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Misconceptions

Summary - Act 3

In an effort to reclaim his position, Cassio meets with Desdemona to beg for forgiveness and persuade her to ask Othello to give his position back. Desdemona promises Cassio that she will do everything she can to help him. As Othello and Iago approach, they see Cassio with Desdemona; Iago finds the perfect opportunity to make Othello suspicious by making him believe that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio. Desdemona’s request about reinstating Cassio as Lieutenant fuels jealousy in Othello. He tells her he has a headache, but when Desdemona offers him her handkerchief, he pushes it aside and it drops to the floor. Emilia secretly picks up the handkerchief and gives it to Iago. Iago tells Othello that he has seen Cassio with Desdemona's handkerchief which makes Othello question his wife about where her handkerchief is, but she cannot find it. He becomes furious and upset and tells her it has been in his family for generation and has great sentimental value.  

Personal Reaction - Theme

When reading this act, I was very surprised by how easily the theme of jealousy can determine the fate and future of all the characters in the play. Jealousy is the main factor that destroys Othello’s character and Iago is the root cause of the change in Othello’s behaviour. This eventually leads to the downfall of all the significant characters in the play. Iago’s careful use of words forces jealousy to take over Othello's mind in order for him to believe that Desdemona has betrayed him, and is cheating on him with Cassio. Othello shows his jealousy when he says, “O curse of marriage, / That we can call these delicate creatures ours, / And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad, / And live upon the vapors of a dungeon, / Than keep a corner of the thing I love / For others' uses” (3.3. 309 - 313). Othello describes the marriage of what it’s like when one marries an unfaithful woman. This quote makes it clear to readers that Othello wants absolutely nothing else to do with Desdemona considering that she supposedly belittled him by sleeping with another man. 

Guiding Questions

More than one character is to blame for the events unfolding as they have so far. Who are the characters and how have they contributed to the difficulties in Act 3?

The most significant characters who have contributed in the many difficulties and conflicts in Act 3 are Iago and Othello. Iago has been looking for an opportunity to destroy Othello and Desdemona’s marriage, and he found the perfect time to do so in this act. As Desdemona tries to help Cassio regain his position as lieutenant, Iago uses his manipulation to convince Othello to believe that Desdemona is spending all this time with Cassio because she is having an affair behind his back. He tells Othello, “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on” (3.3.195-197). By saying this, Iago is using reverse psychology on Othello by telling him to not be jealous of Cassio because jealousy will end up destroying him in the end. This stimulates even more rage in Othello, forcing him to become even more jealous. Othello is another character who has contributed to the troubles of Act 3 because as mentioned in the beginning of the play by Iago, Othello is an innocent and trusting character who believes whatever he hears. He was easily convinced believing that Desdemona, his wife, has betrayed him. Othello is a foolish and an unintelligent character considering that it took absolutely no effort for Iago to convince him that his wife was supposedly cheating on him. Othello did not take a single minute to thoroughly think about Iago’s words, and whether or not they seemed logical. If he had taken some time to think about what Iago said, and observed his wife’s actions and behaviour, he would have come to terms that his wife is in fact a loyal and faithful wife; she only wanted to help Cassio win his position back. If Othello had not been affected by Iago’s words so soon, many of the conflicts and tragedies in the play would not have occurred. 

Passage Analysis

Her name, that was as fresh As Dian's visage, is now begrimed and black As mine own face (3.3.441-443)

This is one of the most important quotes in this act. When Othello suspects that Desdemona is cheating on him with Cassio, he mentions that his reputation is now “begrimed” and damaged simply because of his wife's supposed infidelity. This quote is significant because in the old days, a wife's fidelity to her husband could have either made or destroyed a man's good reputation. What is interesting about this passage is Othello’s choice of words. When he says his name used to be “as fresh as Dian's” face, he describes his good reputation with the “freshness” of a white face. Now that Othello feels his wife is supposedly cheating on him, he compares his once good name to his “begrimed and black” face. 

Question

Why was Desdemona so eager to help Cassio and was continuously bothering Othello about it? 

