Paragraph: What’s My Age Again reflects Holden through the lyrics because Holden acts with the same immaturity as the person in the song, and they because they both need to learn to act their age. Both the artist and Holden have a bad experience on a date with a girl because they choose to act in a childish manner. “I took her out it was a Friday night. I wore cologne to get the feeling right. We started making out and she took off my pants. But then I turned on the TV. And that's about the time that she walked away from me.” These lyrics from the song conveys both how Holden and the singer yearned for an entertaining night. Holden as well when he spies Sally he’s thrilled. Another example of the similarities between the musician and Holden is that they both call their “girls” at inappropriate times. In the song the woman’s mother picks up whereas in The Catcher in the Rye Sally’s grandmother picks up. Holden treats her with little respect “Wake ‘er up! Wake ‘er up, hey. Attaboy.” (150). The lyrics from the song state that he lied to the mother about her husband. In both cases the adults are treated with little respect, which reveals premature character. Holden finds himself in several situations, which he deals with in inane manner, his reactions relate to the lyrics of the song What’s My Age Again.
Where to place: The song What’s My Age Again if it was in The Catcher in the Rye would be placed on page 134. This is right after Holden left Sally when she wouldn’t agree to running away with him to the forest. This song fits perfectly here because it’s lyrics describe a person who does the wrong thing in a bad moment, and how he doesn’t know how to act his age. This is an appropriate song choice for Holden because he is stuck in the middle not knowing how to act. This song agrees with Holden’s personality because both the song’s person and Holden need to learn to grow up and that some things aren’t appropriate.
Thesis: What’s My Age Again reflects Holden through the lyrics because Holden acts with the same immaturity as the person in the song, and they because they both need to learn to act their age.
I think this you picked a great song to describe Holden's personality. I agree with your statement that the person in the song immature like Holden. Also, where you placed the song in the book PERFECT. Holden is being immature in and childish, which is why Sally left him. Just like in the song "nobody likes you when your 23" and "my friends say I should act my age". In the scene where Sally leaves Holden, Holden is also accused of not being old enough and mature enough. The line "We started making out...etc" shows the person's loss of innocence and immaturity-just like Holden. You show a lot of knowledge of Holden and you did a great job explicating the song!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lindsay, because of the fact that Holden is accused of being immature. In addition, the song itself is uplifting/in a major key, which illustrates a childish or innocent mindset. Also, Ellie does a great job of explaining how the fact that Holden acts insolent towards the adults shows his lack of maturity, and in the song, the singer says, "I called her mom from a pay phone, I said I was the cops, And your husband's in jail", which clearly shows a childish immaturity.
ReplyDelete