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=Prewriting Questions= -death/dying/kill death Death relates to Allie dying. Holden doesn't doesn't like to talk about him that much, but sometimes likes to think he is still with him. on page 38, when Holden is writing Stradlater's essay, he talks about his brother's life and how important the glove was to him. After finishing the essay, Stradlater doesn't appreciate Holden's work, which really upsets him.  Holden is sensitive when it comes to talking about Allie. He is also open minded when it comes to talking about killing others or even himself. He almost seems fascinated by the idea of himself dying (pg.103), either getting shot in tho stomach or getting sick and dying on a park bench(155). Killing others, like Maurice, also is a related topic(104). Most of the time he is thinking about death alone, but when it comes to Allie and being the catcher in the rye he is open about it, but only to his sister Phoebe. (171-174) He likes to compare his sister to Allie (67) It shows his sensitive side. He acts like a tough guy throughout the book, not trying to get to know anyone, when really he wants that attachment. He is scared to get attached because he doesn't want to lose someone else, like he lost Allie. It seems because he is so lonely, that he actually wants to die.
 * How does the symbol/motif come up in the novel, and how does it impact what is going on? What happens immediately preceding or immediately following a mention or discussion of this idea or thing?
 * What is the mood when this idea or thing is brought up? Would you associate this with times when Holden is content? frightened? frantic? confused? Is this mood consistent with every incidence of this motif?
 * Is Holden alone when this motif/symbol occurs? If not, with whom is he interacting? How would you characterize that interaction? Does this motif occur both when he is alone and when he is with other people? Is there a connection to be made?
 * What does this motif/symbol tell you about Holden, in a “big picture” way - Does this suggest anything about his personality? His weaknesses or strengths? His sense of himself?
 * Tie it all together: Did any pattern emerge? Pick out other words or ideas used in conjunction with this motif. **Look back on your investigation and come up with a single sentence that sums up what you’ve discovered.**
 *   Holden has experienced death in his family; he has faced it alone, and wants to be a person in the world to protect people from ever having to go through it. **