Desdemona, similar to how Othello once was, is a very kind-hearted and generous character; she always tries to help others as best as she can and wants to ensure justice is served as frequently as possible. When Cassio desperately went to Desdemona for help, she had nothing but kind and reassuring words to say to him because she knew that deep down, Cassio is a good man and did not intend to start a brawl. Desdemona meant absolutely no harm when she was bugging Othello to give Cassio’s position back; she simply wanted to let him know that there was a misunderstanding about the whole situation and that Cassio had no intentions of being rude and picking a fight with Montano. Desdemona did not think that her wanting to help someone would trigger jealousy in Othello because she was certain that Othello loves her and would never become suspicious over what she does because he knows her well enough to believe and trust her decisions. Unfortunately, that was not the case considering that Othello allowed anger and jealousy to take over his mind and motivate him to plot against his wife. 

Visual

I chose this image because it is very powerful and it sends a significantly important message. The woman in the center of the image represents Desdemona and the hands around her neck represents Othello’s hands. This image shows the result of the theme of jealousy in the play. As Iago continues to motivate and encourage Othello to believe that his wife is cheating on him, the more jealous Othello becomes, persuading him to plot against Desdemona. The worst punishment anyone could ever face is death; Othello considers murdering his wife because he believes that it is what she deserves after destroying his good reputation and dishonouring him as a husband and a human being.   

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The Peak Before Catastrophe Strikes

Summary - Act 2

After crossing the sea, Desdemona, Emelia, Cassio, and Iago arrive at Cyprus. As Cassio talks to the ladies, Iago creates a plan to use against him. He persuades Roderigo that Desdemona is in love with Cassio in order to create jealousy. Iago then gets Roderigo to agree to start a fight with Cassio while he is on guard. Iago encourages Cassio to drink because he knows it is his greatest weakness. If Cassio gets drunk, it will be much easier for Roderigo to pick a fight with him. Iago lies and tells Montano, the governor of Cyprus, that he is concerned about Cassio's drinking problem. Montano ends up angering Cassio by calling him drunk and that starts a brawl between them. When Othello walks in, he asks Iago for the truth and Iago acts as if he does not want to get Cassio in trouble. Cassio is deeply ashamed and concerned about his reputation. Iago talks him into going to Desdemona for help because he believes that Othello is so in love with her that he will do anything to please her. Iago then works out his plan by getting his wife to beg Othello to give Cassio’s position back.

Personal Reaction - Theme

Appearance vs reality is one of the most significant themes in Othello. This theme shows that some characters are not who they seem to be. I was very shocked by how trusting some of these characters are because for many of them, seeing is believing. This persuades certain characters such as Iago to take advantage of this opportunity to plot against whichever character he despises because he knows that he can easily provoke anyone into believing him. Iago uses deception to encourage characters including Othello to misinterpret what they see. Othello is very new and naive to Iago's plots according to Iago himself when he says, “The Moor is of a free and open nature, that thinks men honest that but seem to be so; and will as tenderly be led by th' nose/ As asses are" (2.1.391-394). This quote is referring to Othello explaining that he thinks every man is honest which presents him as a very innocent and gullible character as he believes anything anyone with some sort of credibility says. Iago is able to fully gain Othello’s trust because he is a two-faced character; he acts a certain way around him, and a completely different way around others. The theme of appearance vs reality is significantly important because it creates most of the conflicts and brawls in this play.

Guiding Questions 

Most of the characters seem to be caught up in themselves to the exclusion of just about everything else in Act 2. What are some of the things that seem to consume them?

Considering that most of Act 2 revolves around Iago creating plots against other characters in the play, these characters do not have a single clue that they are being played and manipulated to do things that will hurt them later on. Since back in the old days people were much more honest and straightforward with their thoughts and opinions, it was uncommon and hard to come across someone with evil intentions. In this play however, Iago plays the vicious devil who gets his enjoyment from watching others hurt and suffer. He has become so good at lying to get what he wants in life that it has now become part of his identity. Iago knows that when his plans go accordingly, the only thing he can do in order to keep the trust of the people he is tricking is to reassure and comfort them and let them know that he will do everything he can to help them. Even though Iago feels absolutely no sympathy for the other characters, he only pretends to do so and that is what traps and consumes the other characters into believing that Iago is truly a kind and honest man.

