Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Catcher #3

Is Holden mature or immature, or both? Explain your answer with some specific examples.

31 comments:

  1. I thick holden is mature because he lives on his own, does his life on his own. when he wants to do somthing he'll do it, just like an adult he has a lot of responsibilities. though he is immature in a way. for example he cant even speak with a girl such as the prostitute, he feels nervous. As luce says he is very immature because he brings on the same childish discussions as he did in whooton, as if he hasnt changed

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would say that Holden is somehow more mature than kids his age because he understands life and people better than everyone else. He has been through a lot in his life (Allie's death, changing schools, etc.) and he doesn't try to be anyone but himself and so he is annoyed when people act like phonies.
    However, I also think that Holden hides the fact that he is mature by horsing around and acting foolishly. He may also goof around because he wants to escape reality and it's problems.

    Mathilde

    ReplyDelete
  3. I completely agree with Mathilde and Antonin about Holden being mature. He lives on his own and he's been through a lot of things like Allie's death and being expelled from all of the schools he's gone to. Also, when he helps the little kid to put her skates on, it is sort of a sign of helpfulness so he is in some sort being mature.
    But he is immature in a way, like Mathilde says, he hoarses around and acts like a kid by fooling around. I agree with Mathilde when she says that Holden "may also goof around because he wants to escape reality and it's problems.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Holden says that he hates things which he does himself. He also imagines very "phony" things like when he imagines Maurice shot him. he seems to believe that what he does is right but when other people do it it becomes wrong, so he seems quite immature and babyish. I don't think you're mature when you can go around the streets smoking, saying nonsense, hating everyone and taking taxis. I believe you are mature when you know the difference between right and wrong and act accordingly. holden seems to sometimes see these differences, but not to act accordingly.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I say that Holden is more mature than kids his age in general because he understands life and people better than everyone else. He has been through a lot in his life (Allie's death, changing schools, etc.)Holden's relationship with his parents isn't like other's, he doesn't need anyone to tell him what to do, he just "lives his life" and he doesn't try to be anyone but himself and so he is annoyed when people act like "phonies".
    However, I also think that Holden "spoils" the fact that he is mature by horsing around and sometimes acting foolishly.
    alexis

    ReplyDelete
  6. i totally agree with mathilde when she says that holden hides his maturity by horsing around.
    i dont agree with pacome at all. seing a man living by himself doing things by himself and living independently is a major part in being mature

    ReplyDelete
  7. I agree that Holden is mature but I believed he is quite immature. For example, he horses around and thinks life's a joke and you can go away with Sally Hayes whenever you want. Still, he can't face his parents and, as Mathilde clearly said he hides his maturity by fooling around.

    ReplyDelete
  8. as a child, holden is very mature but as an adult, holden is very immature. He is both at the same time, his brain and ways of thinking are such as an adult but his actions and emotions are the ones of a child...he is lost in between childhood and manhood; he likes to horse around but also to drink alcohol.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I disagree with Pacome because Holden has been through a lot and I think he has a right to do stupid things like imagining Maurice shooting him. He has suffered when Allie died and he feels rejected by everyone (because he is kicked out of every school he goes to), and I think that is the principal reason he acts immaturaly.
    I agree with Louis that Holden doesn't know where he is in life, and that he is emotionally lost.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I agree with louis when he says he is mature for a child but immature for an adult

    ReplyDelete
  11. I don't really agree with Antonin's first statement : Holden "lives on his own, lives his life on his own", but that's just because he's 17, and so is more independent, but not necessarily mature. I think he's more immature. For example, he doesn't seem to really judge things : to him, everything is "phony" : people, movies, words. He even admits that he "acts like a kid" on some occasions, or "horses around a lot". So I think that Holden is quite immature.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I think Holden is mature for a teenager because he's been through a lot in his life: the death of his brother, he has his own opinion in life (which is quite rare at that age because you usually get your opinions from someone else you are influenced by). Holden may have dropped out of school but only because he knows that being a phony Spencey student is not what he wants to be in his life. That's why Holden is very mature for his age: he doesn't know what he wants to do with his life but he is certain that he doesn't want to end up like what boys his age would usually want to end up like. Holden is rare and doesn't follow the crowd like everyone else. Because Holden horses around a lot people might find him immature but he only does it because he's bored with the life he has. It is true that Holden isn't mature as an adult because he usually regrets making the spontaneous decisions he makes because he wasn't thinking about the consequences when he made them. I agree with louis: Holden is a immature adult but a mature child.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I agree with Antonin and Mathilde about Holden being mature because he lives alone, and has gone through extreme grief when Allie died; however, I don't agree with the fact that he tries to be anything but himself. The evidence is when he lies from time to time about his age and/or his identity. And I don't think that he horses around to hide his maturity as such, only that he's human: he has his moments of maturity and immaturity, depending in which mood he's in (eg: critical, depressed, etc.). I also agree with Judith and Louis when they say that Holden is an immature adult, but a mature child.
    Eloïse Turpin

