The Catcher In The Rye - Character List

Holden - the main character. He has a big problem with "phonies" and fake people. He is extremely judgemental and thinks that everyone is fake. He wants to be the catcher in the rye and save children, especially protecting them from losing their innocence.

Phoebe - Holden's younger sister. She is intelligent and knows that Holden doesn't apply himself at school. She gets him to stay home and be with his family.

Allie - Holden's younger brother who died. Holden describes him as the smartest of the family. He wrote poems in his baseball glove.

DB - Holden's older brother who was in the war and is a writer for hollywood. Holden describes him as a once good writer who ruined himself by going to hollywood.

Jane - A girl that Holden really liked. They played checkers and she seemed different from all the other girls.

Stradlater - A cocky guy who was Holden's roommate at Pencey. Holden says that he was clean, but kept all his things "crumby."

Mr. Antolini - An old teacher of Holden's who tries to get him to change his ways. Holden thinks that the man is gay and ends up leaving his house.

The Catcher In The Rye Chapter 21-26 Response

Holden's breakdown is in full force in the last chapters. He calls out for Allie and says he feels like he's dissappearing into the street when he tries to cross it. He finally realized what going away would do to his family, and shows compassion for them by staying. He is getting better and realizes that he needs to change in chapter 26. He has goals for his future and seems to be trying to make a change.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 26

Holden describes his present situation in a hospital and how he plans to go to a new school in the fall. He wants to apply himself this time and actually change. He talks about how talking about people makes you miss them, and that you should never do it.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 25

Holden sleeps on a bench that night, and the next day goes to Phoebe's school. He sees obscenities written in random places and tries to rub them off. Phoebe comes with her suitcases and says she's going with Holden. He refuses her and she gives his hat back. She gives him the silent treatment until he takes her to the zoo. They are back on good terms and Holden decides he has to stay to protect Phoebe.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 24

Holden arrives at Mr. Antolini's house and it looks like they just had a party. He can tell that Mr. Antolini had been drinking, and says he's concerned that he may be an alcoholic. Mr. Antolini expresses his concern for the way Holden is living, and gives him advice. They all go to bed, and Holden wakes up to Mr. Antolini rubbing his head. He gets freaked out and leaves the apartment.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 23

Holden calls Mr. Antolini, an old teacher of his, and asks to stay with him for the night. He and Phoebe dance for a while, and they hear their parents come in the front door. Holden hides in the closet and waits for them to go to bed. He leaves after Phoebe gives him her Christmas money. On his way out he gives Phoebe his hat.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 22

Holden comes back into Phoebe's room with cigarettes and gets her to listen to why he always gets kicked out of school. She says that he hates everything and he tells her that he likes Allie. She tells him that Allie's dead, and he tells her about his dream to be the catcher in the rye.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 21

Holden sneaks into his family's apartment and takes his time getting to Phoebe's room. He sits and watches her sleep for a while, then wakes her up. She's overjoyed to see him until she realizes that he's home early and probably got kicked out of school. She worries about what his parents will say when they find out, and doesn't listen when he tries to explain himself.

The Catcher In The Rye Chapter 16-20 Response

Holden's true hypocracy has started to come out even more in these chapters. He went to the movies a couple times, and claims to hate them. He hung out with Luce, a classmate he didn't even like. I think that he has realized that he needs to see his family, though, because he went home to talk to Phoebe. He's very close to her and I think talking to her will bring him down to reality.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 20

Holden stays at the bar and gets drunk. He calls Sally and tries to get her to come see him, but she won't. He decides to walk to Central Park to see the ducks that he used to watch. On his way he gets lost and ends up breaking the record he bought for Phoebe. His hair was wet and he was afraid he'd get pnemonia, so he decides to go home and talk to Phoebe.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 19

Holden meets up with Luce, his classmate, at the bar. He thinks about how Luce always used to talk about sex with younger guys at school, and how phony he thought Luce was, even if he was entertaining. He questions Luce about sex, but Luce doesn't want to talk about it and says that Holden should go to a phsyciatrist. Holden asks if Luce's dad, who was a phsycoanalyst, ever treated him. Luce gets annoyed and leaves.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 18

Holden goes out to eat, thinks about calling Jane, and eventually does. Nobody answers, so he calls a former classmate of his that he didn't even like. The guy is busy, but says he can do drinks later so Holden agrees. He goes to a movie to kill time and thinks about Allie when he sees a man in the orchestra that they used to like. Then, Holden walks to the bar to meet his classmate.

The Catcher In The Rye Chapter 11-15 Response

I think Holden is starting to become a little crazier now. He just told Sally that he wanted to run away with her and expressed his dream to get away from society. He constantly judges people and talks about "phonies." I think that he's fully engulfed in himself and can't imagine that he's anything similar to the people around him. His once sense of normalcy comes from Phoebe, his sister, but he doesn't go home to see his family. I think that his family would be the most helpful for him.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 17

Sally and Holden go on their date in chapter 17. Holden is annoyed by the actors and says that they're just like Ernie and that they're almost too good at what they do. He gets mad at Sally when she flirts with another guy on their date, but takes her skating anyway. He tells Sally that they should run away together and they get into a fight because she thinks he's crazy. He leaves her there alone.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 16

In chapter 16, Holden buys Phoebe a record. As he's thinking about her, he hears a kid singing "If a body catch a body coming through the rye." He's happy and decides to call Jane, but hangs up when they pick up. Then, he buys movie tickets for his date with Sally. After that he goes and looks for Phoebe around a place he knows she used to hang out. He sees a girl that knows Phoebe, but says she isn't there.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 15

In this chapter, Holden calls Sally Hayes and sets up a date with her later on. He puts his stuff in a locker and goes out to eat, where he sees a couple nuns collecting money from people on the street. He thinks about his parents and feels guilty about leaving school because his mother hasn't been the same since Allie died and he knows he'll be putting more stress on her when she finds out. He gives the nuns some money, and at the end is guilty that he didn't give more.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 14

Holden is sitting in his room thinking about Allie when someone knocks on his door. He opens it and sees the man who offered him the prostitute. The prostitute is with him and they are back to get another $5 from Holden. He refuses, and the man punches him in the stomach while the prostitue gets the money from his pants. They leave and Holden gets the strength to go to his bed and he falls asleep.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 13

Holden leaves Ernie's and walks back to the hotel. He thinks about some gloves of his that somebody stole back at Pencey and imagines confronting whoever took them, but knows that he wouldn't really do it because he isn't brave enough. When he gets to the hotel, a man offers to send a prostitute to his room. He says he'll pay the $5 for her, and when she comes he doesn't want to do anything with her. She leaves, mad at him for wasting her time.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 12

In chapter twelve, Holden is at Ernies, the club his brother took him to. He sits by himself and thinks about the people surrounding him and how rude or boring they are. A girl that used to date his brother comes up and they talk for a while. He gets bored of her and says he has to meet someone elsewhere. He leaves, thinking about how people always ruin things for you.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 11

In chapter eleven, Holden is sitting in the hotel lobby thinking about Jane. He thinks about how they used to play checkers and about one time when her stepfather made her cry. He remembers going to the movies with her and holding hands. He tries to avoid thinking about her with Stradlater because it makes him angry. Then he talks about a club his brother used to take him to and goes there. 

The Catcher In The Rye... Chapter 6-10 Response

Another thing I've noticed about Holden is that he always tries to act older than he is. He thinks that because he's tall and has grey hair that people will think he's old, but most of them see through it. He drinks and smokes to try to be more mature and get away from the pain and annoyance of being young, but in the end it doesn't really help because he can't escape who he is.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 10

Holden goes down to the Lavender Room, a club that was in the hotel. He asked for alcohol, but was turned down because they asked for his driver's license. He saw three women sitting at the table next to him and asked them to dance. He lied and said his name was Jim Steele, just for fun. When he told them he thought he saw a celebrity, one of them said she thought she saw him, too. he was dissappointed to find out that they were crazy for hollywood just like everyone else.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 9

Once Holden got to New York, he thought about calling a few people, but realized that it was too late and most of them would end up calling his mother and he didn't want her to know he was in town yet. He called a cab and rented a hotel room. He thought about a number of this girl that a friend of his had given to him a while back, and decided to call her. She said that it was too late and she needed her beauty sleep, so she couldn't go out for cocktails with him, so Holden told her goodbye. 

