Reading Strategies (Compiled by Natalie Cannon) |Pre-Reading | During Reading | After Reading | Before Reading Strategies http://www.morrill.org/books/salbio.shtml This website is full of information about J.D. Salinger. It gives some very interesting facts about his life that I found unique to this website. This could be used to introduce the author of the text to the students before they start reading it. Often times information about the author’s personal life relates directly to the novel. http://uk.encarta.msn.com/sidebar_701509621/The_Catcher_in_the_Rye.html This website could probably be used as a reference for during or post reading as well. It is from Encarta Encyclopedia and provides background information on the author and the text. I therefore placed it in pre-reading because I think it is helpful to know this information ahead of time. http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761562092/Salinger_J_D.html This website is also full of information on J.D. Salinger. It tells the student about his life, where he’s from and his accomplishments. I think just as it is important for a student to know a little about their teacher’s personal life, it is also important for them to know a little about the author of the text they are studying—it personalizes it. http://www.levity.com/corduroy/salinger1.htm Want reasons for and against Salinger’s novel? This website gives the viewer both praises and criticisms on Catcher in the Rye. Prior to reading the novel, students need to know that there is a lot of controversy and varied opinions surrounding this novel. This information helps the student place the book in some historical light before reading it. http://www.district94.dupage.k12.il.us/english/reading.html This website gives good ideas for activities to do while you are having a class study a specific novel together. A lot of what is listed involves interaction. I think this is so important. Students love to do things together and work together. If the teacher organizes the activity correctly and effectively the students will get more out of their reading. It also has suggestions to improve each student’s writing skills through response type questions to what they are reading. http://www.albany.edu/~mr3240/isp605/ This website discusses Catcher in the Rye as well as other popular books that have been banned in the schools and the reasons why. I thought this site was particularly interesting because it showed many books that I studied in high school that have been very controversial in some schools. Students need to be somewhat familiar with these issues before they begin reading the book. http://home.insightbb.com/~ckubica/JDS/archive3.html This website shows some letters written to J.D. Salinger during his lifetime. These are interesting to read because they help the student think of the author as a real person. The letters also help the student get to know the author even a little bit better. Letters are a very interesting way to get to know a person. After reading this book this activity could be referred back to as students write their own letters to Salinger. http://www2.scasd.org/Developers/jxp11/authors/cxm18salinger/review.html This is a magazine article from an actual Time magazine issue back in the 1960s. Most students have seen the magazine Time and this will help them take something they are reading at school and relate it to the real world. http://www.district94.dupage.k12.il.us/english/reading.htm This website talks about having students set reading goals before starting a class novel. I think this is a good idea so students can personalize reading this book instead of just having a certain number of pages as an assignment each night. It also stresses the importance of students understanding what they have read and being able to regurgitate information. http://everdove.0catch.com/catcherallusions.html This website gives some background information on the novel. It shows the song from which Salinger got the title of his book. It also introduces the reader to some of the themes in the book they are about to read. This is only one link from a really great website! Back to Top During Reading Strategies http://www.homework-online.com/tcitr/index.asp This website is meant to help the student in understanding the characters, plot, themes, symbols and motifs. Often times it helps to read someone else’s summary of something you have just read. This website is not meant to be put in place of reading the novel, but rather in addition to. It provides the student with a further, in depth reading of the book. This website could be used in addition to an assignment about Salinger’s writing style, symbols in the book, etc. http://www.campusnut.com/book.cfm?article_id=747 This site provides the student with the historical context of the book. It answers the questions of: What was going on during this time period? What world events were happening at this same time? Answers to these types of questions help the student put the book into context and get inside Holden’s character a little more. http://www.enotes.com/catcher/1411 The website provides all aspects of information to assist someone in reading The Catcher in the Rye. The