The Catcher in the Rye WebQuest

Introduction

Now that Holden has accepted the fact that he needs a break and, more importantly, needs to get his life back on track, it will be up to you to help him do so. As Holden continues his therapy sessions, it is your professional obligation to see that he has every opportunity to become a productive member of society.

Task

With a new attitude about life, Holden wants to get back to a normal lifestyle. It is up to your group to help him achieve his goal. Holden has been through a rough stretch and is now spending time at a rehabilitation center getting the treatment he desperately needs. You are a panel of experts that will help to get Holden back to the life any teenager deserves. You will each need to have a good understanding of Holden’s problems if you are going to help him out. Through your analysis of his life and efforts at the hospital, you will have to recommend to the hospital’s board of directors whether or not Holden is ready to go back to school. You will be working in groups of three.

As you begin, keep the following in mind:

1. What are the difficulties Holden has when in school?

2. How does Holden interact socially with his peers?

3. How does Holden respond to adults?

4. Why is Holden having a hard time being a part of society?

Individual Roles and Group Production

Each group is responsible for producing the following:

1.A psychologist’s report about Holden’s present condition (individual effort)

2.A police report about Holden’s complaint about Mr. Antolini (individual effort)

3.Background information about Holden. Either a letter from Mr. Thurmer to Holden’s parents about his expulsion from Pencey, or the email correspondence between Holden and Jane Gallagher (individual effort)

4.Holden’s collage of his experiences (group effort)

5.The final presentation by the group to the class (Group effort)

Note: Each portion of the project will account for 20% of the group’s overall grade out of 100 points for the papers and projects part of your quarter grade.

Clinical Psychologist

It is your responsibility as the clinical psychologist to present a written report on Holden’s mental condition. The group will then present this information as a part of the group’s overall recommendation to the hospital’s board of directors.

Social Worker

It is your responsibility to file the police report in regards to Holden’s complaint that he was assaulted and abused by Mr. Antolini. You are to use the information in the police report to decide whether or not Holden has a legitimate criminal complaint against his old English teacher.

Background Investigator

It is your responsibility to write either a letter from Mr. Thurmer to Holden’s parents, describing why Holden was expelled from Pency Prep, or the correspondence of letters/emails between Holden and Jane Gallagher which have been written since Holden has been in the hospital. The group will use this information when they recommend, to the hospital’s board of directors, whether or not Holden should be released.

Group Work

As a group, you will compile the collage, created by Holden while in the hospital, which shows his journey through life and his understanding of where things went wrong. You must choose represent this through one of the following options:

1. America in the 1950’s

2. Holden’s experience at Pencey

3. Holden’s New York City

4. A timeline Holden’s breakdown

5. The symbolism from the book as represented in Holden’s life

In your group’s final presentation, you must use the information compiled by each of the group members to recommend whether or not Holden should be released from the hospital and back to school.

Research Links for The Catcher in the Rye

Exploring Catcher page –

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Catcher_in_the_Rye http://www.bellmore-merrick.k12.ny.us/catcher.html

Catcher in the Rye Resource pages –

http://www.levity.com/corduroy/salinger.htm

http://www.wahlbrinck.de/catcherintherye/index.htm

http://homepage.mac.com/mseffie/assignments/catcher/Love%26Death.pdf

http://www.mrcoia.com/school/units/citr/catcher_index.html

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2007-11-21-catcher-in-the-rye-nyc_N.htm

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/01/28/nyregion/20100128-salinger-map.html

http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/jd-salinger-and-the-catcher-in-the-rye/

http://www.studyworld.com/salinger.htm - psychology