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 8

Holden walked to the train station to catch a train to New York. A lady sits next to him on the train, and eventually he finds out she's a mother to one of the boys from Pencey. She asks who he is and if he knows her son, and he tells her his name is Rudolf Schmidt, the janitor of their dorm. After they talked about her son for a while, she asked him why he was going home that night. He told her that he had to have an operation for a brain tumor.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 7

Once he's in Ackley's room, Holden wakes him up and Ackley asked what happened. He was woken up by Stradlater and Holden's fight and once he sees Holden all bloody, he wants to know why they were fighting. Holden asks if he can stay in Ackley's roommate's bed since he was at home for the weekend. Ackley says that he doesn't want to speak for his roommate and doesn't know if he'll be home that night and get angry that someone else is in his bed. Ackley went to sleep, and after a while Holden woke him up again to ask if you had to be catholic to join a monastery. Ackley thinks he's joking around and is insulted. He goes back to sleep and Holden decides to leave Pencey that night. Before he leaves he yells, "Sleep tight, ya morons!"

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 6

In the beginning of chapter six, Stradlater returns from his date. He gets undressed and asks Holden about the paper he asked him to write. When he reads it, he gets angry at Holden and questions why he can't do anything the way he's supposed to. Holden rips up the paper and lays down on his bed. Later, he asks Stradlater what went on during his date and eventually tried to hit him in the face, but he missed and Stradlater pinned him to the ground. He kept calling him a moron, so Stradlater hit him so hard his head slammed against the floor. Stradlater told Holden to go clean up and Holden waited for him to leave before going to Ackley's room.

The Catcher In The Rye... Chapter 1-5 Response

So far, Holden seems like a pretty judgemental person. I think that he focuses too much on the flaws in other people that he doesn't think about the fact that he is the same as they are. He criticizes the people around him, but has similar faults to them. He lies all the time, but says he hates phonies. He talks about how smart his siblings were, but doesn't try hard enough in school for people to realize that he is smart. His siblings are the only people that he spoke highly of, outside of Jane. I think that when he cares for people he tries harder to see the good side of them and forget about their flaws. 

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 5

Holden, Brossard, and Ackley go to see a movie and go out to eat since none of them had dates or anything to do. They end up skipping the movie and playing pinball instead. When they back home, Holden makes Ackley leave so he can write a paper for Stradlater. He tries to think of something descriptive to write about and comes up with his dead brother's baseball glove. His brother was extremely smart and wrote poems all over the glove so he could read them when he got bored on the field. When he was done writing the paper, he looked out the window and listened to Ackley snore, and felt sorry for him.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 4

Holden goes with Stradlater to the bathroom while he shaved. He started joking around and wrestling with Stradlater. Stradlater gets annoyed and tells him to stop horsing around. They start talking about the date Stradlater was going on and who he was going with. Holden knew the girl from a couple summers ago and was excited she was around. Stradlaer went off on his date with Jane, leaving Holden to think about her and worry about what they were doing on their date.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 3

In chapter three, Holden talks about how good of a liar he was. He describes a guy that goes to Pencey that nobody likes and his roommate. The guy nobody likes, Ackley, stays in Holden's room until Holden's roommate comes back. Holden tried to get rid of Ackley all night, but he couldn't take hints or didn't care enough to leave. Ackley and Stradlater, Holden's roommate, don't get along and once Stradlater gets back, Ackley finally leaves.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 2

Holden goes to see Mr. Spencer, his history teacher. That was his way of getting closure from Pencey. When he first gets to the Spencers' home, he talks to Mrs. Spencer and asks if Mr. Spencer had gotten over the flu yet. When he sees Mr. Spencer, he looks old, sick, and tired. Mr. Spencer asks Holden to get his final paper so he can read it to him. He describes why he failed Holden and how big of a joke his paper was. He tries to convince Holden he needs to take life more seriously and think of his future, but Holden just ends up leaving and feeling bitterness towards Mr. Spencer for making him face the reality of his life.

The Catcher In The Rye - Chapter 1

In the first chapter, Holden talks about his experience at a private school near New York. He in in a hospital of some sort at this point, thinking back about his past. He thinks about his school and how he was failing most of his classes. He dropped out of a few other schools before flunking out of the most recent one. At the end of the chapter, he talks about how he always has to say goodbye to the places he is before he leaves. He has to achieve a sense of closure before he goes.

The Great Gatsby - Character List

Nick - The narrator of the story. He remains neutral most of the book. He came from an average family, and lives in a rich neighborhood in a smaller home. He befriends Gatsby and observes as he goes from an almost regal man, to a pathetic dreamer, to nothing.

Tom - Tom is Daisy's wife, and was a friend of Nick's in college. He's a harsh, unfriendly man. He came from old money and thinks he's better than everyone else.

Daisy - Daisy also came from money, and used to see Gatsby. She has a voice "full of money," and is very friendly; however, in the end we find out that she actually narcissistic and uses people to get what she wants.

Myrtle - Myrtle is Tom's lover who aspires to be "perfect" like Daisy. She lives in the valley of ashes and is poor. She wishes to be like Daisy because she loves Tom and wants to have a better life.

Gatsby - Gatsby is a secretive man who was involved in drug trafficking to get rich. He is obssesed with Daisy, who he used to see when he was younger. His dream is that the two of them will get back together and that she'll leave Tom.

Jordan - Jordan is an athlete that Nick meets at one of Gatsby's parties. She is known as a cheater and a liar, but for a while Nick thinks he loves her. She usually doesn't care for people, but takes a liking for Nick.

Mr. Wilson - He is Myrtle's husband. He is known for being stupid and easily fooled. In the end, he goes crazy and is extremely possesive over Myrtle. He shoots Gatsby and himself because of his grief for the loss of his wife.

The Great Gatsby - Rough Draft

INTRO: The Great Gatsby is a book that tells the story of a young man who dreams of having money and a high social status his whole life. He finds a way to achieve this dream, and surrounds himself in a lavish lifestyle that doesn't end up being a reality at all. All of the characters in this book have different goals in life, but they all believe the American dream to be the same thing. At one point or another, the characters reveal what they want most out of their lives or dreams that they've had at some time. The Great Gatsby portrays the American dream as being wealthy and getting everything you want, no matter how narcissistic you become.

PP2: One example of this "American dream" is Gatsby's character in general. He builds up a dream of having a perfect, happy life with Daisy, but doesn't realize that his dreams may not become a reality, if they ever were realistic at all. "He had been full of the idea so long, dreamed it right through to the end, waited with his teeth set, so to speak, at an inconceivable pitch of intensity" (Fitzgerald 97). To him, everything about Daisy was like a fantasy. He was raised in a poor family and Daisy came from money. Gatsby found a way to make himself successful, rich, and thought that Daisy would love him for it. He thought about Daisy everyday, and he wasn't going to give up on her until he got what he wanted from her: love. By the time they met back up five years later, he had made her into something she wasn't. When he discovered she was different than he had remembered her and want different things, he was miserable. Although their ultimate goals in life were different, the constant dream of being rich and getting what they wanted was evident in both Gatsby and Daisy's characters.


