Welcome to your first actual blog assignment!

The Catcher in the Rye is, according to critic Robert Bennet, "one of the most widely read and discussed works in the American literary canon," and consequently, Holden Caulfield is one of literature's most beloved--and despised--characters. People either love him or hate him; there is rarely a middle ground with this character.

So, scholars of mine, here are the talking points: What is it about Holden that elicits such strong feelings in readers? What, specifically, did Salinger in his characterization process do to create such an engaging and powerful figure? Why is there such a cult fervor surrounding Holden?

So, by Saturday at 11 AM, post a comment that handles some or all of these talking points, and make sure to include a response to at least one classmate if you are not the first to comment! The blog is on Edline, but to save you extraneous mouse clicks, here it is:

AP English Blog Rubric (15 Points)

Name: _______________________________________________________                                  

_____                    Comment responds to prompt in an accurate and appropriate way
_____                    First to comment!
_____                    If not the first to comment, comment addresses at least one other student’s idea in a respectful way
_____                    Comment is at least a paragraph in length
_____                    Comment substantiates position by referencing topics that give weight to opinion
_____                    Comment  is free from grammatical errors

Rock on, faithful literature enthusiasts!

Hello, my fearless AP Students!

Welcome to AP English. This class is a joy to teach and I am so excited to work with you this year!

This blog is a first for me--I invite you to join me in the adventure. Increasingly, colleges courses have students participate in online forums where they post their thoughts and engage in dialogue with each other.

In order to prepare you for the rigor of college, we are giving that concept a try here on this blog.

Occasionally, we will have a conversation on the blog. I will post a topic as the blog entry, and your job is to respond to it and to your classmates' comments. Your response will count as a homework assignment, and there will be a blog rubric posted on Edline. My hope is that students who have qualms about participating in class will find a voice in writing on this blog. I respect all of your ideas and I want to hear from you--all of you.

I look forward to getting to know you and to developing our AP family. We will continue to discuss this type of assignment in class.

Best,
Ms. Rouleau