entire nation of people--specifically one large family--that had many different goals, and the consequences were much greater. There was more on the line in this story as compared to the story in Old Man and the Sea. I guess I really liked how Grapes of Wrath had a lot more diversity, and it was based on the real stories of families during the time period.

The Catcher in the Rye

The novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger reveals many values and attitudes of this author. It is written in first person from the perspective of the main character, Holden Caulfield. Holden Caulfield is a sixteen year old boy who sometimes finds himself in tricky situations. He has been kicked out of many schools, and is being kicked out from his current school Pency. Holden is in no way a trouble maker; he just does not try in school, and therefore gets horrible grades. It is during this time that the story is being told, so the reader definitely learns Holden's view on life. He is not a mean spirited kind of boy, but he seems very abrupt. At first, it is very believable that Holden may be slightly illiterate. He may even come off as stupid. As the story goes on, though, the reader realizes that the book is simply written exactly how Holden would say it. It is as if Holden were speaking directly to the reader in a conversation. This kind of writing helps the reader understand that Holden says exactly what he is thinking, feeling, and meaning. There is not a time when he is unsure or faking something. I think that J.D Salinger values honestly because that is all Holden Caulfield is. He is completely honest and straightforward. I can not imagine an author writing an entire story in the perspective of someone that he did not agree with. Holden has a little bit of a negative attitude, but not outwardly negative. I think he is a little quick to judge people sometimes, and since the reader is exposed to his thoughts then everything there. None of his feelings or opinions are hidden. It is not necessarily a bad thing that Holden is negative; maybe J.D Salinger felt like the negativity would make this character more believable as a teenage boy. It was probably a goal of his to project that angst as accurately as possible.

Old Man and the Sea

There were very few characters that were significant in the story, so it is hard to say which is my least favorite character in the story Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. I have said many, many times in several other blog posts about how much I liked the main character, the old man, but there was a small part in the story when he definitely could have qualified as my least favorite character. The part that I would use to support this would be right after the old man killed the marlin. At first, I felt happy for him because it had taken so much time and effort, and it was a goal he so badly wanted. Again, I liked him so I was proud for him. Afterwards though, the old man began to regret killing the great fish. The marlin was beginning to lose its beautiful colors, and eventually would attract hungry predators. It made me upset at the old man when he talked about how it was a mistake that he killed the marlin. I thought, "Why on earth would you waste so much time and energy on something if you had even the slightest doubt that you would fully appreciate it?" It made no sense to me that he would risk his fragile life for a goal he had not thought all the way through. Maybe if he had taken the time to think about the consequences of killing it, he would have let the fish go, or at least felt better about killing it. He told the thing the entire time that he planned on killing and selling it! Oh well, I guess in some ways I understand where he was coming from. He had such an attachment to the fish, calling it a brother. In my opinion, he should have been more prepared mentally and emotionally for after he finally caught and killed the marlin. It was a moment of ignorance.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner Paperback Fiction, 1995.

Old Man and the Sea

If I could change anything about Old Man and the Sea, written by Ernest Hemingway, I would add a little fiction to it. A little imagination would perk this story up! If I were to rewrite the story, I would use key things that Ernest Hemingway used and give them a little twist. The little boy who helps take care of the old man could be his long, lost son who he had to put up for adoption. The boy obviously would not be aware of this fact, but that would be the reason why they had so much in common and were so close. The old man would also have a history in baseball. He and the boy are very into baseball, and it has a small but significant role in the story. Why not make it an even more significant part? It would definitely add to the conversations between the boy and the old man! Another thing that I would change would be the journey out into the sea as the huge fish is dragging him. The old man frequently talked about his dreams of the lions on the beach of Africa. What if the fish took him clear across the Atlantic Ocean and that was what he came across? Once the marlin would begin to tire, the old man would feel that something was different about this particular fish; it would not be because of his outrageous size, either. One day, when the old man was getting ready to try to reel the fish in closer so he could kill it, the marlin would swim up to the side of the boat...and begin talking. The talking marlin would totally add some imagination to the story! The fish and man would become friends. Because the marlin had taken him all the way to Africa, he agreed to pull the man back to Mexico where he came from. The old man would be so excited to show all of the doubters that he had caught this magical marlin. On the way to the shore, though, the same sharks in the story would come. The giant marlin was fierce, but not fierce enough. Only his carcass would remain, and the old man would have no proof of this amazing journey he had been on.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner Paperback Fiction, 1995.

