Catcher In The Rye Alienation

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Alienation & Outcasts: In Catcher in the Rye, by J.D Salinger, the characters are the main reason for causing their own alienation and being victims of alienation. Holden, one of the character causes his own alienation and chooses to be lonely. One example is when Holden tries to call some of his friends but in the end, he “ended up not calling anybody” (Salinger). Holden is given the chance to hang out with some of his friends but decides he did not feel like it and gives up. Given the chance to ask someone out, Holden instead, decides not to because he gives them, Holden’s family and friends, an excuse for him to stay away. Proving that Holden causes his own alienation due to doing everything he can to stay away from his family and friend. …show more content…

Such example is in “The Possibility of Evil” by Shirley Jackson, Miss Adela Strangeworth, the main character who writes letters to the townspeople to help them see if someone is misbehaving. In the end, after everyone finds out Miss Adela Strangeworth sends the letters, she gets punish. In the morning Miss Adela Strangeworth reads out a letter that said, “look out at what used to be your roses” (Jackson). Miss Adela Strangeworth tries helping everyone see what is happening in the town but gets hurt in the end because of it. Trying to do what is right to our own belief can lead to others cause harm to us. In Lord of the Flies, by William Golding Piggy tries his best to do good is hurt in the end. While trying to control the chaos of all the boys screaming Piggy yells that he “got the conch” in which Roger proceeds to kill Piggy over with a boulder (Golding). Piggy, trying to help others by trying to take control over the bickering of the others boys, is harmed in the process. The authors of both stories hint on the idea that although someone tries their best to be nice and helpful, cruel consequences can be a result of these actions. Usually in the real world when someone does a good thing, good things can happen to them. Through these stories, we know our actions can lead to both a cruel and good