SECTION 3 The Catcher in the Rye Chapters 7-9
Respond to one of the following questions. Make sure your response reflects a complete thought and makes specific reference to the story.
1. In chapter 2 Mr. Spencer warns Holden that if he doesn't change he will be a failure. Will Holden be able to change? What does he need to learn in order to change?
2. On page 60 Holden asks the cab driver about the ducks. This is not the first time Holden has thought about or asked about the ducks. What is the significance of the ducks? Do they symbolize Holden? If so why and how?
posted by dr. dalili @ 10:27 AM
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I think the significance of the ducks is that they represent Holden. Holden has asked about the ducks of Central Park South and where they go in the winter. Currently in Holden’s life it is winter. And he is a runaway with nowhere to go and probably wondering where to go. Also, ducks go somewhere warm in the winter and, as we know, he eventually ends up in California (although ducks usually migrate somewhere south). Holden could possibly want to be like the ducks. And he is asking others where the ducks go as a disguise to the answer he wants on where to go. Also, just as a thought, Holden could be fascinated with the idea of ducks because ducks can fly anywhere whenever they feel like it. I kind of think of Holden as (well not a duck) but a bird because he leaves whenever he feels like it and does whatever he likes.
I think the significance of the ducks is that they symbolize Holden on the fact that they are always coming and going. The duck come and go with the seasons and similarly for Holden he is always coming and going, getting kicked out and starting new schools. I think Holden always asks questions about them because he is starting to realize that the two might have a connection on not being able to say permanent for too long.
I think the significance of the ducks is that they are very similar to Holden. Holden does not know where the ducks go in the winter and he is not sure where he is going to go in life. He's not sure of what his next move will be. When Holden asked the cab driver, "The ducks. Do you know by any chance? I mean does somebody come around in a truck or something and take them away, or do they fly away by themselves." I think that he is trying to figure out his next move in life and is trying to figure out if he should take control of his own life and do things by himself or get a little help from someone else. I think he's wondering about himself and his next move more than the ducks.
I don’t think Holden will decide to change his future. In chapter 2, when Mr. Spencer says he will be a failure Holden cares at first because he said “I didn’t like hearing that. It made me sound dead or something. It was very depressing.” (20) Also in the book it said that Holden thought about it for awhile. I think Holden has a concern for his future but no t enough to do something about it. He knows he will end up as Mr. Spencer describes because he doesn’t try. Holden doesn’t try in school and in life so he will get nowhere in life unless he really is motivated or is willing to spend his life a different way.
To me it seems the ducks represent Holden. The ducks show change because the ducks go away every winter while the fish, like the cab driver said, stay frozen in the ice. The fish and ducks are opposites. The ducks are the ones changing and the fish are the ones that will always stay the same. The reason i think the ducks do represent Holden is because this book follows his journey to adulthood and a state of maturity. Holden will eventually leave where he is now and change to the person he wants to become. The ducks might actually not represent Holden now but, Holden might want to be like the ducks. Holden might want to leave and change from who he is now. Holden might want to have the the ability to change whenever he wants to like the ducks can.
To me it seems the ducks represent Holden. The ducks show change because the ducks go away every winter while the fish, like the cab driver said, stay frozen in the ice. The fish and ducks are opposites. The ducks are the ones changing and the fish are the ones that will always stay the same. The reason i think the ducks do represent Holden is because this book follows his journey to adulthood and a state of maturity. Holden will eventually leave where he is now and change to the person he wants to become. The ducks might actually not represent Holden now but, Holden might want to be like the ducks. Holden might want to leave and change from who he is now. Holden might want to have the the ability to change whenever he wants to like the ducks can.
I think if Holden sets his mind to it then he will be able to change. In order to do so, he has to be confident and not look at the worst possibility. When he acts like he doesn't care then he will never be able to change.
I think Holden always talks about the ducks because they remind him of himself. He always wonders where they go when it gets cold. They move around just like Holden does because he doesn't know where he wants to be. It also just happens to be winter while this story takes place which is the time of year when he wants to know where the ducks go. During the story, he doesn't know where to go so maybe if he finds out where the ducks go he can figure out where he needs to be.
2. The way the ducks go in winter symbolizes the answer to Holden's problem. When something bad happens to the ducks (winter), they have to go somewhere. Similarly, if something happens to Holden, he has to do something. He wants to know the right way to solve his problem.
I believe Holden will change in the end because when one hits rock bottom, the only thing they can do is heal and become stronger emotionally. Towards the end of the story, one can see that by Holden's behavior, he's beginning to near the final and worst stages of depression. However, in order to completely change Holden needs to change his mindset by realizing that he could not prevent his brother's death and he also must learn to cope with difficult situations. Just because someone he loved left him doesn't mean the memory of that person won't live on.
I think that throughout the story Holden looks to the ducks for advice. He doesn't know where to go or what to do with his life because he knows he can't go back to the past. Holden knows he can't get his childhood back so he doesn't know what to do.The ducks are constantly moving when the weather gets cold, just like Holden. Whenever he doesn't like something he just goes away from it.
I do not think Holden will be able to change. You need the motivation and determination to change. Holden needs to be less judgemental and more open to people in his life. Holden only really cares for Phoebe, but that's not enough. Holden needs someone else and something more to his life in order to succeed
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