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Cornell Notes - Reading CH 2

Holden has a conversation with his history teacher, Mr. Spencer, where they discuss Holden's history of being expelled from multiple schools. Holden seems indifferent about his expulsions and leaves Mr. Spencer's home flippantly. The chapter establishes Holden's cynical and judgmental views of authority figures and adults. It also shows Holden feels different from those around him, setting up future conflicts as Holden struggles to find his place in the world.

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649 views2 pages

Cornell Notes - Reading CH 2

Holden has a conversation with his history teacher, Mr. Spencer, where they discuss Holden's history of being expelled from multiple schools. Holden seems indifferent about his expulsions and leaves Mr. Spencer's home flippantly. The chapter establishes Holden's cynical and judgmental views of authority figures and adults. It also shows Holden feels different from those around him, setting up future conflicts as Holden struggles to find his place in the world.

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Cornell Notes

Topic/Objective: Catcher in the Rye

Name: Ms. Ryan

Chapter 2

Class/Period: English 11
Date: July 6, 2016

Essential Question: How does Holden interact with authority figures?


How does Holden act around adults? (Plain Language)
Questions:

Notes:
Plot Summary

Is Holden being a phony is


this chapter? Is this chapter
supposed to be ironic?
Situational irony?

Holden has a conversation with Mr. Spencer, his history teacher. There is discussion of his
history of failure at basically every school that he has attended. Holden seems flippant he
doesnt really care that hes been expelled before. Mr. Spencer is condescending/frustrated
with Holdens nonchalant attitude. Holden makes up an excuse about needing to go to the
gym and leaves.

Setting
Time
o Saturday
Geographic Place
o Agerstown, Pennsylvania
Mr. Spencers house
Mr. Spencers room doesnt seem very nice
there were pills and medicine all over the place, and everything
smelled like Vicks Nose Drops (p. 10)
Boy, his bed was like a rock (p.10)

Characters
What is behind Holdens
obsession with
authenticity? Why does he
behave this way? How
does this relate to other
aspects of the story? Does
this impact how the reader
perceives other characters
and events in the text?

Holden
o Gets depressed by the world around him
It was pretty depressing (p. 10)
o Judgmental
Old Spencer had on this sad, very ratty old bathrobe that he was
probably born in or something. (p. 10)
Gives unflattering description of older mens appearances. (p. 10)
o Cynical
Game my ass. Some game. If you get on side where all the hot shots
are, then its a game all right Ill admit that. But if you get on the other
side, where there arent any hotshots, then whats a game about it? (p.
11)
o Immature
Partly because I have a lousy vocabulary and partly because I look
quite young for my age. (p. 11)
Immaturity is emphasized through contrast of Holdens appearance (tall,
grey hair) with his behavior. (p. 11-12)
o Perceives himself to be different than those around him
But it was just that we were too much on opposite sides of the pole,
thats all (p. 18)

Is Mr. Spencer an
archetype? A stock
character?

Im a bit confused about


conflict in this chapter.
Clearly, Holden is in conflict
with Mr. Spencer, but are
we supposed to read it at
such, or is Mr. Spencer
supposed to be a stand
in/symbol of the society
that Holden is rejecting.
Summary: In Chapter 2, Holdens character is further developed. Through contrast, conflicts in the novel also
begin to emerge. Holdens conversation with Mr. Spencer reveals the deep divide between how Holden sees
himself and how he sees the world around him.

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