Activity for English 12 Students (The Catcher in the Rye)
Find and explain at least one idiom (idiomatic expression) from the novel. Check with an English speaker for help with meaning or, better yet, use The Idiom Dictionary online to get the meaning (use quotes on their definition!). Identify the page number, also.
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/
Check the comments first to make sure you are not repeating an idiom presented by another student. Students who present two or more idioms will receive a higher mark. Minimum is one per student.
One example from page 13 comes in the following sentences: “I’m lucky, though. I mean I could shoot the bull to old Spencer and think about those ducks at the same time. It’s funny. You don’t have to think too hard when you talk to a teacher.” (my italics).
From the context, it is possible to guess that “shoot the bull” is a form of informal conversation, often also meaning that the conversation is unimportant.
