The Catcher in the Rye
Short Essay: Coming-of-Age Comparisons
Coming-of-Age: A young person’s transition from childhood to adulthood. Coming-of-age narratives are usually
marked by loss of innocence, as well as confrontations with the adult world.
Assignment: In a short essay response (4-5 paragraphs), compare Holden’s coming-of-age experiences in The
Catcher in the Rye to those of another teenage character from a book or movie. Consider whether these
experiences would be considered “prototypical” teenage experiences or “abnormal.”
Value: 50 point essay grade
Due Date: Monday, June 14, 2010
Some Good Choices for Coming-of-Age Books and/or Movies:
All Souls (book by Michael Patrick MacDonald)
American Pie (movie)
The Basketball Diaries (movie and book by Jim Carroll)
Boyz in the Hood (movie)
The Breakfast Club (movie)
Can’t Hardly Wait (movie)
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (movie)
Harry Potter (movie series and book series by J.K. Rowling)
How to Deal (movie)
Into the Wild (movie and book by Jon Krakauer)
Juno (movie)
My Sister’s Keeper (movie and book by Jodi Picoult)
Outsiders (movie and book by S.E. Hinton)
Stand by Me (movie and short story – titled “The Body” – by Stephen King)
Twilight (movie series and book series by Stephanie Meyer)
The Diary of a Young Girl (book by Anne Frank)
Uptown Girls (movie)
Where the Heart Is (movie)
You can of course feel free to choose your own – these are just some ideas!
English 10
Mr. Ambrose