Old Man and the Sea

My least favorite part about the novel Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway would be the fact that most of the story made me feel like I was waiting on something to happen. There is definitely excitement in the plot, but it felt sporadic to me. There would be nothing happening, except for the detailed explaining about how nothing was happening, and then boom. Something dramatic would come out of nowhere. For example, the old man is being pulled along by this massive fish, he sticks his hand in the water a few times and then all of a sudden the great marlin leaps out of the water and shows off its beauty and magnificence. It was not very consistent. The story had a lot of detail and explanation, but the detail and explanation would be about being towed or sailing in the middle of the ocean with no specific direction. You can only describe what it is like to be stranded in the ocean so many times. At least the old man does not seem too upset about it. Another smaller thing about this book that I did not like was all of the fishing equipment and techniques that the old man was using. That is more of a personal dislike, because I have never been around that serious of fishing before, but I kept getting confused. When the old man had caught and killed the marlin, his journey back was less exciting than the suspenseful trip out into the sea. He regretted killing the great fish, so as a reader I thought, "Are you kidding me? You just spent so much time and suffering for this prize and you wished you had not done it?" One side of me completely knew where he was coming from; after all, he thought of the fish as a brother. But another side of me thought it was a little ignorant. As much as I loved the old man, the plot he was involved in did not do it for me most of the time.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner Paperback Fiction, 1995.

Old Man and the Sea

My favorite part about the novel Old Man and the Sea was the characters. This is probably literally my fifth blog post about how much I liked the characters in this book. I guess when I really like something, then I have no problem saying it more than once. Anyway, the old man in this book was the most adorable person ever. He is definitely not outgoing, but he does not care what anyone says about him. The little boy asks him if he questions his luck because he had not caught any fish in a long time. The boy tells him that the other fishermen in the area are talking about him. The old man only raises his head higher and says that his luck will come sooner or later. Instead of looking on the negative side, the side where he is making absolutely no money and is being gossiped about, he looks on the positive side, the side that is patient and believes his luck is waiting for something amazing. He does not let anything negative affect him, which is a quality that people could very much benefit from. Though the old man is a very wise and experienced fisherman, he does not let this get to his head. He makes a point to remind himself to focus on what he is doing. He has confidence that he will do the right mechanics when he catches a fish, but he is never cocky. As the old man is being taken away from the safety of the shore, he still keeps the calm state of mind. He pictures how grand the fish pulling him must be, and does not worry about how long the fish will pull him. The old man could have easily freaked out and panicked, hurting himself or the fish, but he goes with the flow and I love that about him. I think I liked seeing the way the old man handled himself because in the back of my mind I was thinking about how differently I expected him to operate.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner Paperback Fiction, 1995.

Old Man and the Sea

If I had to give the novel Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway a rating based on a five star scale, I would give it a three star rating. I did not hate it, but I certainly did not love it. I felt at times it was a little bit vague and some details were not explained as fully as they should have been. The other thing I found I did not like was how seventy-five percent of the entire plot was the old man getting dragged out into the ocean, waiting to catch the fishing, and then sailing back home, waiting to get to the shore. I am certainly a creature of patience, but not that much patience. I appreciated the old man's patience as the marlin told him further and further away from his home, but as a read I did not enjoy waiting on everything. If I only focused on the negatives, though, I would have given this novel a much lower rating. There were many things that I did love about this story...I have already mentioned it in other blogs about a million times so I am pretty much repeated myself again. I the characters were great and really made the book worth ready. The old man seems so nice, how he talks to the fish and tells him how beautiful he is and how proud he is to catch such a wonderful fish. I am so glad he was not just some money crazy barbarian who only wanted to kill the fish for the large profit. His positive way of looking at life and kind attitude makes the difference between a tale about a grateful old man, and a fish murderer. The reader can see how much this old man cares about everything around him, which is a quality that I truly admire. The old man is pretty much the main reason that I gladly give this novel a good rating.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner Paperback Fiction, 1995.

