The Catcher in the Rye and Slang

Guiding Questions: How does slang help us understand Holden's struggles and the time he lives in? What role does slang play in a culture? Does it play the same role in this novel?

The Role of Slang

Think about the slang you, or others, use today. Let's come up with a few terms. (For example, back in the 80s when I was your age, we used terms like "chill", "cool beans", "gnarly" and "heinous.") So...why do you use slang and what is the effect of using slang?

Catcher Activity: In groups you will investigate the use of slang in The Catcher in the Rye.

• Group 1 Chapters 1-4 (1-5)
• Group 2 Chapters 5-7 (6-9)
• Group 3 Chapters 8-12 (10-13)
• Group 4 Chapters 13-16 (14-18)

Directions:

1. Each group will find at least five slang words for the assigned chapters and write them on the board
2. Beside each word, come up with a definition of the word...without consulting a dictionary
3. Once you are finished writing your own definitions, consult a dictionary and found out the true meaning of the slang words.

Reflection: Using or referencing two of the words you found, answer one of the following in a few sentences:

1. How does this slang help identify Holden's main concerns and struggles?
2. How does this slang help us understand the time he lives in?
3. What does the use of slang add to this novel?

Assignment: We'll be reading a few more chapters for our next class, but we'll also be starting a fun writing assignment.