    ReplyDelete
  14. I believe Holden is more immature it seems that he doesn’t take anything seriously as in when he is kicked out of Pencey, in the first place, he doesn’t seem to realize what is happening yo him although it is quite a big turn in his life. When he just left Pencey and decides to go to New York, we believe, as readers, that he might be changing but when he starts fooling around with Mrs. Morrow, we know that he still hasn’t changed. In New York, he spends most of his time in bars, hanging around with people; he lives his life as if nothing has happened. Even Carl Luce says : “Your mind is immature.”
    However, Holden can sometimes behave and think like an adult such as he is still moved when reading a book about war, or helping the girl by tightening her skate. In his life he has had some experiences that troubled him such as Allie’s death but that doesn’t make him a mature person.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I agree with Alexis when he says he "spoils" his maturity by horsing around and acting foolishly.

    I like Louis answer especially when he says he is lost between childhood and manhood. Depending with the people he is, he acts differently as in he doesn't act the same with Mrs. Morrow and talking about sex with Carl Luce.

    Judith is right saying "Holden is rare and doesn't follow the crowd like everyone else". However, it is not being different from evryone else and not liking the life he is having that will make him mature.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I entirely agree with Judith that Holden has a mind of his own and doesn't try to be like everyone else. Although he lies about his age and name, his personnality never changes and most of the time he just does that because he wants a drink or he doesn't want anyone to recognize him.
    I also think that Holden is more mature when he is depressed because he doesn't have the energie to fool around. I would say this shows that Holden can abstain himself from being too immature and that he realizes the consequences of his acts (although most of the time he only does that afterwards)

    ReplyDelete
  17. I think Holden is both mature and immature. Many teenagers his age haven’t attained complete maturity either, so I believe it’s normal. Holden is independent and the hardships of his life (Allie’s death, changing schools…) have made him more mature, but also more reserved. However, Holden isn’t reasonable enough to be fully mature. For example, he wants to take off with Sally on the spot, marry her and everything when he later admits that he actually doesn’t love her. He doesn’t think enough before acting, like when he asked for the prostitute. It is also a bit of an immaturity to ask his taxis drivers where the ducks go in winter! Holden can be controversial too. He says he can’t stand movies and then goes to one. Holden seems to prefer children to adults. He treats them with more respect and kindness. I am not sure though, if this is a sign of immaturity. Maybe he thinks kids are more humble and don’t act like phonies.( It might even be a sign of maturity…)

    ReplyDelete
  18. -I agree with Louis: Holden is lost between childhood and manhood.
    -I disagree with Mathilde on one point. Holden’s difficulties haven’t made him understand better life and people than everyone else. I think Holden is a little confused about life.
    -I agree with Judith and Delphine. What they said is very true.
    -Holden does also horse around sometimes because he is bored with the life he has. It isn’t only because he’s immature.

    ReplyDelete
  19. When we've had a problem in our life, we usually just get over it as mature homo sapiens. Holden has a long road before actually agreeing with the state of maturity. When you all say that Holden is mature when he "understands" life, I declare my disagreement with you all ; saying that the whole goddamn world is big round phony is not a sign of maturity. That's just stating your opinion and nothing more :there is no philosophy or psychoanalagy in what Holden says....ever. And if the world was filled of phonies, i doubt we would have such a high point in society. We are at the apogee of humanity and we won't stop until there'll be no petrol left. Was Patroclus a phony when he created democracy?? Was Jesus Christ a phony when He made everyone beleive in God?? Was Joan of Arc a phony she defended France from the british?? Was Leonardo Da Vinci a phony?? Was Louis 14 a phony? Was George Washington a phony?? Were the cowboys phonies?? were the guys who fought the two world wars phonies? was neil armstrong a phony??? no. not one of them was a phony. If he lived in our time he'd probably say that AC/DC were phonies. Holden is not mature. And if he goes that way he never will leave the state of immaturity

    ReplyDelete
  20. I agree with Laura about her point that many teenagers his age haven’t attained complete maturity and that it would be normal if he wasn't completely mature. Also, as many said, he has been through a lot of emotions like when his brother died and he gained some maturity in this emotions. Importantly he has tried to escape from these emotions, like when he went in his garage and he broke the windows, for me this shows that it isn't his fault if he learned a bit about maturity. So I think that he is mature in some times in his life and he is immature in other times in his life.