PP3: Daisy is also a good example of being narcissistic and greedy because she was willing to ruin any one's life just as long as she remains happy. She and Tom go around and destroy people's lives, and since they have money they can overlook it and run away from any consequences they might have had to face. In the end, Daisy only wanted to have money. "For Daisy was young and her artificial world was redolent of orchids and pleasant, cheerful snobbery and orchestras which set the rhythm of the year, summing up the sadness and suggestiveness of life in new tunes" (Fitzgerald 158). She ended up ruining Gatsby's life by crushing his one dream to be with her. She thinks that she wants to be with Gatsby for a while and leads him on, saying she loves him and building his hopes, then leaves him alone and dismal, left with memories of when she used to truly love him. After everything is said and done with Gatsby, she and Tom move to the city for a few months and leave all their wrongdoings behind them to smooth themselves out. They cut off all connections with their friends and show how heartless they really are, and how willing they were to do anything to maintain their version of the American dream.


PP4: Myrtle is also an example of a character that exemplifies the stereotypical American dream conveyed in The Great Gatsby. She aspires to be like Daisy because Tom loves Daisy, and Daisy is and has everything that Myrtle wants. Daisy has money, she's innocent and everyone loves her, she has a seemingly amazing husband, and is happy. Myrtle hates her husband, lives in the poorest part around the city, and is extremely unhappy. She tries to impress Tom and Nick by acting elegant and buying things when she first meets Nick, and it implies how much she wanted to be seen as a higher-classed woman. "At the news-stand she bought a copy of "Town Tattle" and a moving picture magazine and, in the station drug store, some cold cream and a small flask of perfume. Upstairs in the solemn echoing drive she let four taxi cabs drive away before she selected a new one, lavender-colored with grey upholstery..." (Fitzgerald 31). Her one sense of satisfaction comes from her affair with Tom, but when her husband discovers it, he doesn't allow it to continue and shuts her up in her room. In the end, Myrtle's desperate need to be with Tom and be like Daisy is the cause of her demise.


CONCLUSION: In the end, all of the characters realize that their dreams were either unrealistic, unachievable, or truly just meant to be dreams and never to be reality. They all go through something extremely dramatic and whether it was for the better or worse they are forever changed by it. It's almost like they are losing their innocence because they realize that what they wanted so badly isn't going to be theirs, and they had based their lives off of this American dream that in the end was impossible to obtain or maintain. The reality of life overcame their hopes and they were forced into the harsh real world to face their new sense of the truth.

The Great Gatsby - Thesis

The Great Gatsby portrays the American dream as being wealthy and getting everything you want, no matter how narcissistic you become.

The Great Gatsby - Chapter 9

Abstract -
In the last chapter, Nick describes Gatsby's funeral and how hard he tried to make it like one of his parties, but only a few people showed up. He ran into Tom and realized how he and Daisy didn't care about anyone else, and they didn't have to because their money would always save them. On his last night in West Egg, he goes to Gatsby's empty mansion and imagines the "American Dream" that many people see as something so amazing, but are let down just as Gatsby was let down with Daisy.

Response -
I think that Nick realizes the severity of the impact that money and social status has on an American's life in this chapter. He describes the empty dreams that so many people have, and how shallow their intentions can be. He sees the good and Gatsby and is proud of his memory, but realizes that he was a foolish dreamer and that he wasn't realistic about his circumstances.

Questions -
How does the death of Gatsby have an effect on Nick's life?

The Great Gatsby - Chapter 8

Abstract -
Nick can't sleep that night and goes to Gatsby's house where Gatsby describes the past between he and Daisy to Nick. He tells Nick that they made love and he felt like they were married and that she was the first female he ever felt close with. Gatsby's servant asks if he should drain the pool because it's getting cooler, but Gatsby says that he wants to swim before the summer is over and hasn't used his pool yet. Nick has to go to work, where he finds out that Myrtle's husband was out to get the person who killed Myrtle because he felt immense guilt. He had seen the eyes of the doctor and imagined that they were the eyes of god, watching over them. He goes to Gatsby's house after he finds out he was the owner of the car that hit Myrtle, shoots Gatsby, killing him, and then shoots himself.

Response -
I think that at the end of the chapter when Nick describes how empty and lonely Gatsby must have been feeling in his last minutes due to his loss of Daisy, who became his entire life in the past five years, it exemplifies how well he understood Gatsby. He knew that Gatsby was dependent on Daisy for happiness, and he knew that he was depressed when Daisy wouldn't give him what he had been waiting for for so long.

Questions -
Does Gatsby get a sense of peace from getting killed for Daisy's crime?

The Great Gatsby - Chapter 7

Abstract - Nick goes to eat lunch with Tom and Daisy one afternoon and Gatsby and Jordan go, too. During the afternoon, Gatsby and Daisy hardly try to conceal their feelings toward each other, and Tom notices. Daisy suggests they all go to the city, and on their way they stop to get gas. Myrtle's husband has found out that she's been cheating on him and he plans to move her west. She was locked up in her room when they stopped for gas. Once they get to the city, they get a hotel suite due to the extreme heat. Gatsby and Tom get into an altercation and Gatsby tells Tom that Daisy loves him, not Tom. Daisy feels herself growing closer to Tom during the fight. On the drive home, Daisy hit a woman (Myrtle,) killing her. Gatsby waits outside Tom and Daisy's house for Nick, and explains what happens and says he'll take the blame. He sends Nick to check on Daisy, and it seems that she and Tom have made up.

Response -
The first true confrontation between Tom and Gatsby finally comes up, but it's like nothing is solved by it. Tom still feels superior to Gatsby, Gatsby still feels insecurities about Daisy's love for him, and Daisy is still somewhat confused about who she wants to be with. I didn't understand why Daisy wasn't more phased by killing someone, whether it was by accident or not. She's extremely willing to let Gatsby take the fall for her, and it seems uncharacteristic of her.

Questions -
Does Daisy realize that she set Gatsby up at the end of the chapter by leaving him to take the blame for killing Myrtle, and reconciling with Tom?

The Great Gatsby - Chapter 6

Abstract -
In the sixth chapter, Nick talks more about Gatsby's past and explains that he changed his name from James Gatz to Jay Gatsby when he worked for a man on his yacht. He took care of the man, who was an alcoholic, and would've recieved his inheritance once he was dead if it wasn't for a woman that claimed the money as her own. Nick secludes himself from Daisy and Gastby for a while, and spends some time with Jordan. One afternoon when he does go to Gatsby's house, Tom is there with some friends. Gatsby asks them to stay for dinner, but they decline. They invite him to join them for luch even though they don't necessarily want him to come along, and he accepts. They leave before he can pull his car around to follow them. Tom and Daisy come to one of Gatsby's parties a few days later, and Gatsby is upset when he realizes that Daisy didn't have any fun. Tom told her that all of Gatsby's money came from bootlegging and she tried to tell him it came from drugstores that he owned. Gatsby is desperate to make things the way they used to be between he and Daisy.

Response -
I think that Gatsby makes his feelings for Daisy very obvious. He doesn't try to hide the fact that he wants her to have fun, and speaks to her in front of Tom. They act like there's nothing Tom could do if he found out that Daisy was sneaking around behind his back. Also, I think that Tom thinks he's better than Gatsby because he acts like Gatsby is the biggest outlaw for bootlegging, and tries to convince Daisy that he's a bad person. He also comments on the fact that Gatsby has "new money" quite often.

Questions -
How does Tom not realize that Daisy and Gatsby used to have a thing, or that Gatsby is still in love with her?

The Great Gatsby Chapter 5

Abstract -
In chapter five, Nick had Gatsby and Daisy over for tea. Gatsby sent flowers to Nick's house and had his gardener cut Nick's lawn. Gatsby was extremely nervous and at first things between he and Daisy were very awkward. Nick walked out to leave the two alone, and when he came back the atmosphere was much lighter and happier. After a while, they went over to Gatsby's house, and he did everything he could to impress Daisy. When he showed her his shirts that had been sent from Europe, she started crying. They walked through the entire house and Nick left when he realized they didn't even notice he was there anymore.

Response -
I think that this chapter is significant because it shows the possibility of a change in Daisy. Around Tom, she tries to pretend everything is perfect, but when she was with Gatsby everything became natural and comfortable. They didn't have to try to be happy, they just were. I think that Daisy realized what she let go in this chapter, and felt some regrets about it.