Passage Analysis

Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial. My reputation, Iago, my reputation! (2.3.281-284)

This quote is Cassio talking to Iago after losing his position to the drunken brawl he got himself into while he was on guard. He worries about the loss of his reputation and feels that without it, he is nothing but a beast. This quote is very significant because it shows the kind of things men valued in Elizabethan Era; status and reputation. Men back in the day believed that status and reputation were the most important things they possess. They thought that their name was the only thing that would live on forever. Men like Cassio believed that keeping a strong public relation is greatly important as it reflects how others perceive them. With that in mind, even a single wrong behaviour would completely destroy their prestige and character and that is exactly how Cassio felt when he publicly embarrassed himself by getting drunk.

Question

Will Iago be successful in achieving the rest of his plots throughout the play?

Based on the events that have already occurred in the play, I believe that Iago will be successful in most, if not all of the plans he makes against other characters in the future. Considering how enhanced Iago’s manipulation abilities are, he can easily capture the heart and soul of any character he pleases. He is a professional at misleading and misrepresenting facts; therefore, he can lie and manipulate information in anyway he wishes and nobody will ever doubt him because he is a credible and noble character and nobody would expect such behaviour from him. Iago says, “And what’s he then that says I play the villain? When this advice is free I give and honest...” (2.5. 245-248). This quotes explains Iago saying that nobody will ever think he is evil if he gives good advice. The only problem is that he does not give good advice; that is simply how he makes it appear to be. He pretends to give advice when he knows it will result in a successful plan in the end. 

Visual

This visual is a perfect representation of Iago’s two-faced personality; one side portrays a loyal and generous friend, and the other represents a duplicitous backstabber who works only for his own benefit. Iago is continuously lying to the people he supposedly calls his friends. When Iago tells Cassio, “Our general’s wife is now the general. I may say so in this respect, for that he hath devoted and given up himself to the contemplation, mark, and denotement of her parts and graces. Confess yourself freely to her, importune her help to put you in your place again,” (2.3. 335-340) he is telling him that if he simply requests Desdemona to ask Othello for his position back, he will most likely succeed because Othello will do anything his wife wants him to do. Cassio responds and says, “I never knew a florentine more kind and honest” (2.3. 360-361). This shows that Cassio has been fully brain-washed by Iago’s manipulation because he truly thinks that Iago is a kind and honest man who wants nothing but the best for him. This image is a clear representation of Iago’s character development because as the play continues, we see a more darker and vicious side of Iago in which he portrays towards the rest of the characters. 

[ellie-20-blog]

The Dawn of a Tragedy

Summary - Act 1

Othello begins in the city of Venice. Iago, who serves in the Venetian army, tells Roderigo, another Venetian, that he works for Othello, the Moor who is the army's general. Iago knows that Desdemona, the daughter of Venetian nobleman, Brabantio, has married Othello. He also knows that Roderigo is in love with Desdemona, therefore, he uses his manipulation to let Brabantio know that his daughter has eloped with a Moor. Brabantio becomes tremendously angry and goes on by telling the duke that Othello must have bewitched his daughter. Brabantio's comments are denied, and Desdemona is able to live happily with her husband. Othello is called away to Cyprus to defend Venice from an invasion of the Turks. Iago assures Roderigo that the relationship between Othello and Desdemona will not last long. He then decides to ruin the couple’s marriage by using Roderigo as his weapon. 

Personal Reaction - Character Development

In act 1, I was pleasantly surprised with Othello’s character; heis a well-respected general who is known for capturing people’s attention with his storytelling of war and his life experiences. Despite the fact that Othello is an African who is harshly rejected in the Venetian society for marrying the nobleman’s daughter, Desdemona, he continuously manages to ignore, yet respect other people’s comments and opinions about him. For example, when Brabantio accuses Othello of using witchcraft on his daughter saying, “That with some mixtures powerful o'er the blood, Or with some dram conjured to this effect, He wrought upon her,” (1.3. 74-77) explaining that he used a powerful mixture to persuade her to marry him, Othello remained calm and simply responded to Brabantio’s comment saying that the only witchcraft he used was tell his stories to Desdemona and talk about his life experiences. 

Guiding Questions 

Who do you think the driving force behind the action of the play is so far? How did this come to be, and what appears to be the story’s likely conclusion?

I think the driving force behind the action of the play so far is Iago. Iago is a manipulative liar who will do anything to get his way. He pretends to be on Othello’s side, but when Othello’s not around, he is constantly plotting against him and Desdemona’s marriage. Considering that this play is a tragedy, I think that everyone will eventually die. I believe that most of these deaths will occur because of Iago’s manipulation; he will most likely try to arrange characters against each other, influencing them to kill one another.