    Sky

    ReplyDelete
  21. I disagree totally with Melchior, I don't think that if he goes "that way" he never will leave the state of immaturity because it is known that boys mature when they are older. On the other hand teenaged girls mature in their teens even younger. So I think that even if Holden may be immature know he will mature later on in his life.

    Sky

    ReplyDelete
  22. I completely agree with Laura when she says that Holden "isnt reasonnable enough to be fully mature": taking spontaneous decisions and admitting afterwards that they weren't actually good decisions. Laura's point about Holden being controversial is completely accurate and actually quite confusing for the readers. It shows us that, in a way, Holden doesn't seem to think very clearly in his mind.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I think that Holden is both mature and immature. In one hand, Holden is mature for he is very independent, self-reliant, autonomous and he has his own thoughts and beliefs. But, on the other hand, Holden often acts impulsively and he hasnt yet learned how to control his anger and his other strong emotions. For example, when Stradlater started criticizing Jane, Holden lost control of his body and mind and started cursing. For me, maturity is a state of mind which consists on being able to control our body, by restraining ourselves from using, in some cases, physical violence, even though we feel strongly about something. Holden isn't yet able to ''step back'', take a deep breath, see the world as it is and start all over with a free and peaceful mind.
    I agree with louis ''as a child, holden is very mature but as an adult, holden is very immature.''

    ReplyDelete
  24. I agree with everyone, in each and everyway, thats why i personally think Holden is both mature and immature. he must settle some place quiet and think of him and his future, does he want to be a child? or does he want to be a man?

    ReplyDelete
  25. I agree that Holden "isn't responsible enough to be mature" because for example he spends all of his money on liquor and useless things but I still think that dropping out of Pencey was not as immature as it looks because it would have been even worse if he stayed in the school that he hated and turned out to live a life and have a job that he loathes. I think that Holden has to think his future through but it is still understandable that he is ignoring all those open doors of opportunities if he is disgusted and not interested in them. I holden saw a little bit more of positive in his life perhaps choosing what he wants to be in the future wouldn't have been that hard. Holden isn't completely immature he's just very pessimistic sometimes

    ReplyDelete
  26. ***if Holden saw a little bit more of positivity ........ what he wants to be in the future wouldn't be so hard

    ReplyDelete
  27. I completetly agree with Amelia and Louis. Holden shows that he is very mature when he lives on his own and he has his opinion, he is not easily influenced and is very capable. But he has an immature side,he seems to be in between childhood and adulthood. He is childishly dreamy when he imagines he is going to kill Maurice or leave with Sally.He is also very excited by girls and any topic involving sex.He ridiculizes himself in front of Luce because of his immaturaty.I believe Holden is both immature and mature.
    Héloïse de Durand

    ReplyDelete
  28. I equally agree with Amelia and Louis: Holdon has both a mature and immmature side. When on his own, he behaves as an adult and is "mostly" responsible. But as Heloise said,he is over exited at the prospect of sex and girls. He behaves as a child with a new found toy.
    Thats why I believe Holdon is mature and immature.
    Julian

    ReplyDelete
  29. I think Holden is mature and he sees the flaws in life which other kids his age do not see but he is still immature when he horses around and when wants to go away with Sally, hhe takes decision too fast and does not think through them. That is immature of him.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I agree with much of what has been written above. Holden be very mature at times and very immature at others. I think Holden knows that he is immature though and is self-concious about it. When he goes to the bar to meet Luce he tries desperately to appear older and more mature in order to impress Luce. He talks about standing up to meet him to show how tall he has grown. In ihs conversation with Luce he tries to sound grown-up by asking questions about sex but he actually sounds quite stupid. As Delphine mentions Luce says "Your mind is immature." Holden responds by saying "It is. It really is. I know it."

    I think Holden matures during the course of the book. At the begining he is very intolerant of everyone and critisises things without thinking. Later in the book he sees things more from others' points of view.

    Holden seems more mature when he is with younger children. He acts more naturally with them and is very protective. Although he is not trying, this is when he seems most mature.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Excuse me Mrs.Higgins, this has nothing to do with the blog, but I gave you back my questions you said were a major grade for this trimestre, but on pronote you gave me a 0...

    ReplyDelete