The Catcher In The Rye, Part 2 of 4

So, the first option, which I did first is to come up with 10-12 songs that relate to Holden Caulfield from The Catcher In The Rye.  For those who just randomly stumbled upon this and have no idea what The Catcher In The Rye is, well, that blows for you, because it is actually a decent book that can still apply to even todays teenagers.  *Excluding some minor differences*

 

The actual deal was to apply this to the artists songs…well, in honor of Warped Tour, since I am going to the Pittsburgh show, I’ve decided to pick a song from each of the artists that I feel most relates to Holden Caulfield.  No, not all of the artists that are listed, just from 6  of them.  Because in all reality most of my list actually originated from Falling In Reverse, and I don’t feel like making half my list dated to just them and frankly, I have only a twenty minute lunch break for school. 

 

1.Blackout-Breathe Carolina.  Okay, so this song made my actual list for my assignment.  Its about this guy who totally messed up the night before.  Heavy partier type.  Just reminded me how Holden always wants to be doing something.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2S3RvIHwGs  <—- Link for the mv

 

2.  Lullabies-All Time Low.  This song really reminded me of just how Holden feels in general.  This accurately represents his attitude towards Allie and his little sister, but also towards his family.  The song is talking about saying goodbye and not realizing what you have until it’s gone which is why I chose it.

Link for the lyrics video  —> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHHMdU9T9iA

 

3.  The Drug In Me Is You-Falling In Reverse  This song was chosen because of Holden.  The song represents how he really is to himself.  He is pretty much always shooting himself in the foot.  He is always philosophizing as well, and can admit that he really is going insane.  Though, he is finding his place in the world. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgWr2nln83s&ob=av2e  <—official mv for the song.

 

4.  Caraphernelia-Pierce The Veil  This song describes the relationship between Allie and Holden perfectly.  Alli is always going to stay in his mind and sort has turned into a drug that he latches onto when he feels extremely insecure.  This song, in reality, is actually about a guy trying to get over his girlfriend…ignore that mushy stuff. 

official mv for the song  —-> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZVYOriINwc

 

5.  The Bird and The Worm-The Used  I picked this song based physically and only on Holden’s own mental well being.  He’s sort of going crazy/ is already there, and I think this describes it well enough to be on the list.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12dBCgAo-RA  <—official mv. 

 

6.  Do It Now, Remember It Later-Sleeping With Sirens  This song was also on the original list for my actual project as well.  This is about looking back on the past and realizing that sometimes you have to just live your life and not worry about the consequences. 

official mv —->  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HjBq9aZ9cw&feature=fvsr

 

A song that was however written by Green Day called Holden Caulfield is the perfect personification of him though.  It was written in the 90s.  Check it out.  and be pumped for Warped Tour.

STOP KONY…REALLY?

So, just going to delve right into it.  The leader or the L.R.A (Lord’s Resistance Army), Joseph Kony, has had a global-wide campaign fire sparking right beneath himself.  SOON, because of millions of viewers seeing the 27 minute long documentary that Invisible Children made,  he will be brought down amongst human justice, and feel our wrath!!!

Does any of that seem plausible in the slightest?

For those of you who may not know, Kony has been militarily involved in the Ugandan affairs since the early-mid 80s.  He has raped, pillaged, murdered, kidnapped, and encouraged these values in the very children he kidnapped after making them soldiers.  This man, then goes out, and does it again.  Sort of like the rinse and repeat cycle on the back of those annoying shampoo bottles.

Joseph Kony has been doing this for over thirty years.  In the mid-late 90s you would see infomercials letting you know about starving or orphaned African children.  He is the reason behind most of that.

In the early 2000’s, he became more famous.  After 9/11, his group, the L.R.A became known as a public terrorist organization.  In 2005, he was officially warranted for arrest on war crimes and crimes against humanity.  In 2006, he said he wouldn’t go to court.  We let him slide on that.  since 2008, he is being hunted down by former LRA members who remember Ugandan territory that he might be known to look into.  Now, in 2012, he is public enemy number one.  HE IS THE MOST DANGEROUS CRIMINAL.

Epic DUN. DUN DUN music here.

Now, I’m not trying to make this situation seem lighter than it is.  I’ve known about the situation through other media outlets…a more recent one is probably I’m Like A Lawyer(Me and You)-Fall Out Boy  Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAgbZdrWiN4&ob=av2e

I’m not against helping out trying to find Kony or stop him in any way.  It’s just, things don’t add up.  He’s been around longer than i’ve been alive, and now…why now…

 

AND DO NOT SAY IT IS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.

because lets be honest, most of the people that have heard of this event is going to forget it in the next five years anyways.  A pack mentality causes pack reactions, and I wonder what the next group-thought will be.

Group-think, who would have thought that we’d have that mentality…Oh, hello there big brother, I didn’t see you over that looming poster and gray building.