Questions -
Will Daisy have an affair with Gatsby, or settle with Tom and try to forget about him?

The Great Gatsby - Chapter 4

Abstract -
In chapter four, Gatsby took Nick out to eat. On the way to the restaurant, Gatsby told Nick that his family died and he came into a bunch of money, and how he spent all of it living "like a young rajah in all the capitals of the Europe..." Once they got closer to their destination, Gastby told Nick that Jordan would have something to talk to him about when they had tea later, and Nick wondered why Gatsby couldn't just ask him himself. They ate with one of Gatsby's friends, Mr. Wolfshiem. Nick saw Tom and they went to say hello to him. When Jordan and Nick ha tea later, Jordan explained how Gatsby and Daisy used to date and how she knew Daisy also. Jordan told him that Gatsby only bought the house so that Daisy would be close to him, even if she was married to Tom. She told him that Gatsby wanted him to invite he and Daisy over for tea so they could finally talk again.

Response -
I thought that Mr. Wolfshiem was very shady and wonder if he'll be an important character in the story at all. I also wondered why Gatsby couldn't be upfront with Nick; even if he was embarrassed, Daisy and Nick were close and it wasn't a big favor to ask. I think that Gatsby was shy and not used to having to depend on other people for the things that he wanted, so he felt uncomfortable asking for any kind of favor.

Questions -
Why was Gatsby so shy about asking this favor from Nick?
"Highballs?" (P74) <---What is that?

The Great Gatsby - Chapter 3

Abstract -
In chapter three, Nick describes Gatsby's parties and attends one. He feels like an outcast until he sees Jordan and they talk. They walk around trying to spot Gatsby because Nick still hadn't seen him, and come across a drunk man in the library. When they go back out, they sit with a man around Nick's age and a young girl. The man asks Nick if he was in the Third Division during the war, and Nick tells him he was and that he thought the man looked familiar. Nick says that he still hadn't met the host of the party, and the man looks at him funnily. He tells Nick that he's Gatsby, the host. Nick was embarrassed that he didn't know who he was, but Gatsby was understanding and just said that he thought Nick knew it was him. Someone calls Gatsby so he has to leave, and Nick and Jordan sit and talk for a while. In the end of the chapter, Nick feels like he might be in love with Jordan, but he's unsure.

Response -
In this chapter, Nick talks more and is a bigger part of the story. He starts to enjoy the party later on, especially when he talks with Gatsby. I think that he loosened up from drinking and became more comfortable with his situation.

Questions -
What happened with the men who crashed the car?

The Great Gatsby - Chapter 2

Abstract -
In this chapter, Nick and Tom went to see Tom's "woman" in the city. They pick her up and go to visit at her sister's place. Nick questions what her husband thinks about her leaving, and they tell him that he's pretty stupid and doesn't suspect anything. On their way to her sister's, Myrtle sees puppies and Tom buys her one. Once they get to Catherine's, they all start to drink. Catherine told Nick that both the people in the affair hated their spouses. Catherine said the only reason that they weren't already married to each other was because Daisy was catholic and didn't believe in divorce. Nick knew that wasn't the real reason, though, because he knew that Daisy wasn't catholic. After a while of drinking, Myrtle kept repeating Daisy, saying she could say it whenever she wanted, and Tom hit her and broke her nose.

Response -
I don't understand the part about Daisy being catholic. Did Tom lie to Myrtle and Catherine just to have an excuse to stay married to Daisy or did they just assume that? Another example of how Nick stays out of things as much as he can is when Catherine tells him about why Myrtle and Tom aren't married already. He knows it's not the truth, but he doesn't say anything because he wants to avoid the drama.

Questions -
What's the significance of the big eyes?

The Great Gatsby - Chapter 1

Abstract -
In the beginning of the book, the narrator describes some advice his father gave him about never judging people before knowing what they've been through. He talks about his family background and growing up in a middle-western city. He was in the war and when he got back, he decided to move out east and start in the bond business. He moved into a small house in an elaborate part of the country, surrounded by huge mansions filled with rich men and their wives. He goes to see his cousin, Daisy, and her husband, Tom. They have a daughter and seem to be happy. They have a woman over, Jordan Baker, and she tells him that Tom has a lady friend in the city. He isn't surprised and implies that it's not unlikely that Tom would do something like that.

Response -
I think that the narrator is pretty neutral at this point in the story. He doesn't react to anything new and just goes along with everybody. I wonder why he doesn't have a bigger reaction when he finds out that Tom is cheating on his cousin. Even though they weren't very close, it seems odd that he wouldn't be more angry. Another thing I noticed about the narrator is that he's very observant. He tries not to include himself in anything too much and just stays in the background.

Questions -
Does Daisy know that Tom is having an affair?

F. Scott Fitzgerald

"Exegit monumentum aere perennius" translates from Latin to English, "I have erected a monument more lasting than bronze."

The great depression in America and its involvement in war during the 1920's were very influential and important historical events. The unemployment rate was at 5.2%, and many authors wrote of the struggles and monetary sufferings that most americans were experiencing during that time.

"An author ought to write for the youth of his generation, the critics of the next, and the schoolmasters of ever afterward." I think that quote was meant to convey the purpose of authors and how they need to write to educate the upcoming generations, please the critics that will be analyzing their literature for years to come, and set an example for educators and writers of all generations.

Thesis & 3 Points

The Red Badge of Courage conveys how soldiers are forced into maturity through facing their weaknesses.

- In chapter eight, Henry encounters a tattered soldier who talks to him about what happened during the previous battle. The soldier asks Henry where his wounds are, making Henry face the fact that he was amidst men who had fought and been injured in battle while he was a coward and ran away from it due to the possibility of being harmed. The tattered man symbolized his own conscience because he felt extremely guilty for running away when his regiment needed help. "'Where yeh hit, ol' boy?' he asked in a brotherly tone. The youth felt instant panic at this question, although at first its full import was not borne in upon him. 'What?' he asked. 'Where yeh hit?' repeated the tattered man. 'Why,' began the youth, 'I--I--that is--why--I--' He turned away suddenly and slid through the crowd."

- Another example of how soldiers are forced into maturity is the facet of death that they are constantly surrounded with. In chapter nine Henry sees a friend of his, Jim, from his regiment die. Jim was a strong man who wasn't perceptibly afraid of anything concerning the war. He fought full throttle and when Henry saw him die, he had to face the fact that nobody is invincible and even strong men die in war. Seeing a man who was such a leader become so weak helped Henry realize that he would have to become more of a man and be strong because if someone like Jim couldn't survive, a coward like himself wouldn't last much longer either. "The youth had watched, spellbound, this ceremony at the place of meeting. His face had been twisted into an expression of every agony he had imagined for his friend. He now sprang to his feet and, going closer, gazed upon the pastelike face. The mouth was open and the teeth showed in a laugh. As the flap of the blue jacket fell away from the body, he could see that the side looked as if it had been chewed by wolves. The youth turned, with sudden, livid rage, toward the battlefield. He shook his fist. He seemed about to deliver a philippic. 'Hell--'"

- In the end of The Red Badge of Courage, Henry finds courage from all of his experiences and leads his regiment with the flag. He finally had grown up and taken responsibility and obtained a role in his regiment. "The youth kept the bright colors to the front. He was waving his free arm in furious circles, the while shrieking mad calls and appeals, urging on those that did not need to be urged, for it seemed that the mob of blue men hurling themselves on the dangerous group of rifles were again grown suddenly wild with an enthusiasm of unselfishness." Through seeing his friends wounded or killed and watching strong men become weak and fragile, Henry matured. He was a young selfish boy, but he grew into a man who was willing to fight alongside the men in his regiment. He became a great leader and by realizing what the symbol of the flag stood for, he found himself and was a better person.

