paper #1

Sarah Ota
February 8, 2008
English
Paper #1
The Connections of Lives
The story that I chose to tell was about how there is this one frustrating thing that my parents do to me, which is making me repeat what I am saying more than one time. Basically doing the whole "selective hearing" stuff that I just cant stand. This particular situation is about me asking the permission of my parents to go to the beach with my friends. I wrote about how frustrating and how much I need to go through to try to get the approval of my parents to go anywhere. The emotions and aggravation that I feel when talking to my parents are the same in which Holden feels when he is talking to Mr. Spencer. An example in the book is on page 10, when Holden goes to visit Mr. Spencer before he leaves.
"I flunked you in history because you knew absolutely nothing."
"I know that sir. Boy, I know it. You couldn't help it."
"Absolutely nothing," Mr. Spencer said over again.
Holden then talks about how he hates when people repeat a statement twice and it really irks him. I can totally relate to the feeling of anger that Holden is feeling when Mr. Spencer does that, because my parents do the exact same thing.
Another example of it is on page 20, when Holden is talking with Ackley.
"We win, or what?" he said.
"Nobody won," I said. Without looking up, though.
"What?" he said. He always made you say everything twice.
"Nobody won," I said.
I guess in the way, Holden and I are similar since we both are easily irritated. Like when I was reading this story and came across both of those situations, I thought to myself I that is exactly how I am, and I can really relate to Holden's character in that way. Another similarity between Holden and I is that we both say things just to make the person feel like we agree what they are saying. When my parents ask me questions and sometimes I know that they are not going to like the answer, I sugarcoat my answer and make it sound better than it is. Holden does it a little differently by just straight out, one hundred percent, lying to the person, but we think similarly. For example on page 8, Holden speaks with Mr. Spencer.
"Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules."
"Yes, sir. I know it is. I know it."
While inside thinking, "Game, my ass. Some game."
So basically he just tells Mr. Spencer what he wants to hear just to make him be quiet and not argue back with him, which is what I do a lot when dealing with my parents.
Holden seems to have a problem with his parents as well as adults in general and I think that also is something that we share. He always has some kind of conflict with an adult if its not the bartender it's the taxi driver if its not the taxi driver its his parents. And I think I am also like that. But from reading it from a third point of view I think it helped me learn something. That most of the time even though it might be the last thought that would ever cross my mind, its me or as I've been seeing it in the book, its Holden who is the one that causes the conflict and trouble between people. By reading about this, it seems like it is a sign of immaturity, and needing someone to be blamed other than yourself, so I learned that I need to learn to take more responsibility for my actions.