The Catcher In The Rye, Part 1 of 4

So, we discussed the book, The Catcher In the Rye, by J.D. Salinger.  This book was rightfully given the past two class periods to be discussed, but I still don’t think we covered everything that could have been covered.  Here is what we did cover:

1.  Holden and his relationship to children.  In this, we viewed how Holden wants to be The Catcher In The Rye.  He wants to be the one to save children and keep them safe, to protect their innocence.  In the book, he refers to a point when his old teacher let him stay at his house.  He wakes up to see his teacher petting his head.  In a panic, after calling him pervy, he runs off.  He mentioned that type of occurrance has happened to him before. 

2.  We looked at his relationship with women and sexuality in general.  Most of the class concluded that Holden is gay and very pedophilic, but I really doubt this.  He ran away from a come-on from a male friend.  They reasoned that he is awkward around women and doesn’t do anything with them, but that he also has a strict admiration for kids.  The belief that came through to me was that he was admiring and respected the innocence children have, and that is why he wants to be the Catcher In The Rye type character.  Anyways, what would you do if you were a sixteen year old male in that time period.  I doubt you’d be that scandalous with women. 

3.  Then we looked at his relationship with his brother Allie, who happened to die as a child.  I concluded that Allie is simply something one might call a conscience.  He only really ever talks to or about Allie when something is going badly.  For instance, when he gets drunk or some other events.  In the end he always sees Allie, who is supposed to push him towards the right direction.

4.  We then looked at the relationship with the geese.  What was  his obsession about the idea of the geese going away for the winter?  This, was some what more of reflection of religion.  He isn’t overly enthusiastic about religion, but he does ponder where do the birds go when it gets cold?  The thought that came over us was “Where do you go when you die?”  The birds are Allie, especially and other people.  He points out that he doesn’t believe in religion, but hey…facts point to facts. 

 

That is all major monologue though…no need to take that seriously, just thoughts inside a mind of a creative thinker. 

Aside from that, we’ve received a project.  I’m going to do all of three of the options.  So here they are.

1.  The Holden Caulfield Playlist (10-12 Songs) and a letter explaining each one.

2.  The Secret Goldfish (He loved the story written by D.B, his brother…so tell the story.  WRITE IT.)

3.  Research paper on the book that was brought into the spotlight in 1980-1981 in the murder of Lennon and attempt to Reagan.  Why and how was it brought into such events?

Updates soon?

Existentialism

So, as of late, in my classes, and studies in Philosophy, I’ve come across Existentialism.  This popular view was primarily brought to attention from Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980).  This belief states a few key facts. 

1. Existence precedes essence-we aren’t necessarily made for any purpose.
2. There is no god.
3. We have to create purpose for ourselves. 
4. Only humans have the right to create a purpose for themselves, animals aren’t included. 

This provides room for his theory, using the infamous comparison of the craftsman and a pen-knife, with god to humans.  I however, don’t really seem to understand this comparison, because in his words, there is no god.  We create ourselves. 

Naturally, I can’t say that I agree with all of this, but I do agree with some things.  I’m not in agree-ance with most of it though.  For instance, I do believe that we have a specific purpose in life, when we are born.  Sure, we can shape this mold before it hardens, but it’s like a hand of cards.  (as overused as this will sound in about ten seconds) We are given a hand of cards, and are playing a game like go fish.  We can see what we have, and we hope that the others have something we may need, but then their is the pile, or opportunities that can happen, but it’s just not the right moment to draw yet. 

Therefore, with my beliefs in purpose in mind, I have to prominantly disagree with the second bullet point.  I do believe that there is a god.  No, I have no idea which religion is right, but all religions that I’ve looked at have at least some commonalities. 

In all of them, you worship something.

You pray.

You care. 

You do what you believe is right. 

 

Religion gives us something to hold onto.  It lets us believe that somewhere, beyond the point of living, we have something waiting for us.  We don’t know how long we have, or what it is, but its a symbol of hope. 

I covered purpose in the first one, but this is a little different.  I do believe that we hold the cards and must create a purpose for ourselves.  Sure, we have options and choices, but the ultimate choice with what to do is ours, hence the term, “free-will.”  It’s what gives us all our own little twist in the story.

As for the last one, I’m totally not trying to sound like an overzealous animal-lover, but I do believe that since animals are too, living, breathing, thinking things, they have just as much choice.  They probably rely more on instinct, (they do) and that’s what makes them animals.  Not human. 

 

Anyways, we talked about all of this, and how apparently government sucks, but I’ll go into that more, at a later time…I’m starting to think this point about existentialism is turning a bit rant-ish. 

Harry Potter Vs. Twilight.