Old Man and the Sea

In my opinion, the novel Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway definitely reflects history in an accurate way. The story takes place in a small, Latin American fishing community. Though these tiny communities do not typically change over the years, so the setting could be from any time, they are always the same and therefore reflect history. One way this fishing village reflects history is the way the fishermen make their money. Like today, it is their job to catch fish. The more fish the fishermen catch, the more money they earn. The difference, though, is that they most likely do not know where their fish go. Everything that they catch gets sent to a factory, where it is processed and shipped off to many places around the world. In Old Man and the Sea, the reader sees that the fish are locally sold in a market. It is where the fishermen take what they have caught and that is where they get paid. There is no middle man, which is sort of an adaptation of the modern world. Another reason why this novel reflects history is the description of the boat, as well as the parts of the boat the old man was using. Technology has come a long way, and nowadays there are new nets, radars, cages, bait, and so on to help the fishermen receive bigger profits. However, there are some ways this novel does not accurately reflect history. It never really says what year this plot is taking place. This could just be your average village where everyone is a fishermen and the market is locally owned. Is it possible that the time or place was never mentioned? Is the reader left to assume these two key facts? In my opinion, Ernest Hemingway was very vague on everything except what was directly happening to the old man and the giant marlin. Most of the story takes place in the middle of the ocean, where location and time hardly matter.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner Paperback Fiction, 1995.

Old Man and the Sea

I think that Ernest Hemingway, the author of the novel Old Man and the Sea uses many techniques to engage the reader and make the story effective. One technique would be using characters that can be related to, or characters that are easy to like. The old man is wise, and very charming. The way his personality is portrayed makes it so much easier for the reader to enjoy the story. The little boy is another character who makes the novel much better. He is very kind and thoughtful for just being a boy, and the reader appreciates how he takes such good care of the old man. If the reader did not like the old man, though, they probably would not like the boy as much either. Because the old man is an enjoyable character, we like how the boy is crucial in keeping the him alive and as healthy as possible. All in all, good characters help make the plot interesting and easy to read. It is so difficult to read a book when all you can think about is how much you hate all the people in the story. It makes the reader hate the book! Another technique that the author uses to engage the reader and make the story effective is suspense. Suspense is not only used during the climax when he is stranded out at sea, but also through the entire story. The old man is not having luck catching fish, meaning he is not making any money. Without money, he can not buy food or supplies. Without food or supplies, he will die. That thought is always in the back of the reader's, as well as the little boy's, mind. The old man gets pulled out in the middle of the ocean by the great marlin, where he can not get food or anything, no matter how much money he has. The fact that neither the reader not the old man know how far he went out or when he will get back to shore keeps the plot going. The suspense of not knowing and picturing all of the possibilities of what can happen pulls the reader in.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner Paperback Fiction, 1995.

Old Man and the Sea

I think that there are many reasons we still read the novel Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. The old man, who is the main character, is very charming. In my opinion as a reader, as long as there is at least one likable character, the story is fine. The old man displays many strong characteristics that make him an easy person to care about. First of all, the old man seems very kind. He is always worrying about the little boy, and it is obvious that he is very grateful that the boy takes care of him. Without the little boy there to make sure he eats properly, keep him company, and occasionally helping him on the boat, the old man would be in a lot worse condition than he is. The old man also has the biggest faith in his luck with fishing. Though the boy worries because the old man is not catching anything, thus not making money, he holds his head high and believes his luck will change soon. This personality trait is carried out all the way to when the old man is being pulled along by the gigantic marlin. He is so excited and thankful to have such a catch, he is not the least bit concerned about how far out in the ocean the fish has taken him. I think that many readers admire his positive attitude. The old man is also extremely patient, which pretty much goes hand in hand with his positive attitude. As the great fish he has been waiting for takes him further and further away from the safety of the shore, he is only grateful towards the fish and thinks of him as a brother. His respect for the fish is a charming quality. He is honest that he plans on killing it, but he tries to let the fish have as much pride as possible. I think that the personality of the old man is the main reason we still read the novel Old Man and the Sea.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner Paperback Fiction, 1995.