Passage Analysis

Even now, now, very now, an old black ram Is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise! Awake the snorting citizens with the bell, Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you. Arise, I say! (1.1.97-101)

This quote was said by Iago to Brabantio when he awakens him with the news that his daughter, Desdemona, has eloped with Othello. This is a significant quote because it is the beginning of a long lasting feud between Brabantio and Othello’s character. This quote is where Brabantio begins to despise Othello as well as her own daughter, Desdemona, for making such a careless and impulsive decision to marry someone so different from her. 

Question

Will Othello turn out to become the hero of the play?

Based on the current events that have occurred in the play so far, and based on my understanding of the play, I do not think that Othello will become the hero of the play. Considering that this play is a tragedy, I believe that most, if not all of the characters will end up dead. Many of Shakespeare’s tragedies begin with the main character being considered a kind, noble, and heroic person, yet by the end the play, the main character evolves into a vicious beast. Therefore, based on other Shakespeare tragedies that I have read in the past, I believe that Othello will not end up as the play’s hero; perhaps he will become the villain, alongside Iago. 

Visual Representation

I chose this picture to represent one the most significant and reoccurring themes in Othello, racial prejudice. In nearly every case, most of the characters in this tragedy use bigoted terms that describe Othello as an animal or beast including “An old black ram” (1.1.88) and "Barbary horse" (1.1. 73). The characters use racist language to define Othello as an outsider to white Venetian society as well as a human of lower class who is less deserving of respect.  

[ellie-20-blog]

Something to think about...

How do you think it would feel like to have a narcissistic friend?

I think it would be an absolute tragedy to have a narcissistic friend. Narcissists have many unbearable character traits that their friends simply cannot handle for too long. They always feel a strong sense of superiority and feel the responsibility of a leader. Narcissists have a tremendously low tolerance for arguments and disagreements with their friends because they cannot stand someone who resists following their lead. These types of friends are not the one’s who will bring you happiness; they are the one’s who will bring nothing but misery, conflict, and negativity in your life and it is best to stay away from them.

[ellie-20-blog]

This GIF is a perfect representation of how a selfish and conceited person will behave towards someone. Referring back to the novel, Holden is always in desperate need of receiving attention from others because he lacks the self confidence and self worth a normal person should have for them self. This is mostly why he is perceived as an arrogant and self-observed person. I do not think he wants to portray himself as a conceited person, but I think that he cannot help himself because he has the deficiency of knowing the difference between pride and egotism. 

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Character Development

Holden -  He claims that Phoebe is the only person who understands him, yet calls her out for being too emotional. This is ironic because he too, can be very emotional as well.

Themes

Childhood and growing up -  Holden's memories of Jane are idealistic and nonsexual as he recalls himself playing checkers with her and holding hands. As well, the reference to Allie's baseball glove connects Allie to Jane because Holden thinks of them both in pure and idealistic terms as he talks about both of them being two of the very few people he deeply loves and cares about.

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Chapter Questions

Would you want to be famous? How would you become famous?

Personally, I would not like to become famous for being a celebrity similar to the ones we see in Hollywood; however, I would like to be recognized for something exceptional that I do in the future. My dream has always been to make enough money to not only support myself, but to also donate to many organizations that I care deeply for. I have always wanted to contribute in many non-profit organizations such as UNICEF as a hobby to offer my support and assistance to the unprivileged population around the world who deserve just as many opportunities for happiness as anyone else on this planet. It would be a great honour and a wonderful privilege to be known and appreciated by people for contributing to such a great cause. This is the kind of famous I want to be; for being a humanitarian, not for having the most followers on Instagram! 

Describe someone who is really conceited. What makes him/her conceited? Do you like him/her? What is the difference between proud and conceited?