The Red Badge of Courage - Character List

Henry Fleming - A young soldier in the civil war who constantly questioned himself, wondering whether or not he would be able to handle war. He thought he would run from battle, which he did during his first battle. He found his way back to his regiment and continued to fight with them, proving to himself and everyone else that he had the strength to fight. He caught the attention of his superiors when he carried the flag during battles, and they noticed how well he led the men around him by being brave. The story is about this young man's journey of maturing and becoming a man spiritually.

Jim Conklin - A man in Henry's regiment who was a great soldier. He wasn't afraid to fight and had faith in his regiment. Henry encounters him after he ran from his battle, and Jim had been shot. They were with a completely new regiment, but Jim had the same faith in them and stayed strong. Even though he was dying, he didn't want people to pay attention to him. He tried to keep up with the rest of the men, and in the end he ran into a field and died. He was someone Henry couldn't see dying in this war, and it devastated him.

Wilson - Known as the "loud soldier" in his regiment, Wilson was one of Henry's friends who was overly confident in the beginning. He was immature and foolish about the war, but when he was faced with his own mortality he grew up and was forced to become a man. His pride was damaged when he asked Henry for his envelope back because he had to admit his weaknesses. He went through a similar maturing process as Henry.

Tattered Soldier - The tattered soldier that Henry encounters after he ran from battle represents Henry's conscience. The soldier questions Henry and makes him compare himself to the soldiers who were injured in battle. Henry tried to avoid his conscience at first, then ignored him completely. In the end, Henry thinks back on his encounter with the tattered soldier and is remorseful.

Lieutenant - The lieutenant was the leader of Henry's regiment. They could relate to each other towards the middle/end of the story. They both rallied the regiment and were leaders to the men. They fought at the front of the regiment and fought without fear of death. They just wanted to win, and defeat the enemy.

Henry's Mother - Henry's mother was against him going to the war. He enlisted against her wishes, and when she found out she gave him advice. She told him to watch his back and look out for himself. She told him other men would try to change him and make him a tougher person, but he needed to avoid them. War veterans were rough and she didn't want her son to be subjected to their negative outlooks on life.

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 24

Abstract -
The fields were almost completely silent now, and Henry and Wilson didn't know how to react. They had become accustomed to the constant sounds of artillery and fighting. The regiment received orders to go back to another location, and all the men grunted as they got up to move. Henry turned to his friend and said "Well, it's all over." He reflected on everything he had gone through and the changes he'd seen in himself. He thought about how proud his comrades were of him, and how well he had done. But as he thought, his thoughts went back to the first battle from which he had fled, and to the tattered man he had abandoned. He felt guilty and ashamed, but finally was able to put his mistake in the distance and move on. When it started to rain, Henry still was happy. He had been through the pain and horror of war, and came out a better person, a man.

Response -
In this chapter, Henry looked back on everything he had been through. He had earned the respect of the men in his regiment and successfully hidden his fear from them. He finally looked back on the scene with the tattered man and felt remorseful. He was able to feel guilt and shame, but move on. I think that showed how he had matured. He didn't run from his fear or regret, but faced it and dealt with it.

Questions -
If the war was over, why were there still men fighting ( at the house?)

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 23

Abstract -
In the beginning of this chapter, the colonel is telling the men they'll have to charge the enemy if they want to survive. As they advance, Henry realizes most of the men will be lost before they even get to the rebels. As he ran, Henry thought about what it would be like when the two armies collided. He thought that the ultimate source of pride would come from obtaining the other side's flag. He and his friend leaped towards it. Wilson got the flag and held it up, and men in the regiment threw up their hats if they still had them. The regiment captured 4 men. Henry went to the edge of the field and sat down to rest. His friend came over with the flag proudly, and they congratulated each other.

Response -
I think the flag represents the new Henry. He is stronger, more courageous, and ready to fight. By holding the flag, he was positively recognized by his superiors. The flag is what keeps Henry and the rest of the army going; it's their strength. When Wilson gets the other side's flag, he's extremely happy and proud of himself. The whole regiment is excited, did that mean that they had won the battle? When they took the captives, it seemed the fighting was over. Had the battle ended?

Questions -
Is Henry happy that his friend got the flag, or does he feel bitter that he didn't get it?

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 22

Abstract -
Henry was observing all the other regiments fight, and when his regiment was up to battle, he again went to the front. The enemy was approaching and many men on Henry's side were being shot down. A lieutenant was shot through the cheeks, and headed towards the back of the regiment. Henry looked around for his friend, and saw him somewhere beside him still fighting. Henry decided the only revenge he could get on the man who called his regiment mule drivers and mud diggers was for him to see Henry's dead body on the battlefield and know that he gave his life in battle. The regiment was getting weaker and weaker, and Henry noticed that the lieutenant's voice was growing weaker along with them.

Response -
At the beginning, I didn't understand why Henry was just waiting and watching the other regiments fight. Was his regiment next in line to fight, or was he standing by himself? When they start fighting, Henry looks around for his friend. I think that shows how much he had changed because he had gone from only looking out for himself to caring about his friend and the other men close to him in the army. At the end, the lieutenant represented the strength of Henry's regiment. Even though he had been wounded, he kept fighting and going on. In the end, he was growing weaker and couldn't be strong for his men anymore. They would have to find strength in themselves to continue fighting and win the battle.

Questions -
Is Henry's goal to be killed now to get revenge on the general, or is he just thinking that?

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 21

Abstract -
The men were walking back to safety in the beginning of this chapter. On the way, they passed a regiment lying in the shade. The regiment taunted and teased the men, and Henry was offended by their words. Once they arrived back to the grounds they had left to attack the rebels, a general came and yelled at the lieutenant because if they had gone 100 feet more, they would've made a great attack. The general insulted the men and called them "mud diggers." Henry and Wilson started talking about how they hated the general for saying that they were pretty much useless when a few other men came up and told them that the colonel and lieutenants were talking about the two young men and how they were at the front of the regiment the whole time, and should be promoted to generals. They both felt proud and happy. For the moment they forgot about their past and were glad to be where they were.

Response -
I think Henry was hurt by the words of the other regiment because he was so inexperienced with war and the men outside of his regiment. I don't understand why the men sitting in the shade were mocking the regiment that had just been in battle, when they were just relaxing. The men talked about not wanting to be a part of the army if everything they did went unappreciated. The general made it clear that they never did anything the way he wanted them to. At the end, when he hears about the young men that lead the regiment, I think his opinion changes and he reevaluates his judgement on the men.

Questions -
The book uses insults like "sheep" and "mud diggers." What are they suppose to mean, and why are the men so effected by it?

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 20

Abstract -
When Henry and his friend turned back to the regiment with the flag, they noticed most of it had dissapeared. The regiment was heading back towards the woods and started marching again. When the regiment was put under fire again, many men "accepted the bullets" and allowed themselves to be shot. Henry wanted to get revenge on the man who had called his regiment mule drivers. Henry's friend came up to him and said, "Well Henry, I guess this is good-by-John" and Henry told him to shut up. They could see the enemy approaching, so close they could see their faces. After a while, the field was empty, and the men were happy. They were confident again, and even though they weren't the best fighters they had renewed their faith in themselves.

Response -
At the beginning, Henry and his friend were fighting over who should hold the flag. It said they both had faith in each other to have it, but they both wanted to be the one holding it. Was the man with the flag the first to charge, or why were they so intent on having it? Did they hold back the enemy, or had they run to a new camp when they saw the empty fields filled with smoke? It says they were joyous and had regained confidence in themselves, but it also commented that the men weren't any better at fighting.

Questions -
What does is meant by, "It had begun to seem to them that events were trying to prove that they were impotent. These little battles had evidently endeavored to demonstrate that the men could not fight well. When on the verge of submission to these opinions, the small duel had showed them that the proportions were not impossible, and by it they had revenged themselves upon their misgivings and upon the foe" ?

