Catcher in the Rye-writingvoiceandpoetry

Catcher in the Rye
Writing in another Voice
English 12
A common observation of readers of Catcher in the Rye is that Holden
is annoyed by just about everything and everyone. After a careful study of
his “voice”- that is, his word choice, use of slang, use of repetition, etc. -
brainstorm a list of the small things that are annoying to you. Then, adopt
Holden’s voice and tone, and write about your annoyances.

The Catcher in Rye
Related Poetry
“Nothing Gold Can Stay” By Robert Frost
Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
1. What is nature’s gold? Why is it the “hardest hue to hold”?
2. To what does “Eden” refer? How does it relate to “nature’s first green?”
3. Why does “dawn going down to day” relate to the loss of innocence?
4. Does Holden ever realize that “nothing gold can stay”? If so, when? If not, why
not?
“Out, Out” By Robert Frost
The buzz saw snarled and rattled in the yard
And made dust and dropped stove-length sticks of wood,
Sweet-scented stuff when the breeze drew across it.
And from there those that lifted eyes could count
Five mountain ranges one behing the other
Under the sunset far into Vermont.
And the saw snarled and rattled, snarled and rattled,
As it ran light, or had to bear a load.
And nothing happened: day was all but done.
Call it a day, I wish they might have said
To please the boy by giving him the half hour
That a boy counts so much when saved from work.
His sister stood beside him in her apron
To tell them "Supper." At the word, the saw,
As if it meant to prove saws know what supper meant,
Leaped out at the boy's hand, or seemed to leap -
He must have given the hand. However it was,
Neither refused the meeting. But the hand!
Half in appeal, but half as if to keep
The life from spilling. Then the boy saw all -
Since he was old enough to know, big boy
Doing a man's work, though a child at heart -

He saw all was spoiled. "Don't let him cut my hand off -
The doctor, when he comes. Don't let him, sister!"
So. The hand was gone already.
The doctor put him in the dark of ether.
He lay and puffed his lips out with his breath.
And then - the watcher at his pulse took a fright.
No one believed. They listened to his heart.
Little - less - nothing! - and that ended it.
1. How does the imagery in the first seven lines evoke both innocence and its loss?
2. Which images relate to childhood? Which to adulthood?
3. How would the effect of the poem change if a man were the one killed?
4. Who are “they”? What is their reaction to the boy’s death? How does this
response relate to Holden and his reaction to death? How does it relate to the
theme of the loss of innocence?
Comin’ Thro the Rye By Robert Burns
O, Jenny's a' weet, poor body,
Jenny's seldom dry:
She draigl't a' her petticoatie,
Comin thro' the rye!
Comin thro' the rye, poor body,
Comin thro' the rye,
She draigl't a' her petticoatie,
Comin thro' the rye!
Gin a body meet a body
Comin thro' the rye,
Gin a body kiss a body,
Need a body cry?
Gin a body meet a body
Comin thro' the glen,
Gin a body kiss a body,
Need the warl' ken?
Gin a body meet a body
Comin thro' the grain;
Gin a body kiss a body,
The thing's a body's ain.
1. How does Holden mess up the words?
2. Due to his mistake, what does Holden interpret the song to mean?
3. How is the song different than Holden’s interpretation?

No more to build on there. And they, since they
Were not the one dead, turned to their affairs.