The Empty Half of the Glass

Of the three given choices i would have pass judgment on Holden. my initial thought on this character was wow he is a really lazy person. Despite his obivious intelligence Holden has managed to flunk out of a very expensive school simply because he did not feel the need to apply himself. this isn't even the first school he was kicked out of or left in Elkton Hills so it shows a repetitive pattern. while i can understand based off the small glimpse of his personality that Holden finds many faults with not just this school but schools in general and is therefore unwilling to conform to fit in a socital enviorment he doesn't agree with, i am a person who can not stand people that blow off work or education because they don't care enough to try. Holden seems like someone that would get on my nerves in reality. he is also pretty selfish, not only for wateing all of this money on education but his thoughts. Holden cares for Mr. Spencer and he even takes the time to go say good bye to him but as Mr. Spencer is trying to reach Holden and give him advice that was actually useful Holden says what he thinks Mr. Spencer wants to hear and lets his mind wonder or even critize the man which is pretty rude. Holden in a way alienates himself from other people by standing on that hill during the big game and trying to read when Ackley came in to talk. however i understand how annoying it can be when someone (you don't like) trys to strike up a conversation when you're in the middle of a good read. Holden has some very strong believes that i can also see; he is able to spot all of the hypocrsy in people and feel upset but still even with his hate of fakes and phonies he still acts polite (compared to his thoughts) to Ackley when he visits and doesn't speak his mind either so is he to a hypocrite? the last big problem i found with Holden was his angst ridden state of mind. he mentions his crumy childhood, how bad school is, he belittles his own brothers success and gos on about the empty half of the glass.

Have you ever felt unwanted?

like no one hears you?

I have.

Have you ever felt so disconnected from the people around you?

your surrounded by there cheerful laughter unable to join in.

I have.

Have you everfelt truly alone?

if you were to disappear tomorrow no one notice or even care.

I have.

Everyone knows what it's like to be that extra kid without a partner or the last person to be chosen for kick ball. Nobody enjoys feeling rejected. Still at some point in life everyone needs to experiance it. But imagine feeling that rejection on a daily bais. To me this drawing po rtrays what adolescent alienation is. The person is clinging to them self in a dark corner which represents several things. It could represent all of the dark areas we visit in our minds while experiancing something hurtful. Notice now that the white is fading into the dark the closer it gets to the center the blacker it becomes. This shows how alone a person can feel as well as the feeling of loss from human connections because the world is in the white while he is sitting in the dark. Talking, laughting, even crying are normal. It's in our nature to share our thoughts and emotions with those around us and being cut out for expressing said emotions can make a person scared to open up in the future. The contrast between the white and black could represent how alienation is not just societys fault. Some people isolate themselfs if they feel misunderstood or are lost and looking for a purpose. But why this person? It could be there choice;but they could be seperated because of their different ideas, ideals, lifestyles, or apperances. Take the stripes for example, i think they mean this person freely being themselves, showing the world who they are and once society sees them as something out of the norm they begin feeling afraid and closed off. They turn away from society just as this person is turning his body away from the viewer.

What does it mean to be alienated or separated from others?

Media Project

for my media project i'm creating a Cd that contains a theme song for each of the main characters as well as several songs describing aspects of the American dream for example materialism and appearance. after i have the Cd made i plan on writing around a page for ten of my songs connecting them to both Death of a Salesman and my own perspective of the American dream based off this unit as well as examine lyrics and explain why i chose this song for my sonundtrack. i have an idea of how to create and desighn my cover and back for the Cd case and will start on them shortly.