“Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules.” “Yes, sir. I know it is. I know it.” Game, my ass. Some game. If you get on the side where all the hot-shots are, then it’s a game, all right—I’ll admit that. But if you get on the other side, where there aren’t any hot-shots, then what’s a game about it? Nothing. No game. -(chapter 2 page 8) - Spencer, his former teacher,is lecturing him for his failures at Pencey - emphasizing the importance of playing a game(life) by the rules - Holden identifies himself as the losing side -Relates easily to how the losing side feels, lonely and victimized - This gets Holden thinking, he is very well off and thinks about the disadvantages and advantages of that -He feels alienated by his peers - Silent contempt for people who are older than him (he insults Spencer under his breath but nods in agreement to what he says) - The author used provocative language as he expressed that the losing side will get negotiated and forgotten about hence no “game” for them Ackley took another look at my hat . . . “Up home we wear a hat like that to shoot deer in, for Chrissake,” he said. “That’s a deer shooting hat.” “Like hell it is.” I took it off and looked at it. I sort of closed one eye, like I was taking aim at it. “This is a people shooting hat,” I said. “I shoot people in this hat.” -(chapter 3 page 22) -Holden demonstrates his desire for independence and individuality -The feeling for independence is born from his feelings of alienation - He holds a lot of bitterness to the world and the people in it - He does not literally “shoot people”, but in a way he does -When he is around people, he tends to “shoot people” mentally -Holden is always mentally denigrating the peop... ... middle of paper ... ...e rules” - Holden does not see himself as a part of that game - He wants to play him own way and not follow the rules - He often feels lonely and like an outcast by society - If society does not embrace him, why should he follow its rules? - Again with the people vs. Holden - Rebels against the social norms and rules - The struggle is evident between his anti-social self and his more outgoing personality “I was sixteen then, and I'm seventeen now, and sometimes I act like I'm around thirteen” -(Chapter 2 page 9) - Demonstrates Holdens internal struggles - Can not let go off the past - Refusal to grow up and accept reality and responsibility - Eventually the past will come back to haunt him - Does not want to mature, wants to hold onto him immature self - A bit confused of self awareness and self actualization - Relates to readers because many readers feel like this
Holden is a depressed little rich boy who has a family that has a lot of money. He goes to expensive boarding schools and doesn't worry about taking advantage of it. But, even though he's privileged it makes him upset that not everyone has the same privileges and benefits as him. Sometimes we don't realise all the benefits and privileges we have and we don't take advantage of it. Many people would do anything for what we have and we think of it as not an important matter. Let's be grateful and thankful that we have the privilege of having a family, a roof on top of our heads, and ect. And give what you can for those who do
“Pi Ying said that this fight against death was no different, philosophically, from what all of them...had known in battle. In a cold way, it was true--no different, philosophically” (Vonnegut 91). Pi Ying has proposed a chess game that would risk the lives of all of those involved in it. The King makes every move, each could hold hidden dangers that only the King can see. The emotional weight of that decision is a burden that a civilian cannot understand until they are exposed to that process. In “All the King’s Horses” by Kurt Vonnegut, Colonel Kelly and 15 others are trapped in a pseudo-chess game with a powerful Asian warlord, Pi Ying. He requests for the game to be played with the prisoners of war as chess pieces. The idea contrasts with expendability as Colonel Kelly is able to justify sacrificing his son for the greater good of the game by forcing himself to deny his own humanity. He must become machine-like in order to make these mechanical, logical decisions. However, the women involved in the game have violent emotional reactions to this incident because the human cost of war is not truly understood unless it is personal. Pi Ying has attended this game with a woman who, when told of the events about to occur, stabs him and then herself. That action is quickly forgotten when Major Barzov takes over the game, but he cannot take the same risk of killing American citizens. Since he cannot kill anyone, when he loses the game, he allows the remaining prisoners to escape. The idea of a woman’s role in politics and her power in that society as weaker than a man’s is clear in this circumstance. Colonel Kelly is seen as the foremost authority on any decision making as the man. His risks are allowed and celebrated finally. Pi Ying’...
ambiguity of life. Holden develops a lot from being the cynical teen who tries to act
...he starts to think about what would be considered “mature” matters in life. Therefore they may be a little less offended by Holden’s frequent cursing.
