The Catcher in the Rye Essay Option #1: “Motif Analysis of The Catcher

in the Rye”

Identify at least two motifs in The Catcher in the Rye and explain their
significance to the story as a whole. You essay should be two to three
pages, MLA. Textual citations for the novel can simply be page
numbers. If you use any outside sources, document them in the full
MLA style and include a Works Cited page.

1. Start to focus your reading to be more alert for possible motifs and
adjust your note taking accordingly.
2. Post questions and comments on the discussion board and
participate in our Zoom class meetings.
3. Begin writing as a way to start thinking about your paper. Your note
taking is a good place to start, but you might want to begin by finding
as many motifs as possible and see if you can get any development by
writing about them off the top of your head. The ones that seem
easiest to write about will likely be strong candidates for your essay.
3. Test your ideas about the significance of the motifs with the class and
teacher. Make sure if you use someone else’s ideas that you cite them
in your paper.
4. The final step is to begin drafting your paper and getting peer reviews
of your drafts. I think we could set up time on Zoom for peer review.
Let me know if you are interested.
The Catcher in the Rye Essay Option 2: “Psychoanalysis of Holden
Caulfield”

Salinger has positioned the audience as a psychologist listening to

Holden’s testimony of this event which has taken place about a year
earlier. For you essay, take on the role of psychologist and do two
things: Diagnose Holden’s “issues” (you can use ordinary descriptive
language or seek out an official diagnostic term), and then “tell” Holden
what you think he could do as a way of improving his mental health.

I will post some resources that might be helpful. Avoid simply Googling
“What is wrong psychologically with Holden” until you have arrived at
your own diagnosis. Remember, if you use another’s idea, you must
document it fully using MLA.

Here is a good list of common affective disorder. An “affective” disorder

is a disorder that is a personality disorder (as opposed to a psychosis, or
break with reality).
https://www.healthline.com/health/affective-disorders

The Catcher in the Rye Essay Option 3: Critique of katerinaqt’s

Psychoanalysis of Holden Caulfield”
For this option, watch the three videos in which Holden Caulfield is
painstakingly psychoanalyzed. You are to do a critique of the
presenter’s (katerinaqt’s) psychoanalysis of Caulfield. Remember, the
quality of your paper will be judged on how well you think critically
about the presenter’s claims. When referencing specific claims, use the
video number and time stamp. For example: (III, 8:32).
1. Watch the videos to determine the claims made by the presenter.
This is an essential step. You will likely have to look at the videos more
than once.
2. Assess the strength of the claims by assessing
1. The quality of her evidence.
2. The reasonableness of her inferences based on this evidence.
Her inferences will be expressed as her claims.
3. Make sure to identify the structure of her claims. In other words,
which claims are part of a larger claim. The arguments largest claim will
be the presenter’s thesis. The subordinate claims will be considered
her premises. For example, consider the structure of the following
argument:
Thesis: Cows are dangerous to the health of our society.
Premise 1: More disease is present in cows than any other form of
livestock.
Premise 2: The diseases cows carry often cause illness in humans.
Premise 3: The Food and Drug Administration is not effective in
screening livestock for disease.
This is the structure of the argument, the thesis and premises. They are
all claims, but each are named in their relation to one another. The
premise claims work together to support the thesis claim. If the
premises are not adequately supported by good evidence, then the
thesis of the argument is weakened, etc…