The Red Pony pg. 7-27

Summary: The main character in the story is a boy named Jody. They live on a farm and Jody does his chores and then starts his mile long walk to school. Jody gets done with school and does more chores and then his father and Billy Buck came home from town. His father told him to get to bed because he would need his help in the morning. He wakes up and eats his breakfast and goes to the barn with his father and Billy Buck. This is where Jody sees the present that is waiting for him. It is a red pony that his father had bought for him. Jody was very excited so after school he had his friends come over to see the pony. Jody names it Gabilan which means hawk. His father says that he will have to teach him how to lead and how to take a saddle and he can ride him in 3 weeks.

Response: I think that that this pony will make Jody very happy. I am happy that he got the pony but what happens later in the story is very sad and I am interested to see how Jody handles Gabilan.

Chapter 26!

Summary: Holden tells us that he doesn't want to finish the story and that he got sick and left the apartment and went home. He is now in an asylum. He might be going to school next fall and he thinks he will apply himself. He says he misses all the people in the story that he has told.

Response: I'm glad that he fianlly went to a place where he can get help and hopefully become and normally functioning human being.

Chapter 25

Summary: Holden arrives at Grand Central Station and stays there for the night. He then decides to go to Phoebe's school and make her a note telling her to come out and talk to him. He is going to the school to talk to her to tell her that he is leaving and to say goodbye. He gets to the school and hands the note to the secretary and makes up a story to make her not look at it. He talks to the secretary for a while in order to kill time and then leaves the room and walks around the school. Finally Phoebe arrives a few minutes late carrying a suitcase and saying that she is going with him. He says no and she gets angry and won't talk to him. He tells her if she will talk to him he will take her to the zoo. They then go to the zoo and Holden finds himself growing closer to Phoebe. They get to where the carousel sets and Phoebe wants to ride it and Holden buys her a ticket and watches her ride. Holden says he is so happy he could have cried.

Response: I think it is good that Holden wants to go say goodbye to Phoebe. Im glad that he is so happy to be with her, happy enough to cry.

Chapter 24

Summary: When Holden gets to Mr. Antolini's apartment they have dinner and there are dishes and glasses everywhere. Mr. Antolini is making coffee for Holden and Holden can tell that he is drunk. He asks him about Pencey and why he got kicked out and Holden says that they are to strick for him. Antolini begins to lecture Holden and tells him that his life has been a downfall. He then writes something down on a piece of paper and gives it to Holden. Holden is tired and Antolini helps him make his bed and tells him goodnight. Holden suddenly wakes up and feels Mr. Antolini's hand touching him. He figures that he is going to do something to hurt him so he leaves the apartment very quickly.

Response: Holden respects Mr. Antolini and it is good that he listens to him. Where is Holden going to go now that he left the house. I think Holden should man up and go home.

New Character: Mr. Antolini, one of Holden's old school teachers.

Chapter 23

Summary: Holden gets up and leaves Phoebe's room in order to call a man named Mr. Antolini. Mr. Antolini was a teacher at a school Holden went to when he was younger. He asks the teacher if he can stay over at his house for the night. He kindly says that he can and Holden goes back to his sister's room. They are dancing to a couple songs when they hear the door open and slam. His parents are home! Holden goes to a closet and hides right before his mother comes in to tuck in Phoebe. She says she smells smoke and asks Phoebe if she was smoking and she says she took one puff just to try it. Her mother then leaves the room. Holden leaves the closet a while later and tells Phoebe he is leaving to go to a town in Colorado. She gives him what is left of her Christmas money and he gives her his hunting hat.

Response: I think that it is a bad idea for Holden to leave the house. He should stay with Phoebe and come clean to his parents. The longer he keeps on hiding from his parents, the bigger hole he is digging for himself.

Chapter 22

Summary: Holden goes back to the apartment and finally get Phoebe to listen to him. He explains why he got expelled and tells her everything that he disliked about school. She tells him to name something he likes since he has been negative during the whole conversation. All he thinks about are the nuns and he says he likes Allie. Phoebe says that Allie doesn't count as something he can like because he is dead. When she asks him what he wants to do with his life he says he wants to be a catcher in the rye. The only grown up adult in a field of rye where children play. He would stand by a cliff and catch them when they fell.

Response: Talking to Phoebe again was a great idea and he should be thankful that she listened to him. Being a catcher in the rye as he explains seems unrealistic but at least he has something in mind.

Chapter 21

Summary: Holden gets to the where his family lives and takes the elevator up to his apartment. He gets lucky because the normal elevator operator is not working so he won't notice him and tell his parents. He carefully opens the apartment and tip toes into Phoebe's room. When he gets there he finds she is not there but is sleeping in D.B's room. She is sound asleep but he wakes her up and she is extremely happy to see him. She starts rambling about a play she is in and a movie that she went to and a boy that had been bullying her at school. She then makes the discovery that Holden is home two days early and must have gotten kick out of school again. She says over and over again that there father will kill him and then buts a pillow over her head because she doesn't want to listen to him anymore. Holden gets frustrated and leaves to get a smoke.

Response: I'm happy that Holden finally went home. Hopefully Phoebe will help with his depression and will put him in a better mood. I wonder just how angry his father will be at him when he finds out.