section I chose to print out and use was the one on daily quizzes. During high school some nights my only motivation to read the pages assigned would be knowing there would be a quiz on the information the next day. Short daily quizzes really let the teacher know whether the students are reading their assignments or not. http://www.bellmore-merrick.k12.ny.us/catcher.html This website could probably be used as a pre reading activity also. It lays the novel out so the student is clear on characters, settings, etc. In reading a novel at home and discussing it in class I have observed that many students do not do the assigned reading. This may help to catch them up or used for clarification purposes for those who may be a little confused. http://www.cbnosf.org/lesson_plans.htm Go to this website and click on the link to “Catcher in the Rye” lesson plan. Here you will find one teacher’s ideas of a lesson on the novel. I have found it helpful in the few lessons I’ve planned to read someone else’s ideas and then adapt it to you and your own teaching style. This lesson has students pretend they are the main character, Holden. http://web22.epnet.com/resultlist.asp? This novel places women in an interesting place. Holden’s view of women seems distorted. This article refers to the scenes in the book where women appear and the role they play in the novel. Is Holden’s perception inaccurate? I found the information in this article very interesting. http://webm/citation.asp?tb=1&_ug=sid22.epnet.co This site discusses more of the controversy surrounding this book. It asks the questions: At what age should students read Salinger’s novel? Should it be considered adult literature? Having students think about these ideas as they read and respond to these questions will help them understand an important aspect of the book. http://web22.epnet.com/citation.asp?tb=1&_ug=sid I particularly liked this article because it brings into discussion Holden’s age. He is only sixteen years old when much of the novel takes place. For the most part the students you will be teaching this novel to will be at least sixteen years old. This makes Holden’s character easier for each of your students to relate to. Most everyone remembers what they were like when they were sixteen and the feelings they felt and the various situations they found themselves in. http://www.euronet.nl/users/los/tcitr.html This website provides more general information about Catcher in the Rye. I really like the way this site is laid out. It is brief in information, pleasing to the eye and helpful as students maneuver their way through this controversial piece of literature. It is easy for anyone to navigate themselves through this site. http://www.eduplace.com/tview/pages/c/The_Catcher_in_the_Rye_J__D__Salinger.html This website lists fun and interesting ways to get students involved in the novel. It lists prompts for creative writing activities in which the student is asked what he or she would do if in Holden’s shoes. I love activities like this because they relate my personal life to the book I am studying at school. Back to Top After Reading Activities http://www.writinglife.org/alyssa/declarations.htm#v%20Catcher%20in%20the%20Rye%20%20WebQuest%20v Students will analyze and draw conclusions based on Catcher in the Rye. This website had a really neat idea: students would use Web Quest to play out their ideas and feelings on the censorship of the novel they had just read. This will allow students to debate their views vocally in the classroom. http://www.teachnet-lab.org/MBHS/scragg/catcher/Catchernovel.html This website is a lesson plan discussing the controversy surrounding this novel. I think it is extremely important that students understand the history behind this book. After reading it students should be able to understand reasons why this book is good to read and reasons why it maybe isn’t. The students need to express their feelings and gain their own opinion about this work of literature and the controversy surrounding it. http://edweb.sdsu.edu/t2arp/quest/image/liz.quest I really liked the idea presented in this website. It has the students take a critical look at the places Holden goes and the things he sees. The student is supposed to decide, based on their readings, which of the places they like best and send an e-mail to Holden telling him which place to visit and why they liked it the best. http://www.nths.newtrier.k12.il.us/academics/english/catcher/catcher.html This website talks a lot about the important imagery in the book. It also discusses related poems, allusions and some of the historical background of the novel. There are pictures on the websites that can be clicked on to give the reader more information about the specific image or illusion from the text. http://www.booksatoz.com/censorship/banned.htm This is a good website for post reading because it talks all about book banning. When teaching this book, it is necessary for teachers to discuss the controversy associated with it. This site brings into play Amendment One from the Constitution and how that relates to allowing literature that same freedom of speech that we have been given. http://www.georgesuttle.com/censorship/bookbanning.shtml