Learning Goal: We will review the guidelines for the “Catcher” summative assignment. We will also
review the Dialectical Journal assignment and examine how this will help us to complete our
summative assignment at the end of the unit.
AGENDA:
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Review the summative assignment and rubric.
Review the guidelines of the Dialectical Journal assignment.
Review the example provided.
Review the rubric for the Dialectical Journal assignment.
Homework:
Read Chapters 5 and 6.
Complete one Dialectical Journal from Chapter 3, 4, 5, or 6 and
upload to turnitin.com by 11:59 p.m. Sunday night (9/28)
Catcher in the Rye
Argument Essay
Directions: You have closely read each of the texts listed at the bottom of the page and you will now
write a source-based argument on the topic below.
Topic: Determine whether Holden Caulfield is suffering from a serious mental health disorder(s) or if
he is just a typical teenager.
Your Task: Using evidence from at least three of the texts, and the novel, write a well-developed
argument regarding whether Holden Caulfield is suffering from a serious mental health disorder(s) or if
he is just a typical teenager. Clearly establish your claim, distinguish your claim from alternate or
opposing claims, and use specific, relevant, and sufficient evidence from at least three of the texts listed
below, and the novel, to develop your argument. Do not simply summarize each text.
Guidelines:
Be sure to
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Establish your claim regarding whether Holden Caulfield is suffering from a serious mental
health disorder(s) or if he is just a typical teenager.
Distinguish your claim from alternate or opposing claims.
Use specific, relevant, and sufficient evidence from at least three of the texts and the novel to
develop your argument.
Identify each source that you reference according to MLA guidelines.
Organize your ideas in a cohesive and coherent manner.
Maintain a formal style of writing.
Follow the conventions of standard written English.
Texts:
Text 1 – The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Text 2 – “Why Teenagers Act Crazy” by Richard Friedman
A Poor Example of a Body Paragraph:
Holden Caulfield is not suffering from a serious mental illness
but is at a social disadvantage because his brain has not fully
developed its region that controls reasoning. Friedman
writes, “the prefrontal cortex is one of the last regions of the
brain to mature, adolescents have far less ability to modulate
emotions” (Friedman 3). Holden’s adolescent mind struggles
to modulate his emotions and this causes him to feel anxious
in social situations. For example, “I pulled the peak of my
hunting hat around to the front all of a sudden. I’m quite a
nervous guy” (Salinger 34). Holden is uncomfortable with the
thought of Stradlater dating Jean that he struggles to control
his emotions during their conversation.
*Think about paragraph structure…*
The Catcher in the Rye
Dialectical Journal Assignment
Chapter # ______
Textual Evidence
Response
Textual evidence comes directly from the book. This
can be a direct quote spoken by a character or a
passage of narration.
This is where you will respond to the text in a thoughtful way. Follow the guiding questions to respond at the three different levels of analysis.
Each passage you choose should relate to the
overarching question:
To what extent does Holden represent a typical
teenager or someone who has a serious mental
disorder?
Choose quotes that relate to Holden’s:
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Each level should be at least 4-5 complete sentences.
Level 1: The Context of the Quote
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Who is speaking?
What is happening in the text at the time of this quote?
What is the literal meaning of the quote?
Level 2: Author’s Tools and Literary Elements
What literary element(s) is/are revealed and how?
Appearance
Personality
Attitude toward life
Attitude toward other people
Important relationships
Other characters’ attitudes toward
Holden
Beliefs: What is important to Holden?
Characterization – What does this passage reveal about the character?
Setting – How does the setting in this passage impact the meaning?
Conflict – What problem or issue is revealed?
Theme – What theme or central message is revealed?
Symbolism – What symbol is revealed and what does it represent?
Tone – What is the author’s attitude toward the subject?
Language Use (diction, syntax, imagery) – How does the language use advance the effect of the passage?
What is the significance of these lines?
Include the correct MLA format citation
“ Text” (Author’s last name, page #).
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What is the author’s intention?
Why is the passage written in such a way?
How is the passage related to the text as a whole?
Level 3: Create a thematic claim
Based on the evidence and the information from Levels 1 and 2, create a thematic claim. Then, support it with an argument.
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Is the claim true for the book as a whole?
Is the claim true for the world?
What might be an argument against the claim?
How can you defend the claim?
English 10
Name:
Date:
The Catcher in the Rye
Dialectical Journal Assignment
Chapter # _____
Textual Evidence
Response
Textual evidence comes directly from the book. This
can be a direct quote spoken by a character or a
passage of narration.
This is where you will respond to the text in a thoughtful way. Follow the guiding questions to respond at the three different levels of analysis.
Each level should be at least 4-5 complete sentences.
