The Impact of the Written Word

The impact of the written word can be very sevre. Some people become obsessed with something that they like to read or watch. The Catcher in the Rye, Twilight, Harry Potter and Star Wars are all examples of the written word that peole become very obsessed with. Some people's obsession are more positive, while others become very negative for them.

The Catcher in The Rye became a way of like for Mark David Chapman. He thought that he was Holden Claufeild. His obsession with the book was a not positive for him. He had mental problems, and once he read the book he thought that was him. He thought that John Lennon knew where the ducks went in the winter. He felt that he needed to know this answer. He met John Lennon, and then later that night he shot him five times. Mark David Chapmin become so obsessed with the Catcher in the Rye that he thought that the book made him kill John Lennon.

People have gone completely crazy for the Twilight Saga. The books, and the movies are good, but some people take the whole thing to a crazy level. In 2009, have shown that Twilight influenced baby names. People were actually naming there babies after book charachters they liked. There are alot of stories about women not wanting to date, or getting divorced because men are not enought like Edward, the main characher.

People are obsessed with Twilight are bad, but people obsessed with Harry Potter are worse. From waiting in line for days for the books and movies, to thinking you can do magic themselves. There have actually been reports of people becoming depressed because the series has ended. There have been parts of theme parks dedicated to the Harry Potter series. There are some who do not think that Harry Potter is so great. There are some that think Harry Potter is a link to Satanism. They think that it is bringing people to the devil.

Star Wars has been an obsession of many for a long time. There is one man that has spent over three thousand dollars on Star Wars items. The camera that George Lucas the creater shot with was auctioned off for $625,000. Star Wars obsessies will go to any length to get the memorabilia that they want. There have been many religions that have been formed since the Star Wars movies have came out.  The Los Angeles City Council actually made May 25 Star Wars Day. People of all ages are obsessed with Star Wars.

The written word can impact someone positive or negative. Sometimes the obsession people have can actually take over their mind, and they will think that they are the character. Obsessions can sometimes be healthy, while other times they are not and they may actually hurt the person.

How does Holden represent the universal teeenager?

Holden represents the universal teenager a lot. Throughout the entire story the emotions that he is going through are ones that teenagers often do. A lot of teenagers are very confused and lost in life, especially about there future.

Holden was a typical teen emotionally. "and then i tried to sock him, with all my might, right smack in the toothbrush" (43 Salinger). Holden can become very angry, and when he becomes angry he sometimes becomes irrational and thinks that he can fight people that he can't. Teenagers become irrational when they are very angry also. Holden also feels alone very often. He feels like there is no one there for him. A lot of teenagers feel like they are alone, and have no body with them. Holden has the typical teenager range of emotions.

Planning for the future can be a really scary thing for teenagers. A few know defiantly what they want to do. But most teenagers, like Holden have no clue what they want to do with their lives. All teenagers have that dream of what they want to become which is unrealistic. Holden says "I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all." (173 Salinger). He would like to be there for people, and be able to catch them when they fall. Everyone keeps reminding him that he needs to have a real plan, but he has no clue what that plan is going to be.

Why did Ken Kesey not approve of the movie?

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest movie was very different then the book that was written. There were many reasons why I think that Ken Kesey did not really like the movie becuse the movie was not in Chief's point of view. The book being in Chief's point of veiw was very significant. It was really important becuase he was the eyes and ears of the ward. He heard everything because no one thought that he was able to hear. The struggle in Chief's head was really important to what the books purpose was.  In the book Chief was the major character. In the movie Chief has a much more minor role. That was one of the differences that I think Ken Kesey did not like about the movie.

Another major difference was how the fishing trip went. In the book the fishing trip was planned and they had permission to go on the trip. In the movie McMurphy stole the hospital's bus and did not have permission to take them fishing. Chief being on the fishing trip was also very important, in the movie he was not included in the fishing trip. In the book Chief says “While McMurphy laughs. Rocking farther and farther backward against the cabin top, spreading his laugh out across the water—laughing at the girl, the guys, at George, at me sucking my bleeding thumb, at the captain back at the pier and the bicycle rider and the service-station guys and the five thousand houses and the Big Nurse and all of it. Because he knows you have to laugh at the things that hurt you just to keep yourself in balance, just to keep the world from running you plumb crazy” (p. 237). The was important in the book because Chief is realizing that laughing is good for you and he wasn't as crazy as he thought.. Chief not being on the fishing trip, you didnt see him begin to realize this.

The movie really took the basic plot and story of the book and changed everything else. Those are some of the reasons i think that Ken Kesey did not approve of the movie.

McMurphy vs. The Nurse

     I think that McMurphy is more powerful than the big nurse. McMurphy is very sneaky and has a legitimate reason to back everything he does up.  At a point during the story McMurphy comes out of the shower with just a towel which is not aloud. On page 88 he tells her that his clothes were stolen during the night. They start arguing about how his clothes were supposed to be picked up and that he should have been issued a green uniform. He makes her staff look like they are incompetent in front of the patients, which she did not want to happen. He also asks her to turn the radio down, which she says she is not able to do. She thinks that she has put an end to anything about the radio. Then, on page 99 the doctor says at the meeting how he and McMurphy talked about a way to figure out the radio situation to fit every one's needs. McMurphy is able to go behind the Big nurses back to make her look back, making him more powerful.
    I think that McMurphy is also more theraputic for the patients. The Big Nurse controls every single move that they make, and nothing changes. She makes it so there is really no way that they will recieve any help. McMurphy comes in and tries to change things, and make the patients feel like they are people. He tries to make it more like the outside world and not have them controled.