This website discusses censorship in general. Listed on the homepage are tons of links that will take you to websites that address the different aspects of book censorship in the schools. I liked this site because it lets the student get the answers to their specific questions concerning book banning and censorship. http://www.owleyes.org/tph.php?url_code=catcher This website lists possible essay questions for Catcher in the Rye. These can also be used as class discussion questions. Some of the questions address the symbolism in the novel. These essay questions and others like it on this site will help students think “outside the box.” http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=1543 This lesson plan could be integrated into Catcher in the Rye. Students, after having read the novel and learned about censorship and book banning should compose a letter to the editor expressing their own personal opinions and views of the novel. Should this book continue to be taught in schools? Why or why not? http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=1546 After researching articles on the internet concerning the character Holden in the novel and whether or not he should be seen as a role model or the opposite, students will follow this generic lesson plan format to compose a piece of writing that expresses their views on the issue and the information they found while researching. I like the idea of researching an issue, internalizing the information and responding. http://www.surfturk.com/composition/cirfinalproject.html This was such a neat idea for a final project. Music is a big part of most teenagers lives. The assignment is to create a CD for Holden based on what you have learned about him and his character. This is a great way to get students thinking like the main character and relating their likes to what he may like. Back to Top Reading Activities (compiled by Jaime Moberly) |Pre Reading | During Reading | After Reading | Before Assignments 1. Scragg, Sandy. “Hotlinks for Teachers.” New York City, 2002. 19 Sept 2005. <http://www.teachnet-lab.org/mbhs/scragg/catcher/hotlinks.html>. This is a very thorough site exploring the elusive author of The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger. It goes over his childhood, his beginnings as a writer and author, his habits, his social relationships and reclusiveness, and even his favorite meals. This site would give students an idea of who the author is and what he is like. I think this would help them to better understand Holden and the themes in Catcher. 2. “The Literature and Culture of the American 1950s.” 19 Sept 2005. <http://www.writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/home.html>. This site offers supplemental materials about the culture of the late 40s and 50s, which is when the novel takes place. It has links to numerous aspects of this time period, including the important people of that time, social influences, and the lifestyles of people who lived then. This would help readers better understand what it was like to live back then. 3. Abula. “Censored Books in the USA.” 19 Sept 2005. <http://home.nvg.org/~aga/bulletin43.html>. This site gives a long list of the “Most Banned” books in America. Catcher in the Rye is towards the very top of the list. This site gives some brief information about where and why this book has been banned so many times, along with the other books listed. I want students to see the other books that have made this list, and then to ask themselves whether some of those books (such as Harriet the Spy) are worth reading, or if they belong on the list. This not only introduces the controversy of the novel, but I think it also introduces some of the tension and frustration that Holden feels in the book. 4. Moberly, Jaime P. “Bananafish Reading.” 19 Sept 2005. Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. I do not have a link for this assignment, but I think it would be good for students to read A Perfect Day for Bananafish. This is a relatively short piece of literature written by Salinger, and I believe it embodies many of the same themes as Catcher. I also believe it will familiarize students with Salinger’s writings and introduce them to what it will be like to have Holden, a cynic but romantic, as a narrator. 5. AdvisorTeam. “Keirsey Temperament Sorter II.” 19 Sept 2005. 19 Sept 2005. <http://www.advisorteam.com/temperament_sorter/register.asp?partid=1>. This is a cool website where you can take the Kiersey Temperament Profile test. Students would take this before reading the book, and then take it several times throughout the book as Holden, so students can get a feel for how well they know Holden throughout the book. But I would introduce it before the novel so they’d understand what I was doing with this activity. 6. World Burns Club. “Comin Thro’ The Rye.” 2004. 19 Sept 2005. <http://www.worldburnsclub.com/poems/translations/coming_through_the_rye.htm>. This is Robert Burns’ poem, “Comin Thro’ The Rye,” which gave Salinger the inspiration for his title. Phoebe, Holden’s little sister, also comments on this poem briefly in the novel. I think having the students reading this poem would not only provide some social context for the novel, but also give them a brief introduction to some of the themes in the novel. 