Old Man and the Sea

In the novel Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, the setting is not directly said. Based on some of the language in the context that is used, the reader can assume the story is taking place in some Latin American country. Though the reader does not know for sure, they can probably guess it is somewhere in Mexico. We can assume this because American Major League Baseball is a reoccurring subject, and Mexico would most likely be the closes associated. The reader can also assume this plot is taking place in the past, but because it is about fishing and the fishing business I feel like that could be at any time. It is in a small fishing community, whose lifestyle rarely changes dramatically. In many ways, this novel definitely reflects what was going on during this time period. Like I mentioned before, the fishing business in small communities hardly ever changes because they are secluded and it works within itself. This is displayed in the novel when it is describing how all of the fishermen fish in the same area every day, and how they all locally know each other. The author also gives the reader a very good description of the boats, and every important fishing piece on it. The fishermen are driven to catch more fish because that would mean they would earn more money from the market, where their fish are sold. The fishermen are also driven so they can have bragging rights, or an upper hand against the others around them. In some ways, this novel does not reflect this time period very well...or real life very well. I would not disagree with the fact that there are giant fish in the ocean. I want to be a marine biologist someday, so I'm not completely ignorant to what is under water. I just can not seem to grasp the idea of a giant fish pulling a man out into the ocean for days straight in the same direction. Some fish migrate, so obviously they have a route of where they're going. There is no way a fish calmly took hold of a hook and calmly began swimming in a specific direction with a massive weight pulling on it's mouth. It just seems so unreal.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner Paperback Fiction, 1995.

Old Man and the Sea

I think that the hero in the novel Old Man and the Sea would definitely be the old man. Even though he is pretty much the only person in the entire book, there could be more heroes in the story, too. It depends on how the reader looks at it. The old man is a hero because he saves himself from being stuck in the middle of the ocean with no food or fresh water. At no point in time does he lose his focus and mess something up. To me, a hero always has control of the situation, or at least handles the situation to the best of his ability. The old man just kind of rolled with the punches and reacted to what was thrown at him. He did not worry his mind with thoughts of starvation, he simply ate what was available and used his fishing skills and knowledge to get food when he needed it. He also felt sorry for the great fish once he had killed him, which is a sign of a good heart. Another hero could be the little boy. The little boy is friends with the old man, and pretty much keeps him alive. He is always at the old man's house, he brings him food, and also helps keep him company. The little boy worries about the old man, and does not want him to get hurt because of his frail old age. It is obvious to the reader that the little boy cares about the old man because when he was being dragged out into the sea, the boy went to the man's house every day in case he was back. The little boy always takes care of him because he loves the old man. He basically saves his life when he finaly gets back by feeding him, taking care of his wounds, and putting him to bed. Without the little boy, the old man would probably not be alive.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner Paperback Fiction, 1995.

Old Man and the Sea

It is hard to say what the universal theme is in the novel Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. It could be that you should always look at life with a positive and open mind. The old man's character displays this a lot throughout the story. Even though the old man was not having very much luck catching fish, he went out every day and never lost faith that he would get them. Once he caught the marlin, he did not worry when the giant fish was dragging this boat further and further away from the shore. He only saw the positives of what was happening. To him, the fish would soon tire and he could easily kill him. He did not want to kill him, for he respected the fish and saw him as a brother, but he knew that he had to. Even before he saw what the fish looked like he respected and loved him. The old man was very fragile because of his age, but he knew what he needed to do. He worked as hard as his frail body would allow him, even working through the pain of all of the gashes and cramps in his hands. He was patient with the marlin and let him slow down on his own terms. Ernest Hemingway might have put this type of characteristic in the old man to show that even in the toughest of situations, it is still possible, as well as very important to have a positive attitude. I think that is the universal theme. The old man had plenty of opportunities to give up, freak out, or completely change the situation in a negative way, but he kept his head up and his head clear to work through the problems. The wise fisherman made a point many times to keep his head clear so he could work. Not many people have that kind of control over themselves.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner Paperback Fiction, 1995.

