Create a Holden Caulfield Factfile. Holden Caulfield. Age: Parents: Brothers/Sisters: Educational Background: Key Features of: Likes: Dislikes:

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1 Create a Holden Caulfield Factfile Name: Age: Holden Caulfield Parents: Brothers/Sisters: Educational Background: Key Features of: Likes: Dislikes: doc Page 1 of 8

2 Social, Historical and Cultural Context Social Context Historical Context: Cultural Context: The society in which the novel takes place and how it influenced the characters lives. What historical events took place during the time when the novel is set and how they influenced the characters lives. What major cultural movements were happening at the time the novel is set and how they influenced the characters lives. Important Points Book set just after World War II in America. Published in serial form between 1945 and 1946 America was becoming a much more materialistic society Americans believed (as they still do) that they lived in the greatest country in the world People were very conservative and distrusted anything that was different, so there was a great pressure for everyone to conform and be like others Americans mistrusted anyone who didn t believe America was the greatest country The Cold War with Russia was beginning and people were afraid of Communism Before the 1950 s teenagers had no real identity but simply obeyed their parents In the 1950 s teenagers began to form their own individual identity and speak up about their views even if they clashed with society or their parents called The Rise of the Teenager The 1950 s saw rebellious teens portrayed in films such as James Dean in Rebel without a Cause or Marlon Brando in The Wild One. Rock n Roll also began to come into fashion Culture was influenced by new inventions like the hula-hoop (not the crisps), photocopier and other things we now take for granted doc Page 2 of 8

3 Themes & Quotes Theme Quotes Holden seeing world as phoney Failure to connect Innocence Holden s view of sex Depression Holden s view of Allie Holden s view of Allie s death Holden s view of Phoebe Holden s lies Holden s fantasy world Holden contradicting himself Holden as an outsider Holden s view of Jane Holden losing control of his actions Holden being immature Holden not wanting things to change Holden being impulsive doc Page 3 of 8

4 How others see Holden Name Mr Spencer Relationship to Holden View of Holden Mrs Morrow Stradlater Ackley Phoebe Sally Carl Faith Cavendish Maurice The prostitute Carl Jane s Mum Mr Antolini Taxi Driver 1 Taxi Driver 2 Girls in the Lavender Room Barman in the Lavender Room doc Page 4 of 8

5 The language of Features of spoken language Use of slang Examples found Use of a looser sentence style What I have to do, I have to Use of repetition Use of demonstrative adjectives these little kids Use of informal connectives and filler words Anyway, I mean doc Page 5 of 8

6 Mental instability Event Effect on Holden How can you tell? Death of Allie Disliking parents Attending several different private schools Being alone in New York City doc Page 6 of 8

7 Holden s Guide to Life In your books create a Guide to Life written from the point of view of Holden, to tell people about his thoughts on life. Things you should mention: Views on being phoney Views on parents Views on children Views on life in the city Views on how to treat others Views on private schools Views on love Views on sex Views on making things up Views on the movies Views on his brother Psychiatrist s Report on Holden Imagine you are a doctor seeing Holden in hospital at the beginning of the book. Write a report on the patient s general medical condition and how he has been affected by the following: The death of his brother Being sent to various different schools Not getting on with his parents Being unable to become an adult Being alone in New York City doc Page 7 of 8

8 Essay Titles: 1. Why does Holden leave Pencey Prep? 2. How does New York affect Holden s mental condition? 3. How does Salinger make Holden into a believable character? 4. Comment on how Holden sees life. 5. What do you think are the reasons for Holden s breakdown? 6. What does the novel tell us about school? 7. How does Holden s way of telling his story affect our response? 8. Holden tries hard to act grown up in the novel. Does he succeed? 9. Why is Jane Gallagher an important character in the novel? 10. Do you think Phoebe helps Holden to face his parents? 11. Why can t Holden fit in, whether in school or in New York? 12. Do you sympathise with Holden? 13. All Holden s experiences with the opposite sex are negative. Do you agree? 14. Why is Phoebe an important character in the novel? 15. Does Holden change at all during the course of the novel? 16. How does Holden see the adult characters in the novel? 17. How does Salinger present the problems of teenagers? 18. Holden doesn t really know himself at all. Do you agree? 19. How does Allie s death affect Holden? doc Page 8 of 8