7. Morrill, Sarah. “A Brief Biography of J.D. Salinger.” April 2002. 19 Sept 2005. <http://www.morrill.org/books/salbio.shtml>. This site is a very long one, but students would skim over it rather than read the whole thing. It is like a question-answer site about Salinger and his personality. This, again, gives the students an idea of what Salinger was like, how he feels about social issues during his day, and how he treats Holden and his novel. I really like this site because it appeals to high school students and it would be entertaining for them to read. 8. Moberly, Jaime P. “First Impressions.” 25 Sept 2005. Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. After reading the book, it is sometimes valuable to compare your new findings and opinions about something with what they were before. For this assignment, students write down, before even picking up the book, things that they’ve heard about Catcher, what other people have said about it, what stigma is associated with this novel, and, if some have read it before, how their first reading of the novel impacted them. For those who haven’t heard of the novel, have them read a few book reviews about the novel and then write what their first impression is of the book. Later, this will be useful in that the students can return to this assignment and then compare it to what they will have learned about the novel and its themes. 9. Geocities. “Exploring Holden.” 19 Sept 2005. <http://www.geocities.com/exploring_citr/ptsd.htm>. I would have my students read this to give them an introduction to Holden’s emotional/psychological instability, so they can keep this in mind as they read the novel. I think keeping this in mind helps with interpreting the novel as you read. This gives a sort of analysis of Holden. 10. TCITR. “That’s Quite A Character!” 13 Jan 2002. 19 Sept 2005. <http://www.euronet.nl/users/los/characters.html>. Again, I’m not sure whether I would do this before or during the reading of the novel, but I like this web page anyway. This gives a very brief introduction of the various characters throughout the novel. Every time I read this book, I get mixed up sometimes with the characters. I think it would be useful to have a list of characters and the very basic roles they play in Holden’s life in Catcher. It is not enough to give away the book, but enough to give some basic information about them. Back to Top During Reading Activities 1. “Catcher in the Rye Portfolio.” 25 Sept 2005. <http://ps044.k12.sd.us/Forms%20of%20Fiction/catcher_in_the_rye.htm>. This site has a lot of excellent ideas for writing activities concerning the character of Holden and his views compared to how those same things are seen by others. I think this could provide teachers with ideas, as well as spark something original to do in their own classrooms. 2. Vocabulary Classic Texts. “The Catcher in the Rye.” 2005. 25 Sept 2005. <http://www.vocabulary.com/VUctcatcherR.html>. It is important to keep vocabulary lists while reading any book. This simply lists a few words from each section of the book that students should look up. Teachers could do a variety of things with vocabulary words—this site simply lists some of those words. 3. Wahlbrinck, Bernd. “The Catcher in the Rye: Internal Aspects.” 2004. 25 Sept 2005. <http://www.wahlbrinck.de/catcherintherye/int.htm>. I really like this site. However, one would need to pick and choose certain materials from it. It is really long, and some of the stuff is kind of tedious to read through. As a teacher, I would select the parts I like about Catcher and then put it on one webpage for my students to read, because along with some of the junk, there is also a lot of valuable information. For example, this site includes a book summary, a comparison of good and bad reviews of the novel, character analyses, the legal definition of “phoney,” etc. 4. Wahlbrinck, Bernd. “The Catcher in the Rye: External Aspects.” 2004. 25 Sept 2005. <http://www.wahlbrinck.de/catcherintherye/ext.htm#17crewcut>. This site offers external analyses of Catcher and gives insight into how outside things have both influenced and been influenced by the novel. I think it would be an excellent precursor to having students write their own connections between Holden’s world and their own. 5. New Trier English Teachers. “Classroom Activities.” 10 Oct 1998. 25 Sept 2005. <http://www.nths.newtrier.k12.il.us/academics/english/catcher/suggestions.html>. This site has some more really good writing activities, but focuses more on the themes, allusions, and symbols of the book. These activities would not only develop in students writing skills, but also challenge them to think about themes and symbols. 6. Linn, Elizabeth. “The Adventures of a Mischievous Boy!” 25 Sept 2005. <http://edweb.sdsu.edu/t2arp/quest/image/liz.quest>. This is yet another excellent writing activity. A whole webpage is dedicated to this one writing activity. The assignment puts the student in Holden’s shoes and asks questions regarding how they think they would have responded in Holden’s situation. Links are provided so that the students can actually see the things that Holden saw throughout the book. It then asks the student to write to the author and tell about what they saw and their experience in Holden’s shoes. 