A conceited person is someone who only sees them self; they are extremely self-obsessed, egotistic, and arrogant. These people have an excessively favourable opinion of their own abilities and importance, and often lack appreciation for the kindness of others. I personally despise conceited people; I will not speak to them, and I will avoid them as much as I can. These people are the ones who will give you attention for all the wrong reasons, and have nothing but negative things to say about you no matter how kind and giving you are to them. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being proud of yourself and confident with who you are. However, what is considered to be irritating to many is the over exaggeration and obsession over one’s self and accomplishments. One character in the novel who is known for being the closest thing to conceited is Holden. Holden’s actions, use of words, and behaviour throughout the novel has proved us just how self-centred he really is. Holden feels the need to judge everyone; he has absolutely no filter and knows no limits. He certainly does not shy away from calling nearly every character in the novel, with an exception of only a few, a phony, or a moron. He believes that the world revolves around him and that he is right about everything. In the novel, Holden says, “ People are always ruining things for you” (Salinger, 87), and, “Grand. There's a word I really hate. It's a phony. I could puke every time I hear it” (Salinger, 9). These quotes have been said by Holden and both, have a very negative tone to them. This gives us a better understanding at just how pessimistic Holden can be towards anyone and anything, which is why he is the closest character to the definition of conceited. 

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Chapter 10 - 11 Summary

Chapter 10

Holden considers calling Phoebe at Penn Station once again. He describes Phoebe as a red hair, intelligent, funny, and creative girl, who is one of the very few people who truly understands him. Her only flaw is that she can be very emotional. Holden eventually goes to the hotel nightclub. He soon starts flirting with three women visiting from Seattle. He asks a blond lady, Bernice Krebs, to dance. Though she's a good dancer, Holden thinks Bernice is a "moron" and is offended when she asks his age. Eventually, Holden pays for their drinks and departs shortly after the dance.

Chapter 11

In the hotel lobby, Holden thinks about the summer he spent with Jane Gallagher in Maine. Their families had rented neighbouring houses, and Holden and Jane often played checkers and held hands. Once, Jane's stepfather made her cry by asking for cigarettes. Holden comforted and kissed her and wondered whether or not Jane’s stepfather had abused her to which Jane responds no. He comments that he feels happiest when holding Jane’s hand, and adds that she was the only person he ever showed Allie's baseball mitt to.  

[ellie-20-blog]

This quote is something that I deeply relate to and live by. I cannot imagine how some people will do anything they can just to be in a relationship with someone they do not care for simply because of the thrill of it. Relationships are meant to be special and worthwhile. Going back to the chapter question of dating someone you do not like, I believe that these people are misunderstanding the meaning of love and relationship, and treating it as a game to gain popularity. 

[ellie-20-blog]

Something to think about...

Why do you think some teenagers lie about their age to look older?

Many adolescents in the 21 century are often criticised and looked down upon by adults for being too “spoiled” or living an “easy” life with no worries. Some stereotypes that many adults refer to adolescents as include calling them children, unwise, uneducated, and many other negative traits. This on the other hand, pressurises teenagers to prove society wrong and one of the easiest and best ways to do so is to lie about their age to represent themselves as intelligent adults and as productive members of society. This situation is very similar to Holden’s in the novel; he lied about his age to the people he encountered with to feel superior to others and have those people think highly of him. 

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Chapter Questions

Have you ever lied just for the fun of it?

I have personally never lied to anyone just for the fun of it. I believe that lying in general is utterly wrong and to do it simply for entertainment is absolutely cruel. However, if I am ever in a situation where I desperately need to lie to someone for the right purpose to make them happy, I will do so, but if I have to voluntarily lie to someone simply to receive a reaction from them, I will absolutely not. In the novel, Holden tells us many times just how much he despises phony people, yet he himself, is being a phony by lying to every person he encounters with. 

Do you think some people go out with people they don’t like? Why would someone go out with a person just because s/he is “there”?

I absolutely think some people will go out with someone they do not necessarily like, and I know this from observing many students at school. Many people, especially in their adolescent years, are very enthusiastic about trying and experimenting new things. At school, many students feel pressure from their friends and others to have a boyfriend/girlfriend. Some people believe that being in a relationship regardless of who it is with is something “cool” and will automatically make you more popular. In addition, many students want to have a relationship simply because of the label; they want to be known as somebody’s boyfriend/girlfriend and will go out of their way to portray themselves as a well-liked and attractive person. Going back to the novel, Holden does not necessarily go out with all the girls in the book such as Sally Hayes to gain popularity or to look cool, he simply does it for fun and to pass time. As we all know by now, Holden is a very lonely person; he suffers from depression, which causes him to isolate himself from the world. Therefore, he tries to spend his time with as many girls as he can to make him feel special and less lonely.

