The Catcher in the Rye Inspires Murder of John Lennon

It has been said that The Catcher in the Rye was the reason Mark David Chapman shot and killed the Beatles' John Lennon. Chapman read the book many times and started to adopt some of Holden Caulfield's beliefs. One was that people are phonies. Holden mentions people being phonies and how much he hates them in the book. Also, before he killed Lennon, Chapman said something about Lennon knowing where the ducks go in the winter, which is a reference to The Catcher in the Rye. There were some other examples from the book that might be a a reason it drove Chapman crazy. On page 104 there is a paragraph that describes how Holden wanted to kill the elevator man, Maurice, for taking an extra $5.00 from him. It makes him seem like a psycho.Another is when holden says "I swear to God I'm a madman." Chapman could have believed since he was like Holden he had to be a madman too. Finally, throughout the book, Holden mentions being depressed constantly. This could have had an affect on Mark David Chapman as well.

Visions of Childhood

I think the movie "The Little Giants" is a great depiction of childhood. I believe this because the movie is about a bunch of friends who play football. A lot of kids have childhood memories of playing sports with their buddies and having fun. This is where a lot of good times are made. In the movie they aren't the most talented team, but they enjoy playing and work hard. They work together and in the end are able to knock off the All-Star Dallas Cowboys youth football team. It tells a story about teamwork and just having fun. A big part about childhood is hanging out with your friends!

In the four stories we have read, childhood is depicted as being young and confused about the world. The Sutton Pie Safe, Every Little Hurricane, and Bottle Caps are all examples of this. The child in the Sutton Pie Safe doesn't understand why the dad is upset or what is going on with Mrs. Hanson. In Every Little Hurricane, the boy sees the alcohol abuse and violence around him, but isn't really sure why they all act this way yet. Finally, in Bottle Caps, the younger brother steals his older brothers bottle caps because he doesn't understand it is part of a collection. He uses them for his insect cemetary. A difference is the background each person comes from. Cates comes from a farm family in the countryside. Victor grows up on an Indian Reservation. Connie and the boys in Bottle Caps are from cities. I think they are right about not understanding everything, but only to a certain extent. Once kids hit a certain age, they start learning why things happen. Overall, i think they do a pretty good job depicting childhood, although there don't seem to be any happy times in the stories.

Childhood Memory

When I was 16 I passed my drivers test. This was a huge moment in my life because I gained a lot of responsibility. I could drive myself to school, the movies, or anywhere i needed to go. Also, I knew that it was important I drove safely and followed the laws. I grew up because this sort of gave me a new freedom. I didn't have to rely on anyone for a ride anymore. It has changed my life for the better.