"Man invented language to satisfy his deep need to complain"
-Lily Tomlin
When you plan on going out, whether it be with friends or a night on the town by yourself, what tends to be the purpose? What are the first thoughts that enter your head?
"I'm just looking for a fun time with good people"
Or
"Everything is going to terrible"
For most of us (I'm hoping) it would be the former choice. In life we find comfort and happiness in familiar places and preferably with familiar faces. Happiness should be present everyday, and we should surrounded by it as much as possible. When we think there isn't anything to be happy about, some researchers suggest that we aren't thinking broadly enough about what happiness is.
For some, happiness is more money, a better job, higher grades, but when you think about it (depending on your interpretation) that is just an invitation to always be unhappy. If we believe happiness is always more than what we currently have...then it would follow that we will be consistently unhappy since we always need more than what we have.
How about Holden in Chapter 12? Which mentality does he seem to adopt? Finding the happiness in everything (which is very like Holden) or finding reasons to be negative about everything?
For homework: after you read chapter 12, I want you to choose three lines you feel best capture the essence (the main idea) of how Holden feels during his time at Ernie's. Then post it in the comment section below. Here's an example using lines from Chapter 2 to describe how Holden felt while talking with Mr. Spencer:
I can't stand that stuff.
Please don't worry about me.
I didn't wanna hurt his feelings.
The three lines are taken directly from the text (without being changed at all), and used in a way to try and capture (in very few words) what was going on in Holden's head during his talk with Mr. Spencer. I would like you to do the same using Chapter 12 and how he feels in Ernie's.
Have a great weekend (or Monday :-P) ladies and gentlemen. Keep up the great work, and dare to be curious. :-)
Nobody's that good.
ReplyDeleteI'm too sure what the name of the song was that he was playing when I came in, but whatever it was, he was really stinking it up.
They were exactly the same morons that laugh like hyenas in the movies at stuff that isn't funny.
1) I tried to get up.
ReplyDelete2) I have to meet somebody.
3) He was putting all these dumb, show-offy ripples in the high notes, and a lot of other very tricky stuff that gives me a pain in the ass.
1.Big deal.
ReplyDelete2.I'm not too sure what the name of the song was that he was playing when I came in, but whatever it was, he was really stinking it up.
3.He was the most boring guy I ever listened to.
1) I was surrounded by jerks. I'm not kidding
ReplyDelete2) I certainly began to feel like a prize horse's ass, though, sitting there all by myself.
3) I swear to God, if I were a piano player or an actor or something and all those dopes thought I was terrific, I'd hate it.
1. I didn't feel much like being at alone.
ReplyDelete2. I was surrounded by jerks.
3. People always ruining things for you.
It made me feel depressed and lousy again.
ReplyDeleteI certainly began to feel like a prize horse's ass, though, sitting there all by myself.
People are always ruining things for you.
1. I was surrounded by jerks.
ReplyDelete2. Real ugly girls have it tough.
3. Ernie's, the place was so dark and all, and besides, nobody cared how old you were.
1. You would've puked.
ReplyDelete2. It made me feel depressed and lousy again.
3. I was surrounded by jerks.
1. They were exactly the same morons that laugh like hyenas in the movies at stuff that isn't funny.
ReplyDelete2. I didn't feel like discussing it.
3. People are always ruining things for you.
He was putting all these dumb, show-offy ripples in the high notes, and a lot of other very tricky stuff that gives me a pain in the ass.
ReplyDeleteIf I were a piano player, I'd play it in the goddam closet.
I partly blame all those dopes that clap their heads off-they'd foul up anybody, if you gave them a chance.
1. He was putting all these dumb, show-offy ripples in the high notes, and a lot of other very tricky stuff that gives me a pain in the ass.
ReplyDelete2. You would've puked.
3. If I were a piano player, I'd play it in the goddam closet.
Everything what Ernie does, Holden feels negative about him, because Ernie hardly even talk to people unless they're a big shot or a celebrity. Maybe Holden felt digust about this.
1). It was suppoosed to be holy.
ReplyDelete2). You would've puked.
3). They were exactly the same morons that laugh like hyenas in the movies at stuff that isn't funny.
1. I was surrounded by jerks.
ReplyDelete2. He was the most boring guy I ever listened to.
3. I didn't feel like discussing it.
1. You would've puked.
ReplyDelete2. People always clap for the wrong things.
3. I couldn't even stick around to hear old Ernie play something halfway decent.
1) I'm not too sure what the name of the song was that he was playing when I came in, but whatever it was, he was really stinking it up.
ReplyDelete2) They went mad.
3) I was surrounded by jerks
1. I kept wishing I could go home and shoot the bull for a while with old Phoebe.
ReplyDelete2. It was too early and I didn't feel much like being alone.
3. There wasn't anything to do except smoke and drink.
Holden felt he was spending boring and frustrating times at Ernie's, and that made Holden desparately wishes to go back home.
1-It made me feel depressed and lousy again.
ReplyDelete2-He got so damn excitied and all, I was afriad he was going to drive the cab right into a lamppost or something
3-I was surrounded by jerks.
1.I was surrounded by jerks.
ReplyDelete2.It was very phony-I mean him being such a big snob and all.
3.I couldn't even stick around to hear old Ernie play something halfway decent.
I was surrounded by jerks.
ReplyDeleteThey went mad.
I didn't feel like discussing it.
1.It was too early and I didn't feel much like being alone.
ReplyDelete2.I was surrounded by jerks.
3.It made me feel depressed and lousy again.
1. I swear to God, if I were a piano player or an actor or something and all those dopes thought I was terrific, I'd hate it.
ReplyDelete2. I was surrounded by jerks.
3. I'm always saying "Glad to've met you." to somebody I'm not at all glad I met.
1) It made me feel depressed amd lousy again.
ReplyDelete2) I didn't feel much like being all alone.
3) I certainly began to feel like a prize horse's ass
1)I was surrounded by jerks.
ReplyDelete2)I certainly began to feel like a prize horse's ass, though, sitting there all by myself.
3)I didn't feel much like being all alone
1. I was surrounded by jerks
ReplyDelete2. It made me feel depressed and lousy again
3.I tried to get up