7. Novel Guide. “Novel Analysis: The Catcher in the Rye.” 2005. 25 Sept 2005. <http://www.novelguide.com/thecatcherintherye/index.html>. I think this website is a good resource for teachers who perhaps do not know where to start on introducing themes and symbols. This gives both simple and insightful general interpretations on common themes and symbols in Catcher. I think this would simply be background work on the part of the teacher. 8. Geocities. “Photo Tour of Catcher in the Rye.” 19 Sept 2005. <http://www.geocities.com/exploring_citr/tour.htm>. This site gives a photo tour of Holden’s world and surroundings throughout the course of the novel. This gives the students a visual of where and what Holden sees. It helps them make connections to Holden and his world. 9. Moberly, Jaime P. “Freud.” 25 Sept 2005. Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. I do not have a link for this yet, but I know that one of my teachers used a Freudian analysis of Holden’s character throughout the novel, as well as other characters. We particularly focused on the Id, Ego and Superego aspects of a person’s subconscious. It was difficult, but it really enhanced our reading of the text. I would devote at least one lesson to what these three parts of a person’s mind represents, and then would have students assign Holden’s actions, thoughts, and behaviors, throughout the book, to certain parts of a person’s subconscious mind. 10. Moberly, Jaime P. “Holden Drawings.” 25 Sept 2005. Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. Another thing I would have students do is to illustrate Holden as they read the book. I would have them draw pictures of him either after each chapter, or I would designate particular points at which the student would draw a picture of him. By this, students would be able to incorporate into their drawings how their perspectives of Holden stay the same or change as the novel progresses, and based on how much we learn about Holden. We would see the drawings become more complex and interesting. I would also have the students write a short paragraph on each drawing about why they drew Holden the way they did, possibly with quotes from the book to support them. Back to Top After Reading Activities 1. Krauss, Adam D. “Director O’Conner sees no place for ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ in SAD 60 Curriculum.” 15 Dec 2004. 2 Oct 2005. <http://www.kidspeakonline.org/berwick2.htm>. This link leads to an article that argues against allowing Catcher in the schools. It mostly explores the different reasons why people like legislators, parents, and local leaders are against students reading this novel. This would give the students a good idea of the controversy surrounding this novel, as well as the specific reasons people find the book so offensive. Also, the article gives a brief perspective from teachers who think the novel has something valuable to offer. This way, students can get at least a bit of the argument from both sides. They will also see just how much of an impact literature has in our immediate social communities. 2. Moberly, Jaime P. “Book Review Article.” 2 Oct 2005. Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. This activity would be good as a follow-up for the above article reading. In this assignment, students would be required to write an article that argues either for or against reading The Catcher in the Rye in public schools. They would need to include valid reasons for their arguments, such as in what ways the book offers valuable information, redeemable themes, degrading language, possible negative influence over youth, etc. Students can write whatever opinion they want, just as long as it is insightful, demonstrates that they’ve read and understood the novel, and has a basic understanding of the controversy surrounding the novel’s presence in the public schools. 3. Scragg, Sandy. “Lesson 6: The Catcher Controversy.” New York City, 2002. 2 Oct 2005. <http://www.teachnet-lab.org/MBHS/scragg/catcher/Catchernovel.html>. This website is a very good site to explore when deciding what kinds of questions to ask after reading this novel. Some of those questions include what are the major issues (themes) in the novel, what are some of the main symbols used frequently throughout the novel, should the novel be allowed in school curriculum, is Holden a reliable character, etc. There are a lot of insightful questions that could help students tie together everything that they’ve learned and observed while reading this book. The site also outlines two simple assignments that can be done, which are papers and letters to the school, similar to the activity above. 4. Miazga, Mark. “Catcher in the Rye Final Project.” 