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 19

Abstract -
The regiment is going to make their attack on the enemy, leaving a trail of dead soldiers as they ran and were shot. Henry noticed everything about the land they ran upon, from the grass to the men he was running alongside. When the troop slowed down and the lieutenant was yelling at them to keep moving, Henry's friend shot at the smoke in the woods and started a chain reaction among the men who began shooting into the smoke with him. The lieutenant yelled that they'd have to cross over and start in a new direction. Henry developed a love for the flag that represented what he was fighting for. A color sergeant reached for it and died, clutching onto it. Henry's friend took it from his grasp and the corpse's arm swung forward catching his shoulder.

Response -
I think Henry's change is more and more evident with every obstacle he faces. He is becoming more willing to risk his health and life, and he's much less scared than he was just a couple days ago. He has become a leader for his regiment, and someone the lieutenants and generals would be proud of.

Questions -
Why was this the first time Henry had noticed the flag's beauty?
Where were they planning on going when they switched directions?

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 18

Abstract -
Once the battle was over, the regiment noticed a man who was shot, screaming for help. Henry and his friend went to a stream to get water for him. They overheard generals talking about charging the enemy, and asking if anyone had any troops to spare to hold back the rebels who were planning another attack. A general said he could spare the 304th because they fought hard. Henry and his friend brought the news back to the lieutenant. Henry was shocked at how casually the troops were referred to, and how little his part in the war was. As the officer approached the regiment, the men realized the two young men were telling the truth. Only Henry and Wilson knew that not many of the soldiers would be returning from this battle. There was hell to pay.

Response -
I think Henry felt belittled by the colonel and the officers that were talking. They referred to the men like they weren't humans, but killing machines that may or may not survive during this attack. Although he might have been bitter towards them, he understood why they acted that way and he wanted to go fight. This was their chance to catch the rebels off guard and he would be able to be a part of it. With his new found confidence and fighting ability, he wanted to go in and give the battle everything he had.

Questions -
Did Henry want to die so that he would die a hero instead of a coward?

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 17

Abstract -
At the beginning of chapter 17, Henry was thinking about the hatred he felt towards the enemy. Their men never seemed to tire out, and his army was always on the defense or backing away from battle. He didn't understand how they had such strength to continually fight. He wanted to seek revenge on the enemy and annihilate them. During the battle he shot at all the shadows he saw through the smoke. When the enemy retreated, he kept shooting until he heard one of the men laughing and telling him there was nothing left to shoot at. The lieutenant seemed to be extremely proud of Henry and the rest of the men looked upon him as a war devil. He said the army would never see another new regiment like theirs.

Response -
This chapter seems to be like the beginning of Henry's change. He stayed with his regiment and fought. He was able to find the hatred he needed to fight the enemy and want to annihilate them. He made his superiors proud, and found the strength to be a part of the fighting.

Questions -
Is Henry planning on staying with his regiment now or will he end up leaving again?

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 16

Abstract -
Henry and the regiment were moved into a trench to relieve some other men that had been there for a long time. His friend falls asleep as soon as they get there, and when he awakes they discuss the generals over the loud sounds of artillery in the near distance. His friend thinks that they have been fighting as hard as they can, but they just haven't had enough luck to win a battle. Henry thinks it's the generals' fault and calls them stupid. A sarcastic man interrupted Henry and asked if he thought he fought the whole battle himself the day before. Henry realized that he couldn't be so loud if he doesn't want people to question him, and he becomes modest. They march into the forest and Henry starts arguing with his friend again, complaining about how they don't even know why they march all over the place, always running from the rebels only to get defeated in battle. His friend said it would all turn out okay in the end, but Henry wasn't convinced. Before he could go on, a sergeant yelled at the two younger boys. He told them they'd have all the fighting they wanted soon enough and that they should just shut up. Then there were gunshots that lit up the area around the regiment. The men stood ready yet almost unwilling to fight.

Response -
Henry doesn't have the experience that some of the other soldiers have, but he constantly is complaining or thinking negatively about the war. He never thinks they'll win and has little faith in his leaders. Even when his friend tries to calm him down and tell him it will eventually be okay, he doesn't listen. He says they don't have any luck and they're destined to lose. Why does he have such a negative mindset? He hasn't been a part of enough battles to think so pessimistically about the outcome of the war. I think the death of Jim and seeing other men fight and run ruined his spirits in a way. Although he didn't necessarily go into the war prepared or excited, it seems his motivation to fight drops everyday.

Questions -
After Henry decides to become more humble, why does he continue to complain and make a scene?

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 15

Abstract -
At the beginning of chapter 15, Henry remembers the envelope that the loud soldier gave him a few days ago, thinking he would die during battle. He is happy to have it now because if the loud soldier brings up talk of the day Henry was missing, Henry will have a way out of the conversation, giving him the upperhand. Henry felt like a veteran after his experiences from the day before. His confidence was growing, and he feared battle much less than he had before. A little while later, the loud soldier told Henry he might as well take the letters back since he was still alive. Henry took a long time giving them up, but returned the letters to his friend.
Response -
Henry has a false sense of confidence in the beginning of the chapter. He feels like a veteran, yet he's only actually been a part of one battle. He had watched others fight and run, but hadn't experienced it himself. I don't think he truly understood what the war was really like because he had avoided the main part of it the entire time he'd been there.

Questions -
"Too bad! Too bad! The poor devil, it makes him feel tough!" What did he mean by this?

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 14

Abstract -
When Henry woke up and saw the regiment, he briefly forgot about the night before and thought he was in a house of the dead, surrounded by hundreds of dead men. He didn't want to move until another man did, so that he knew they were alive. His friend noticed he was awake and asked him how he felt. Henry still felt horrible, and his friend was disappointed. They went to eat, hoping that would help. When they started talking, Henry noticed how much mature the loud soldier seemed. They talked and argued with the other soldiers for a while. Then the loud soldier told Henry how they had lost half the regiment the other day, but they kept coming back like he did, saying they had been fighting with other regiments.

Response -
When Henry sees the loud soldier again, I think he starts to truly understand how much war can change people. After only one or two battles, the loud immature soldier had seemingly grown up and become much more realistic. Henry comments on how the loud soldier would've bet anything they could've taken on the whole rebel army a few days ago, but now he was questioning their ability to win the war. When Henry says "So," at the end of the chapter, I didn't understand if he was trying to cover up his lie, or if he actually believed the other men had been with different regiments and it wasn't anything out of the ordinary.

Questions -
Does Henry feel guilty for lying to the loud soldier?
How does it effect Henry when he sees the loud soldier in this new light?

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 13

Abstract -
Henry walked down to the fire and was recognized by a few of the men in the regiment. He was too weak to make up a good story, so he just told them he had gotten separated somehow from the rest of them and had been fighting on the right side, and was shot in the head. Wilson looked at his head and told him the bullet must've just grazed his head because there wasn't a bullet, but a weird lump. He laid down by the fire, and only saw the faces of tired soldiers. After they finished fixing his head wound, the loud soldier gave Henry his blankets to sleep on and told him to go to bed. They fell asleep listening to the guns in the distance.

Response -
The way the soldiers reacted to Henry coming back showed how many men they'd lost. They all thought he was dead, and when he returned they just tried to make him comfortable and take care of him. One of the men told Henry how strong he was because he hadn't gone to the hospital with his head wound. I think that made Henry feel guilty because he wasn't worthy of the pride the men had in him.

Questions -
Does Henry want to stay with his regiment now that he knows they stand behind him, or is he still too scared to be part of the war?

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 12

Abstract -
Henry realizes yet another battle is going on, and finds himself in the midst of a crowd of running men. He gets hit in the head with a gun and falls down, unable to stay standing or see straight. When he could stand up, he moved away from the rest of his army. He could hear the artillery and thought he could see heaving groups of men. As he walked, he thought of home and the luxuries he'd taken for granted before. A man walked up behind him and joined him on his walk. The man asked him what regiment he was in and why he was so far from it. He told him about the battle he was in and a sergeant that was shot in the head. The man took Henry to where his regiment was and told him good luck. The entire time they had been walking together, Henry hadn't looked at his face. When the man walked away, Henry realized this, and was shocked that someone he'd never met was so friendly and just like that was gone.