Old Man and the Sea

In the novel Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, there are many causes, losses, and gains of the plot. The story is about an old man who is a fisherman for a living, but has not had any luck lately. He is friends with a little boy who helps him very much, not only with fishing but also by making sure the old man is taken care of. On one particular day of fishing, the old man does not take the little boy. His parents do not like when he goes fishing with the old man, and he respects that. As he is fishing, something catches on one of his lines and starts pulling him out to sea. The very patient and kind old man thinks of this magnificent fish as a brother, but expects to kill him. After days of struggling, he finally kills the great marlin. It takes him a long time to get back to shore, and when he gets there the fish is only a skeleton. The old man was faced with numerous sharks on the way home. One cause of the plot could be the old man's lack of luck. If he had caught more fish before, he would not have gone out as far as he did to desperately catch some. The old man was also a very kind person; his heart, personality, and skill lead him to respect the great marlin instead of thinking of it as a money making prize. This could be a reason why the marlin kept pulling him out to sea; he did not feel threatened. In my opinion, there were more losses than gains. The old man lost strength while battling the fish, as well as the sharks. He also lost his great trophy fish when the sharks swarmed and ate it. The only things the old man gained were the experience and the respect from other fishermen when they saw the marlin's skeleton attached to his boat.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner Paperback Fiction, 1995.

Old Man and the Sea

I think that the writing in the novel Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway reveals that he values many things. The old man in the story is very kind, and very wise, and I think this reflects his views on the importance of these characteristics. The old man is also patient. The giant marlin drags the old man and his little boat for days, and instead of getting frustrated or angry at the fish, he goes with the flow. The old man has a very positive outlook on life. He knows very well that he plans on killing the gigantic fish that is pulling him out to sea, but he respects it. He calls the fish his friend and his brother. I think that this shows that Ernest Hemingway had a love for the environment, and had a certain respect for animals. If he did not, I am sure that the old man would have killed the marlin without talking to it, praying, or let it drag him too far out into the ocean. Ernest Hemingway probably wanted to create a character that showed these values because it effects the type of story being told. If the old man was only focused on the money making part of fishing instead of the enojyment, he would have been a lot different. Without the patience, kindess, or lovingness the reader gets from this character, the novel would have been cruel. The focus would have been killing the marlin to make a lot of money, and bragging about its size to the other fishermen who believed the old man was unable. He would have also been more angry and vengful at the sharks for pretty much ruining his prized fish. The old man's character and personality helps make the story one of tragic fantasy and dreaminess, not one of anger and struggle. The old man is determined, but not in a destructive way. The old man completely changes the story.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Scribner Paperback Fiction, 1995.

Grapes of Wrath

If I had the opportunity to rewrite or change something about the novel Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and Robert DeMott, I would give the story a little more interest. I would in no way, shape, or form change anything about the history or truth about what happened during this time on our nations history, but at times I felt that the plot was dragging a little bit and way somewhat boring. I would try my absolute best to add some rising action and a climax without altering the facts about the nineteen thirties. This would be difficult. The story is written to tell some truth about what was going in during this time in our country's past. It gives the good, the bad, and the ugly. Somehow, the novel does this in a less than exciting way. Although it was a great story, I would add a little drama. Maybe instead of Tom Joad finding his family at his uncle's house a few miles away from his home, Tom would have to follow them to California and search for them. Rose of Sharon's husband would definitely not ditch her, even if he was scared or not prepared for the future. Rose of Sharon would also have a very healthy baby. I would try not changing the characters so much, but if I did then Rose of Sharon would not be as annoying. I do not care if she is pregnant or not, she needs to stop being so selfish sometimes. I would also try to add a little happiness in the end. All stories should have something happy. The Joad family would have gotten a little house, and if they did not have work then there would be the promise of work in the future. Rose of Sharon would have had a beautiful baby, and her brother Al would be working in a car garage like he had always wanted to. I love happy endings.

Steinbeck, John, and Robert J. DeMott. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2006.