Level 1: The Context of the Quote
Level 2: Author’s Tools and Literary Elements
Level 3: Create a thematic claim
English 10
EXAMPLE
Name:
Date:
The Catcher in the Rye
Dialectical Journal Assignment
Chapter # 1
Textual Evidence
Response
Textual evidence comes directly from the book. This
can be a direct quote spoken by a character or a
passage of narration.
This is where you will respond to the text in a thoughtful way. Follow the guiding questions to respond at the three different levels of analysis.
Each level should be at least 4-5 complete sentences.
Level 1: The Context of the Quote
“I remember around three o’clock that afternoon
I was standing way the hell up on top of
Thomsen Hill, right next to this crazy cannon
that was in the Revolutionary War and all…
practically the whole school except me was
there” (Salinger 2).
Holden is at the biggest football game of the year at Pencey Prep. Everyone from his school is there watching the game in the bleachers
down by the field. Holden is way up on the hill by himself watching as everyone cheers on the two teams. He explains later that he felt
ostracized because he had left all of the fencing foils on the subway and the fencing team was angry with him for his mistake.
Level 2: Author’s Tools and Literary Elements
This passage shows the characterization of Holden. Salinger is trying to portray Holden as someone who is left out and by himself. The
reader is left to wonder whether Holden does this to himself or whether the others have truly left him out. Throughout the next few
chapters it seems that Holden is someone who plays by his own rules. If he doesn’t want to do something, he doesn’t. Salinger depicts
Holden as someone who does not apply himself which could relate to his schoolwork but also to his social life.
Level 3: Create a thematic claim
Holden is a character who is ostracized and left out of his society. While some may say that he has Ackley as a friend, Holden does not
truly like Ackley. Holden and Ackley are similar in that they are both misfits in their social realm. However, Holden seems to be
someone who chooses to be alone whereas Ackley is left out because of others’ reactions to him. Holden has now been kicked out of
four schools. Though he is someone who is well read, he does not seem to apply himself causing him to be ostracized, or kicked out of,
wherever he is.
Category
Responses
CRITICAL
READER
5
(46-50)
CONNECTED
READER
4
(43-45)
THOUGHTFUL
READER
3
(37-42)
Somewhat detailed
responses
LITERAL
READER
2 (30-36)
Simple, factual
responses that lack detail
LIMITED
READER
1 (<30)
Incomplete or
inadequate
responses
The quotes chosen
appear to be randomly
selected with no real
sense of purpose or
the required response
questions.
Elaborate and insightful
responses
Detailed and meaningful
responses
Quotes
You consistently choose quotes
that allow for deep, meaningful
analysis of each of the required
response questions.
Most quotes allow for
deep, meaningful analysis
of the required response
questions.
Some, but not all, quotes are
relevant in connection with the
response you provide or they
lack a connection to the
required response questions.
Few quotes allow for
meaningful analysis.
Quotes may or may not
connect to the required
response questions.
Analysis
You “read between the lines” of
the text to explain the nuances
of Holden’s character and offer
strong insights into the claim
how Holden is developing as a
typical teenager or not.
You construct a
thoughtful and accurate
interpretation of Holden’s
character and how he
views his world.
Connections to the claim
are evident.
You have a good understanding
of Holden’s character, but you
tend to repeat ideas in showing
Holden’s personality and how
he views his world.
Connections to the claim are
vague or underdeveloped.
Some responses lack sufficient
detail.
You accept the text literally
without thinking of
different possible
interpretations of Holden’s
character and/or in how he
views his world.
Connections to the claim
are limited or insufficient.
Your insight into
Holden’s character is
weak; how Holden
views his world is
barely examined.
Either there are no
connections to the
claim character, or the
ideas are inaccurate.
Journal Requirements
o
Entries are numbered 1-5
o
Entries span the entire set of
required chapters
o
Chapter # and page # provided
for all quotes
o
Entries are in 2 column format
(Quote/Response)
o
Responses meet minimum
length
You fulfill all the required
elements of the journal
consistently across all five
entries.
You fulfill most of the
required elements of the
journal across all five
entries.
You attempt to fulfill the
required elements of the
journal, but with some
inconsistencies in content
and/or format.
The journal does not meet a
couple of the requirements
in content and format.
Review project guidelines.
The journal is lacking
in several project
requirements in both
content and format.
Review project
guidelines.
Conventions
The journal has been carefully
proofread and edited. There are
virtually no writing or
mechanical errors!
Although the journal has
been proofread and
edited, there are
occasional writing and/or
mechanical errors.
The journal could still benefit
from some polishing of
grammar and mechanics.
There is little evidence of
the journal having been
proofread or edited for
grammar and mechanics.
The journal should
have been proofread
and edited for
grammar and
mechanics.