Response -
I think at the end, Henry felt sad that he hadn't seen the friendly man's face. He had helped Henry for no reason and gotten nothing in return. The friendly man could symbolize the length of friendships in war, and how quickly nice people are taken away from the soldiers who need them most. At the beginning of the chapter, all the men were running from something... how did Henry manage to get by without running into the enemy they were running from?

Questions -
Will Henry decide to go back to his regiment and lie, or will he continue running away?

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 11

Abstract -
Henry is alone now, and sees/hears another battle going on. He sees men retreating and feels comforted by it. He searches for a justification to running away and tries to make himself feel better by saying that he ran because he was smart, and those men were crazy to stay and fight. He thought about his regiment, and how much they would sneer at and hate him, if he ever could find them. He finally realized how hungry, thirsty, and weak his body was. He had been so preoccupied with Jim and all the adversity that he hadn't paid any attention to himself. He wished that the army would lose a battle or two so that the regiments would scatter, creating an opportunity for him to join a new regiment without being questioned.

Response -
I think Henry wants to get back in the regiment for a sense of security. Although it's much more dangerous than avoiding everybody, he would have food and water, and he wouldn't constantly have to be worried about people finding out that he ran away. He feels so ashamed that he ran, but it's not causing him to take action to redeem himself. He was trying to think up stories to tell the regiment so they wouldn't ridicule him, but every story had a weak spot they would be able to see through.

Questions -
At the end of the chapter, Henry was afraid that "some arrow of scorn might lay him mentally low before he could raise his protective tale." Did he mean that he was scared someone would kill him before he could tell them one of the untruthful stories he made up to cover the fact that he had run away?

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 10

Abstract -
Henry and the old man were standing around Jim's dead body at the beginning of this chapter. The old man was talking about the unusual manner in which Jim died. He told Henry how he was wounded, and Henry thought he was going to die. He wasn't ready to face another death of someone he had just gotten to know. The old man went on to ask Henry about his wounds again, and Henry got angry at him. He felt ashamed and told the old man off. Then he left the old man alone in the field and walked away.

Response -
Henry was still in shock from Jim's death when the old man started talking about it. I don't think he was as accustomed to death as the older man was because he wasn't as experienced in war. He got angry with the old man because he kept bringing up his wounds, and Henry didn't have any to show. He was ashamed of himself for running and not earning his "red badge of courage." At the end of the chapter, the change Henry was going through becomes apparent. He walks away from the old man, leaving him to die in the battlefield. I think Jim's death hardened him as a soldier and made him stronger.

Questions -
Henry felt guilt for not having wounds, but did he feel guilt for leaving the old man to die alone?

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 9

Abstract -
Henry worked his way to the back of the regiment, away from the old man, until he found himself with a bunch of wounded soldiers. He notices a tall soldier who was walking at a slower pace than the rest of the men, some of whom had slowed with him. He was motioning at them to continue walking and leave him alone. Suddenly Henry realized it was Jim, and ran up to him asking what happened. Jim asked him where he had been, and told him he'd been shot. Jim talked about his friendship with Henry, and asked him to take him out of the road if he died there. He said his biggest fear was to get run over by the enemy if he was left in the road. He started running, and Henry followed him, asking where he was going. Jim stopped running, and it seemed he had found the resting place he was looking for. He fell to the ground and Henry went over to his body. He shook his fist in the air and said "Hell."


Response -
Henry thought about the shame he was feeling when he was walking with the regiment. He didn't feel like he deserved to be with the rest of the men who had the courage to stay in battle and when he noticed Jim, those feelings just intensifyed. At the end when he says "Hell," I think he meant that he was going to give the enemy hell for killing his friend. Before he didn't have the anger towards the other men, but through the personal loss, he was able to find the hatred and motivation to try and help his army win the war.

Questions -
Did Henry find his old regiment, or was Jim in a different one when Henry showed up?

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 8

Abstract -
Henry was sitting in the forest listening to the sounds of nature when he heard artillery noises. He started running towards the battle, and came across a camp with a few dead soldiers. He saw a regiment walking, singing a victory song. Some of the men were wounded, and he joined in with them. A man he was walking by started talking about the fight, and Henry just went along with it. The man told him about when he talked to some men from Georgia once, and they told him all the men in his army would run at the first shot of a gun. He asked Henry where he was hit, and Henry stopped walking. The man stared after him, and Henry just stared at the button on his coat.

Response -
How did Henry sneak into the regiment without being noticed? He wasn't as torn up as the rest of the men, and none of them would've recognized him. When he was observing them, I think he was thinking about how much he wished he would've stayed with his regiment instead of running away, not only because they had won, but because he had nowhere to go now. The old man talked to Henry without questioning him at first, and I think he just wanted to express his excitement from winning the battle and the pride he had in the army. I think Henry felt extremely guilty hearing about that because he wasn't worthy of the pride the old man had, and he had run like the enemy said most of the men would.

Questions -
What did the man mean by "Where are you hit," and why did Henry react the way he did?

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 7

Abstract - 

Henry hears the victorious cries of the regiment and finds out that they had one. Everyone is celebrating, but he feels "wronged." He felt bitter towards his comrades, and considered them idiots for staying and fighting when death was almost a certainty. To get away from the noise and sound of gunshots and war, Henry went into the forest. He threw a pine cone at a squirrel and it ran, reassuring him that he had done the right thing by running away from the battle. He told himself that it was nature's way to run when you're in danger. As he kept walking in the forest, he came across a dead man wearing what once was a blue uniform. The corpse was propped up against a tree with its eyes and mouth open. Henry stared at it for a while, and when he broke his stare, he ran from the corpse in fear that it may jump up or that the ants crawling all over him would follow him and eat his flesh. 

Response -

I think Henry feels bitter towards the men because he wanted to be a part of the victory, not because he thought they were stupid for not fleeing from death. He hears about the battle and is mad because he could've stayed, but he ran and now he doesn't know what to do. I think the corpse represented what could lay ahead for Henry, or what he thinks is his future. 

Questions - 

Henry talked about how he could picture the ridicule he'd receive from his comrades if he went back to camp. What does Henry plan on doing now?

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 6

Abstract - 

At the beginning of the chapter, Henry and the other men were rejoicing about their victory of holding back the enemy, when someone yelled "Here they come ag'in!" The rebel army was coming back for another battle. The closer they got, the more the men complained and were frightened. They didn't think they could fight again, especially since they were just relaxing. When the enemy was very close, Henry saw a few men start running towards the back of the regiment, abandoning their weapons, and he followed them. He ran fast, hoping to keep people behind them so they would die first. As he was running, he came upon a general. He snuck around him and the group he was with, and tried to listen to what he was saying. The general was sending a messenger to tell the regiment on the edge of the forest to halt their brigade. A moment later, he heard the general excitedly talking about how they had held back the rebel army.

Response -

I don't understand Henry's motive to run. Even though they had just been in battle, he had proven to himself that he could fight and that he did have the courage to stay with his regiment. Was he swayed by the sight of other soldiers running? Did anybody see him run? I don't see how he could get away and leave the rest of his comrades to fight on their own. I also questioned the scene with the general. When the general sent the messenger, did he know that they had held back the enemy, or did he find out later? The generals excitement is a great example of how winning small fights doesn't necessarily give you the upper-hand in war, but it gives you the confidence of knowing you can fight and hold your own.

Questions - 

When Henry started running, it mentioned that he thought the whole regiment was backing away. Did he really think that, or was he trying to justify running away? 

The Red Badge of Courage - Quiz 1

1. What advice does Henry's mother give him?

Henry's mother tells him to be safe and always watch his back. She tells him to stay away from the rough, bitter men who would change who he was and how he felt about war and life. She also talks to him about how he can't trust anyone, and he needs to look out for himself.