So, I’ve been searching around and thinking…which is better, Twilight, or Harry Potter?  You are right “Twi-hard” girl…vampires are way better than wizards.  Unfortunately, Twilight isn’t the story about vampires.  It’s the story of a whiny teenage girl being stalked by a pedopheliac fairy…oh and for added drama a furry is chasing after the whiny girl. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksJvEH-R_ew

 

 

http://twigurrl.wordpress.com/2011/04/29/why-harry-potter-kinda-sucks/#id=I1_1329959944032&parent=http%3A%2F%2Ftwigurrl.wordpress.com&rpctoken=93594303&_methods=onPlusOne%2C_ready%2C_close%2C_open%2C_resizeMe%2C_renderstart

 

You might want to learn some things.  First of all, proper spelling and grammar?  There is a spell check on here.  Anyways, back to your little fairy issues.  I hate to break it to you, but I read your “why twilight is so awesome”…Are you on crack? 

1.  It’s so sweet and romantic….yeahhhhh…you know, once you get past the whole making fun of how she smells, leaving her and sending her into a looming depression, threatening to show himself and his sparkling abilities, oh and need I forget impregnating her…then being too much of a pansy to bite her once her predator like child bursts through her stomach.  Oh and great romanticism techniques when Jacob becomes a pedophile as well by falling for the newborn. 

3.  The characters attractiveness…really?  well i guess with a story that’s copying romeo and juliet but making one a fairy you have to look at how good looking they are…the plot is about as amazing as a piece of stale bread…”OH BELLA.  YOUR PERSONALITY IS SO DYNAMIC.”  yeah….alright….

4.   Kristen Stewarts Acting…you know what that’s too easy…here watch some of her acting..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuhmWPF-CGE&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL91F3EBECDA4963F0…she’s a one sided actress to be honest. 

That’s just three issues I felt like pointing out that you so desperately love….anyways, Twilight is a story with no real great story-line, and I’m sorry but I don’t understand why anyone chose to make it into a movie, you know unless some producers’ kid saw it laying in the trash pile. 

 

Harry Potter, however, happens to be a different story.  Honestly, I have never liked a story involving wizardry, or anything along that lines, I always preferred vampires…but Stephanie Meyers made me think again. 

 

This  is where I bring up your issues with Harry Potter.

 

1.  Apparently there is too much cursing….because it’s not like that’s what happens in real life or anything…people never say stuff like bloody hell, or call someone a bitch when they have children in danger…no they thank the people and say “Why thank you for trying to kill us.”

2.  It’s too violent….and that’s why you like twilight…the story of pushing bella halfway across a room, the whole fight scene with the elder vampires, and you know, that one part about Bella and Edward’s child bursting through her stomach like predator or alien…apparently in the movie though, the child is a boy, fully grown, looking older than Edward and Bella…HOW THE FUCK DOESN’T SHE RIP IN HALF.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE0fkhHPakg 

3.  Torture….oh yes, in the first one she isn’t spiraling into depression, in breaking dawn she doesn’t push a full sized human out of her vagina, and no, she definitely is thrown around from vampires…that’s perfectly normal…she just didn’t make the sandwiches right.

4.  Americans are better…hmmm, this is interesting.  Your point of view anyways.  We are superior….are you having issues?  If you haven’t happened to notice, many of our ancestors derive from Europe, so saying that is completely stupid.  Not only that, but America has been on the down-swing of being the most amazing country since the industrial age.  You know a few world wars, a depression, and I don’t know, practically owing our asses to China will do that sort of thing.  If you are seriously suggesting that Twilight is better than Harry Potter because of the writer’s origin, I feel deeply sorry for your lack of intelligence, please, go find some…immediately.  Then stock up on actual literature, because Stephanie Meyers, isn’t that great. 

5.It’s confusing….well that’s because your lack of intellect.  Dialects are very common amongst different places…for instance, I’m quite surprised that I managed to read two of your blogs without crying, finding where you live to punch you in the head, and/or laughing my ass off…okay, so I laughed my ass off…two out of three ain’t bad.  PS.  America alone has several different types dialect, half of which you probably don’t like or understand…be less of a hypocrite. 

6.  The movies are crap….hmmmm, well that’s odd.  I think that of Twilight.  Anyways, if the Harry Potter movies were that terrible, they would have stopped before the series ended.  They kept going with Twilight because most Americans that saw that movie probably didn’t read the books until they saw a hot guy….PS.  You know Edward, Aka Robert Pattinson, yeah he wasn’t good enough for Harry Potter.  They killed his ass off before the movie ended.  Though I must admit, I did like the character of Cedric Diggory.  They also have accents because the story is set in Europe…odd, I bet that Europeans think Twilight actors have funny accents as well…food for thought.

as for 7. and 8.  I do believe you have issues.  Yes Dumbledore is gay and some of the characters aren’t very attractive…that just means that they are more relateable than plastic blow up dolls *cough some twilight characters cough*.  They aren’t picture perfect. and have to actually be dynamic characters, or at least be interesting without relying on vanity. *cough kristen stewart cough*.  And again with the unrealistic attitude.  If you haven’t happened to notice, none of the villains in either movie are realistic.  Hell the stories aren’t realistic.  That is why they are fantasy books, both of them.  Grow a brain for darn sakes.