2 Mar. 2 Oct 2005. <http://www.msu.edu/~miazgama/catcherproject.htm>. This is an excellent page full of numerous projects that students could do to demonstrate their knowledge of their reading of Catcher. A teacher wrote up this sheet of various options that students could choose to do as an assignment. Some of these include writing for Time magazine, as if you had interviewed Salinger; creating a CD full of songs for Holden if he were here; and writing an additional chapter ten years after Holden is admitted to the clinic. The assignments all require in-depth thinking, creativity and knowledge of the text, its implications and its themes. This is an excellent resource for teachers. 5. CAFS Online: Adolescent Directory Online. Kim, Mira. 4 Dec 2003. 2 Oct 2005. <http://education.indiana.edu/cas/adol/mental.html>. This website gives a list of links about common mental health risk factors for adolescents that can be looked up and read about. Each link provides a list of links to professional and medical websites providing thorough information about each mental health risk factor. Students could briefly browse these sites and determine what, in their opinion, Holden suffered from in the novel. They would write 2-3 pages discussing why they would diagnose Holden a particular disorder or mental health risk. They would need to support their opinion with information from these sites, as well as cite passages from the text that suggest that Holden displays those particular symptoms. 6. Moberly, Jaime P. “Helping Holden.” 2 Oct 2005. Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. For this activity, students would come up with ways in which Holden could have been “saved” from his psychological breakdown at the end of the novel. They could either present ideas in groups or individually, but they would need to focus on one particular way in which they think Holden could have been spared his psychological and emotional anguish. This could come in the form of psychological help, assistance from family or friends, a stranger on the street, specific advice, things he could have thought of, etc. These ideas are supposed to have offered some sort of relief or help to Holden throughout the novel. The students can then describe how the outcome of the book may have been different had Holden received that help in the novel. They will then analyze why that would have changed the course of the novel and ultimately Holden’s fate. This should help the students gain a better understanding of Holden’s character and in his specific problems. 7. Moberly, Jaime P. “Holden and You.” 2 Oct 2005. Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. In this assignment, the students should write a short paper describing a particular time in their life when they were experiencing difficulties that teenagers often deal with (such as peer pressure, conformity, acceptance, popularity, etc.). After writing about this experience, they should compare their experience with what Holden experienced in Catcher. How were the experiences similar? Different? How were the students’ feelings/reactions similar to Holden’s? Different? Again, just as the above activity, this should help students gain a better understanding of Holden’s character. However, this should also help them to connect this novel and particularly Holden’s experiences to their own. 8. Moberly, Jaime P. “Future Occupation.” 2 Oct 2005. Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. For this activity, students would put themselves in Holden’s shoes when asked by his sister, Phoebe, what he wants to be when he grows up. In a paper, students would need to use symbols or metaphors in describing who they would like to be or what they would like to do. Holden wants to be a Catcher in the Rye. In their papers, they will need to write a paragraph or two explaining the symbolic and thematic significance of Holden’s dream of being a Catcher in the Rye. Later in the paper, they also need to describe a creative symbol or metaphor of who or what they want to be. It can be about anything, from being a protector of childhood innocence (like Holden) to a revealer of truth and reality. 9. “The Catcher in the Rye Classroom Activities.” Holy Trinity School. 2 Oct 2005. <http://www2.hts.on.ca/senior/jdarling/ENG2D/course%20of%20study/catcher/classactivity.htm>. This website was created by a teacher who put together ideas for assignments to enrich the reading of Catcher. These assignments focus on the use of imagery and are supposed to enhance the students’ understanding of the use and purpose of imagery in novels, specifically in Catcher. One such activity asks the student to remove one of the images from the story (such as the red cap), and then discuss what the novel loses as a result of its removal from the story. 10. Moberly, Jaime P. “Character Analysis.” 2 Oct 2005. Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. This assignment calls for the analysis of a character in Catcher other than Holden. Students would be required to write a paper that first describes how Holden describes and sketches those characters (as he is the narrator), and then who that character really is and that person’s role in the novel and in Holden’s life. How are these two different from each other (what Holden think they are and what they actually are). This should give students an idea of the kind of narrator Holden is, the people he encounters, and how we as readers are supposed to view both Holden and another character.