2. What question is Henry struggling with?

Henry is trying to decide whether or not he'll run away when faced with the enemy in battle. He doesn't know if he'll have the courage to stay and fight with the men around him or if he'll get scared and run off. 

3. What does the "dead soldier" represent?

To Henry, the dead soldier was a reminder of the reality of war. I think he symbolized the epitome of Henry's fears, and just how serious things would get. Many of the men didn't even give the dead soldier a second glance and it showed how used to death they were, and the severity of their situation. 

4. What is the "red rage?" Describe.

The red rage is what soldiers go through during war. They don't see men as people anymore and they become killing machines. They get angry at the obstacles in their way (like the thick smoke.) 

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 5

Abstract -
Henry was thinking about home when he heard someone call "Here they come!" Everyone prepared and loaded their guns. Brown uniforms emerged out of the smokey fields, and Henry tried to remember if his gun had been loaded, but couldn't. When he saw the enemy, he forgot about his fear, shot the first shot and fought with his regiment. Battle broke out between the troops, and many of Henry's regiment were dying or being injured. They ended up holding back the enemy in their battle, but once the fighting was over Henry realized how big the battle really was. They were surrounded by other battles, still unfinished. He recognized the beauty of the day and how odd it was that nature could continue on being so wonderful when such horrible things were going on all around it.

Response -
Henry describes himself as overcome with "red rage," not towards the other men necessarily, but at the conditions they were fighting in. "Buried in the smoke of many rifles his anger was directed not so much against the men whom he knew were rushing toward him as against the swirling battle phantoms which were choking him, stuffing their smoke robes down his parched throat. He fought frantically for respite for his senses, for air, as a babe being smothered attacks the deadly blankets." I think Henry suprised himself by staying and fighting with his comrades, and I think he felt proud that he didn't run away. It shows how much death they were exposed to when the narrator describes the reaction Henry and the other men had to all the men that were wounded and dying around them.

Questions -
What are batteries? What made Henry stay... was it the fact that he had no way out, or did he realize that he had more courage than he thought?

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 4

Abstract -
In chapter four, the regiment was talking about rumors they'd heard about the battle. They talked about the man whose hand was stepped on in chapter three, and the generals leading the regiment that was in the battle. Then gunshots flew everywhere and the lieutenant's hand was shot. Smoke filled the battleground and the battle flag fell down. Henry thought as the men fought, and came up with this conclusion: "The composite monster which had caused the other troops to flee had not then appeared. He resolved to get a view of it, and then, he thought he might very likely run better than the best of them."

Response -
I think that the flag falling down symbolized the decreased faith the troops had in themselves. They had been negative when walking around, and mentioned how much they needed to start winning some battles. One thing I didn't completely follow was where the soldiers were in the beginning. They go from talking about the previous battle and what they'd heard straight into fighting in the smoke.

Questions -
In the last sentence of the chapter (quote mentioned in my abstract,) did Henry finally decide A) that he would run or B) that he would run if he wasn't in such a state of shock?
What were they talking about when they talked about the batt'ry?

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 3

Abstract -

In chapter 3, the regiment walked around, moving from trench to trench. Some of the soldiers made walls of sticks or stones to block gunshots, and others decided to be prepared to fight without a safety zone. They came across a dead soldier while they were walking. They paid little attention, and just walked around it. Henry had the urge to stop and stare at it, and didn't understand why the rest of the men just avoided it. While they were eating lunch, a couple of the younger soldiers questioned why they were tiring themselves out by walking around when they should be saving their energy for battle. The tall soldier tried to explain to them why they were marching, but they didn't listen. In the afternoon they went back to the same land they were on in the morning, and Henry felt less frightened by it because it was familiar. He continued to question himself, wondering if death would be a greater alternative to running away. They finally emerge in battle, and Henry stays back, staring at them. The loud soldier gave Henry an envelope to give to his parents and said it would be his first and last battle, and walked away.

Response -

I was confused by the beginning of the chapter when the regiment was just walking around to different campsites. Were they looking for the enemy, avoiding it, or just waiting to run into them? I also was confused by the end. The loud soldier and Henry were just hanging back... were they planning on running away or why weren't they fighting? Henry confessed to being scared the whole time, but he never really made a decision; he had just been battling between dying quickly or running. I think it shows how young and inexperienced Henry was when he saw the corpse. None of the other guys seemed to be affected by it, but he took an interest.

Questions -

When the men were walking around and "shed their knapsacks," what did they do with them? If they had their food and extra necessities in their bags, why would they get rid of them? Had the loud soldier already been wounded when he talked to Henry, or did he just think he was going to die?

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 2

Abstract -

At the beginning of chapter 2, you find out that the message was wrong and the troop was staying at the camp longer. Many of the men fought with and sneered at those who believed they'd be moving. Henry continued to worry about whether or not he would run away when faced with a battle, and finally decided he wouldn't know until the time came. He listened to his comrades talk excitedly about battle and sometimes thought they were lying. One morning, a general came to their camp and the regiment finally got to move into action. They were moving in behind the enemy. They put tents up and made fires in the fields. Henry distanced himself from the rest of his troop and laid in the grass, thinking about the work he had to do at home. He remembered how much he hated working with the cows on the farm and wished he could be there now, instead of in the war. The loud soldier came and found him, and talked to him about how excited he was that they were moving in on the enemy. The young soldier asked him if he would ever run away, and the man tells him he doesn't think he would. They argue a little and the loud soldier leaves Henry to admit to himself that he doesn't think he'll be able to handle being in the war.

Response -

I think Henry felt a little relieved when he first found out they weren't going to make any moves. Then he started thinking about how unsure he was of himself, and wished they would go into battle right away. "He finally concluded that the only way to prove himself was to go into the blaze, and then figuratively to watch his legs to discover their merits and faults. He reluctantly admitted that he could not sit still and with a metal slate and pencil derive an answer. To gain it he must have blaze, blood, and danger, even as a chemist requires this, that, and the other. So he fretted for an opportunity." He wanted to know if he had the courage and strength that he needed to have in order to stay in the war and be a good soldier. He is very dependent on the feelings and thoughts of others, and always observes the people around him to see if he's alone in his fear.

Questions -

He's been questioning himself the entire time, and even when he knows other people have worried of the same things, he's unsatisfied. What makes Henry so unsure of himself?

The Red Badge of Courage - Chapter 1

Abstract -

The chapter starts out with a soldier running to the camp with news that they will finally be moving and starting a battle. Some of the troop are excited, others don't believe the rumor. They had gotten ready to move before, and hadn't gone anywhere. A young soldier hears the news and goes off by himself to think about the battle that might occur. He thinks about when he enlisted and the sense of pride he got from others' reactions to his uniform. He also thinks about his mother's reaction to him enlisting in the army against her wishes. Two other soldiers come in and are still arguing about whether or not they'll be moving into battle the next day. Henry, the young soldier, listens as they talk and asks if they'd ever thought about running from a battle. They laughed at first, but then said that they would probably run if a bunch of guys did. At the end of the chapter, Henry felt a little better because he didn't know if he'd run during a battle or not, and hearing that other soldiers had felt the same way comforted him.

Response -

The most obvious theme, courage, is evident in the first chapter. Henry is searching for courage during a time when he has no idea where to find it. He's scared that he won't have the courage to fight during a battle, and that he'll end up running away. When Henry tells his mom he enlisted, she says: "The Lord's will be done." I didn't understand what she meant by that. She goes on to talk about how he needs to take care of and watch out for himself. On one hand, she could've meant that what's done is done and if he's careful he'll be okay. On the other hand, she could've meant that the Lord doesn't want people to fight, and he'd be condemned to hell for being part of the war.

Questions -

His mother clearly didn't want him to go to war and mentioned something about the character of his father. Is his father dead or did he leave them?