The Catcher & the Rye - Journal Assignments
Here is list of journal assignments for The Catcher & the Rye Unit. The purpose of the journal entries is to spark discussion in class and lead you to a deeper understanding of the novel. Journal entries will be posted on the blog of your Weebly writing portfolio. Journal entries should be at least 300 words and adequately address the question. At the end of the Unit, a grade will be given based on the following criteria:
1. Does the entry adequately address the question?
2. Is the the entry understandable, using proper grammar, word choice, and spelling?
3. Are the entries properly organized, using thesis statements, paragraphs, and topic sentences
4. Is the entry completed on time?
1. Does the entry adequately address the question?
2. Is the the entry understandable, using proper grammar, word choice, and spelling?
3. Are the entries properly organized, using thesis statements, paragraphs, and topic sentences
4. Is the entry completed on time?
1. Becoming an Adult
Due Date: September 4th
Consider the following the following questions and write a 500-word response:
Consider the following the following questions and write a 500-word response:
- What does it mean to be an adult?
- Do you consider yourself to be an adult?
- When do you think you will become an adult?
- How will you know you are an adult?
- Does growing older scare you? What scares you the most about becoming an adult?
- How is being an adult different than being a child?
- What do you have to give up to become an adult?
2. Should students read The Catcher in The Rye in High School? Why or why not? Give reasons for both.
Due Date: September 9th
3. How is Holden Caulfield different than Harry Potter? Why might young readers prefer Harry Potter to Holden?
Due Date: September 11th
4. What can we learn about The Catcher & the Rye by reading the first page of the novel?
Due Date: September 16th
5. Narrator's Point-of-View: Tell the story of "The Three Little Pigs" in First Person.
Due Date: September 23d
6. Holden Caulfield: An Unreliable Narrator?
Due Date: September 25th
Holden Caulfield has been described as being an Unreliable Narrator. An Unreliable Narrator Definition is a narrator who can't be trusted because of ignorance or self-interest, this narrator speaks with a bias, makes mistakes, or even lies.
Holden Caulfield has been described as being an Unreliable Narrator. An Unreliable Narrator Definition is a narrator who can't be trusted because of ignorance or self-interest, this narrator speaks with a bias, makes mistakes, or even lies.
- What about Holden makes it hard to believe that everything happens in the story the way that he describes it? How does Salinger tell the reader that there's more to the story than what Holden is telling us?
- Why do you think Salinger tells Holden's story in first person? How would the story be different if it were told through third person or from the point-of-view of another character like Phoebe?
7. Censorship: Should schools ever ban books from their libraries or classrooms?
Due Date: September 26th
8. Symbols
Due Date: Class Time, September 26th; posted on the Weebly in the evening
There are many symbols throughout this novel. A symbol is something chosen in a novel to represent something else.
There are many symbols throughout this novel. A symbol is something chosen in a novel to represent something else.
- Find an object that you want to represent something else. Write a paragraph explain what the object symbolizes and why, but don't tell anybody about it.
- During class, we will share our symbol and others will guess what the object symbolizes. We will share our paragraphs afterwards.
- Afterwards, post your paragraph on your Weebly along with a picture of the object.