Holden cannot accept the loss of innocence as a step into the growing up process. The ones that he loves most, are those who are younger to him, they are innocent, and untouched by society’s truths. Holden says, “…I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody’s around-nobody big. I mean – except me.
cheerful disregard and that there is nothing wrong with him. He also feels that Holden’s
Ever since you were a child you have unknowingly used game theory. When your parents gave you the option to choose a candy bar, your brain started thinking of all the possibilities that depended on which candy you chose. You would think which one would taste better, make your feel better, and maybe be healthier for you. In the end, you would narrow your choices down to one piece of candy and eat it happily. Game theory is the use of theory to think through all of the positive and negative possibilities that could happen in a problem and try to maximize the positive. Game theory is not just one theory, throughout the years is has spread into six main games. These games are: zero sum games, non-zero sum games, simultaneous move games, sequential move games, one-shot games, and repeated games. Each of these games will be covered more in depth in this essay, with the exception of zero-sum games. Dalton will be writing about the zero-sum game in his essay.
Games are supposed to be fun not murderous, right? Even though games are meant to entertain and excite all players, in the story “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell, Rainsford, the protagonist, goes through life-or-death of situations as a game of hunting humans made by the antagonist, General Zaroff. Rainsford has to adapt to these situations as they happen for three days trying to stay alive using what he knows as a hunter. However, Rainsford isn’t hunting but the one being hunted by the insane man, Zaroff, with multiple tactics to kill Rainsford. Throughout “The Most Dangerous Game” Rainsford struggles with man vs. man, man vs. nature, and man vs. self-situations while using his background knowledge, sanity and adaptability.
Holden's problems in the real world were too much for him, he had to make up things to make himself seem better than what he was.
Connell, Richard. “The Most Dangerous Game.” Elements of Literature: Third Course. Ed. Kathleen Daniels. Austin: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2002.
Also it is comparing the war to a game, which is a euphemism as well as a metaphor. It is a euphemism because war is a very serious, dangerous matter; whereas a game is something that people enjoy and never get seriously injured in. By using this euphemism, Jessie Pope - the poet – lessens the severity of war, and makes her readers’ think of it as enjoyable, and something that they want to do.
Holden becomes obsessed with the idea of innocence, especially when it relates to children. He feels compelled to
As I saunter onto the school field, I survey the premises to behold people in coats, shielding themselves from winter's blues. The sun isn't out yet, but the place bursting with life and exuberance, with people gliding across the ice covered floor almost cat-like. The field is effervescent and despite the dire conditions, the field seems to have taken on a life of its own. The weather is bad and the ice seems to burn the skin if touched, yet the mood is still euphoric. The bare shrubs and plants about the place look like they've been whipped by Winter himself. The air is frosty and at every breath the sight of steam seems to be present. A cold, cruel northerly wind blows across the playground and creates unrest amongst some. Crack! The crisp sound of leaves is heard, as if of ice splitting and hissing. Squirrels are seen trying to find a point of safety, scurrying about the bare trees that lie around the playground. Mystery and enigma clouds the playing field, providing a sense of anticipation about the place. Who is going to be the person to spoil the moment? To kill the conversation?
The Creature That Opened My Eyes Sympathy, anger, hate, and empathy, these are just a few of the emotions that came over me while getting to know and trying to understand the creature created by victor frankenstein in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. For the first time I became completely enthralled in a novel and learned to appreciate literature not only for the great stories they tell but also for the affect it could have on someones life as cliché as that might sound, if that weren’t enough it also gave me a greater appreciation and understanding of the idiom “never judge a book by its cover.” As a pimply faced, insecure, loner, and at most times self absorbed sophomore in high school I was never one to put anytime or focus when it came time
One of the most unique creatures are fish. As I am sitting here in my room, my fish are swimming about with not a care in the world. I wonder what it would feel like to be a fish.