Holden vs Igby

Between the two characters Holden and Igby I would say Holden lives his life by his morals more then Igby. Holden belives that people who are fake are "phony" because they pretend to act happy around people they may hate or dislike. During the Holden was never fake around people he disliked and acted the way he wanted to. If he disagreed with them he would tell them or if he did not like what they were saying.

Igby is much like in the way he lives his life on the edge and isn't sure of what will happen to him in his future, but doesn't much care. Igby however acted fake around people when inside he felt lost, confused and scared becuase he expectd that one day he would have a mental breakdown like his father Jason. However in the end of the movie he finds out Jason isn't his father. So I feel because of this Holden is more genuine because he feels he won't ever be fake and he never is, when Igby can be.

Opinion Piece

Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame Induction: Alice in Chains
TJ Hodder

There were many bands of the 90s that people would state as the greatest band ever. Some people consider the 90s the greatest time for music. During the 90s Grunge music was at an all time high and was ruling the air waves. When people mention Grunge the first band that comes to mind would be Nirvana. Their massive popularity made them a world wide hit and a household name. However when I think of Grunge music and the 90s the band that always comes to mind is Alice in Chains.

Alice in Chains where formed in Seattle, Washinton in 1987 by Guitarist/Vocalist/Songwriter Jerry Cantrell and Vocalist/Songwriter Layne Staley. They met at a music studio in Seattle and soon after where roommates in a rehearsal room they shared. After playing in different bands together they decided to form their own band named Alice N’ Chains (which was later changed) with Bassist Mike Starr and Drummer Sean Kinney. Soon after they recorded their first demo EP entitled We Die Young, soon after it was selling out of CD stores all over Seattle. Because of this they were signed to Columbia records and have been ever since. They have sold over 20 million albums world wide.

Many people came to know them because of their incredibly original music and down to earth personalities, superstardom never and still doesn’t effect the way they act and treat their fans. They are known to do charity events all over the world and were also one of the performers at the Tsunamit benefit concert in 2005. After the death of Layne Staley Layne’s mother started the Layne Staley fund, a non-profit organization to help teens in Seattle with struggling addictions. Before he died Layne was very involved in these types of organizations using his own life as an example because of his severe addiction to heroin which was the cause of his death in 2002.
Alice in Chains have been listed in thousands of magazines top 100 bands of all times, top metal bands ever, rock bands ever and so on. Every one of these lists that I have ever seen they have been in the top 30s at least. Vocalist Layne Staley has been named one of the greatest metal/rock vocalists ever because of his one of a kind voice and character. Guitarist Jerry Cantrell has been given the title "Riff Lord" by many different magazines including Guitar World. They have also been nominated for 7 grammys.

Alice in Chains have been a massive influence on me musically and personally. Layne is my all time favorite singer and Jerry is my favorite guitar player and has had a huge influence on my playing. Their lyrics also have had an effect on my life because of the topics they write about and how some of their songs have a very meaningful message. In the end I’d choose to induct Alice in Chains because unique sound and the massive influence they’ve had on people and music itself. I know that I wouldn’t be the same person without their music in my life.

Who is Holden as a person?

Holden can be viewed in many different ways. Some people might consider him werid because of the way he acts and the things he thinks about. Alot of the things Holden says and does might be seen as imature and childish. For example how he makes up stories in his head and how all he needs is an audience to "put on a show".

He could also been seen as mature becuase of the way he deals with people he meets in public, like how he meets those girls in the Lavander room and asks them to dance and bought them drinks. Also how he can act older when a waiter is taking his order so he can get away with getting alcohol.

Is it Possible to Protect Everything That Matters to You?

Some people are very protective of there belongings and people that matter to them. They feel as if without them they wouldn't have anything to live for. This can be a good way of looking at things, however I beleive that this should only be the case with people in your live (Family and Friends) and things of sedimental value. For example if you have a Xbox 360 or a PS3 and it breaks..its not the end of the world and you can live without. However if you have something that was given to you by a now dead reletive or someone who is very speical to you and it breaks or is lost, this is a big deal.

The best example of this from the story is how Holden holds on to his now dead younger brother's old baseball glove. He holds onto it to remember him by and i'm sure he is very protective of it. Anothr example is how he feels protective of Jane and questions Stradlater after their date. He feels protective of her because of their past and I'd say because he has feelings for her. So I'd say it is posible to protect everything that matters to you, so long as you've got your priorities straight and arn't dumb about the things that "matter" to you.

What Does it Mean to Be True to Yourself?

Being true to yourself can mean many different things. It can be staying true to your beliefs such as religion. If you stand up for what you believe in and don't act fake to make yourself seem cool or to be come popular this is being true to yourself. I know that aw a point in my life I had the chance to change and become "cool" but I stood by my beliefs and stayed to to myself and I haven't regreted it since. People who are fake or act like something they're not at not true to themselves and alot of the time will hide the fact they are miserable about it.

In the story the Catcher and The Rye the main character Holden talks about being true to yourself. He talks about people in his old and current school who are "phonies" which means they act nice and like they have good intentions when they are mean and don't really care. The best example he gives is his old headmaster. He talks about how he use to shake the hands and greet all of the parents of the students at his school. However if they looked "ugly" or "poor" he would olny shake hands with them and move on. This to me is someone who is fake.