The Red hunting cap
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? This symbol comes up in the novel when he buys the red hunting hat in New York. This impacts whats going on because when he puts on the cap he feels more confident.
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? He is embarrassed to wear the hat in front of people but he feels safe and confident with it.
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? When Holden is alone and waring the hat he feels more confident and feels better. When he is out he is embarrassed to put the hat on. There is a connection because he is afraid to be an outcast because he is waring something different.
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? It tells us that he cares about what his appearance is. This is a weakness because he cares more about what others think then he does 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. A pattern that we have picked up was that he is embarrassed to ware the cap because he cares more about what others think then what he does.
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? This symbol comes up in the novel when he buys the red hunting hat in New York. This impacts whats going on because when he puts on the cap he feels more confident.
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? He is embarrassed to wear the hat in front of people but he feels safe and confident with it.
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? When Holden is alone and waring the hat he feels more confident and feels better. When he is out he is embarrassed to put the hat on. There is a connection because he is afraid to be an outcast because he is waring something different.
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? It tells us that he cares about what his appearance is. This is a weakness because he cares more about what others think then he does 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. A pattern that we have picked up was that he is embarrassed to ware the cap because he cares more about what others think then what he does.