[ellie-20-blog]

Character Development

Holden - He continues to talk about his hatred towards phony people and phoniness in general as he is reads through a magazine he bought in New York. In the novel, Holden says, “If I'm on a train at night, I can usually even read one of those dumb stories in a magazine without puking. One of those stories with a lot of phony, lean-jawed guys David in it, and a lot of phony girls named Linda or Marcia that are always lighting all the goddam Davids’ pipes for them” (Salinger, 53). This quote demonstrates just how much Holden despises these kinds of stories, and this is because he is still emotionally troubled by his fight with Stradlater and his feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Themes 

Phoniness -  Holden hates phoniness in others, but he cannot avoid it in himself. By lying to people, he makes himself feel superior. This makes him feel slightly better and keeps his mind away from his troubles of loneliness and depression. 

Childhood and Growing Up - As much as Holden hates adulthood, he certainly does not shy away from lying about his age to make himself look older. Perhaps one of the reasons he hates adulthood is because he feels that he cannot become a successful adult in the future. 

Childhood and Growing Up - Holden desperately wanted to see Jane when he got to New York, but he did not call her because he sees her as innocent and perfect and thinks of sex as dirty. Therefore, to protect his view of Jane's purity, he isolates himself.

[ellie-20-blog]

Chapters 8 - 9 Summary

Chapter 8

On the train to New York, a woman sits next to Holden. She notices his Pencey bag, and says her son is Ernest Morrow. Holden hates Ernest, but lies and says that Ernest is extremely popular and that he could easily be the class president if he wanted to. Holden introduces himself to the woman as Rudolf Schmidt, the name of Pencey's janitor, and invites Mrs. Morrow to have a cocktail with him in the club car. She asks why he's out of school and he says he's leaving Pencey early to have a brain tumour surgery.  

Chapter 9

In Penn Station in New York, Holden wants to talk to someone, and considers calling D.B., his younger sister Phoebe, Jane, or even Sally Hayes. However, he calls none of them. Instead, Holden puts on his hunting hat and calls a cab to the Edmont Hotel. He asks the driver where the ducks in the Central Park go in the winter, but the driver thinks he's joking and gets annoyed. From his hotel room he thinks of calling Jane again, but instead, calls Faith Cavendish to meet her. She refuses to meet him that night, but offers to meet him tomorrow. He does not want to wait that long, and hangs up.

[ellie-20-blog]

Something to think about...

Why are some people so judgemental towards others?

There are many people in this world who only see the beauty in themselves and believe that simply because other people are different than them, they are less worthy. This is a very upsetting mindset, however, some people truly live by judging others because it makes them feel stronger and more powerful. We must learn to accept each others differences and appreciate one another’s existence.

[ellie-20-blog]

Prediction

I predict that what will happen next is that Stradlater will return from his date with Jane Gallagher and Holden will question and bug him about it. I feel that that there will be more encounters between Holden, Ackley, and Stradlater in the novel and they will most likely go through many more events in the story together regardless of how they feel about one another. 

[ellie-20-blog]

Character Development

Holden lets us know that he is “the most terrific liar you have ever seen” (Salinger, 16). We see Holden’s interactions with some of his roommates throughout these chapters whose names are Ackley and Stradlater. Ackley is a strange and annoying student with bad skin and teeth which makes Holden disgusted every time he sees him. Stradlater is Holden's roommate at Pencey Prep. Even though Stradlater is attractive and popular, Holden dislikes him for his arrogance and "secret" dirty hygiene.

Motif

Holden’s loneliness is reoccurring throughout the entire chapter which gives us a better understanding of Holden’s character. Holden depends on his isolation to maintain a level of self-protection and this is shown when he tries to distance himself from Ackley and get him to leave his room. 

[ellie-20-blog]

This is such a powerful GIF and I truly could not stop smiling when I saw it. It teaches us that no matter how tought or powerful you are, what kind of race or competition you are in, it is never a wrong time to show kindness. This GIF is a very good lesson for Holden, Ackley, and Stradlater to learn from as well. Throughout the recent chapters, we learn that Holden, Ackley, and Stradlater tend to be relatively negative and expressively judgemental characters, and it is very important for them to learn to be kind to one another and appreciate each others differences.