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Catcher In The Rye Comparative Essay

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Comparative Essay In present day, there are countless of people who experience tragedies in their life; however, there are people in life that have the potential to heal or to help fight the struggles in one’s life. Through the book, Catcher in the Rye and Little Bee, authors, J.D. Salinger and Chris Cleave suggest that the power of relationship has the power to heal the deepest wounds. To begin, Little Bee and Holden have experienced tragedies throughout their life. Both characters have been living with the memories of their loved one and are trying to cope with their bad memories but are being resistant to help as well. Both characters have well-wishers who think for their benefit; however, Holden and Little Bee both isolate themselves …show more content…

Although Little Bee and Holden are resistant to recover from their harsh memories, they both eventually form a bond with their close relationship that allows heals them. Chris Cleave portrays the power of relationship in the story, Little Bee, when Little Bee does not react as the guards capture her but instead she, “laughed and laughed until the sounds of the sea was drowned” (Cleave 266). Little Bee does not react to the her being captured but rather focuses on the freedom that Charlie has as he plays with the other African kids in the beach. This is significant as this shows how the bond between Little Bee and Charlie has allowed her to recover from her fears and memory. She was no longer afraid of death and being captured by men. This relationship can be compared to the bond between Phoebe and Holden. Holden experiences the same feelings as Little Bee as he watches Phoebe go on the carousel. Holden says, “I felt so damn happy all of sudden, the way old Phoebe kept going around and around. I was damn near bawling, I felt so damn happy”(Salinger 213). Holden becomes happy all of a sudden by seeing Phoebe go around. Salinger also uses rain as a way to describe his happiness as Holden does not run for shelter upon the drops of rain, but instead stays on the bench looking at his sister go in rounds. This shows how much he cares and loves for his sister and how his wounds were being healed in the process. This is significant because this shows Holden has formed into a

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(Salinger, 96). This shows how Holden is naïve towards the subject of sex, since he thinks he’s ready, but he’s not. Furthermore, proving he’s afraid to grow up. As the book progresses, Holden stresses childhood innocence. He tells Phoebe that, “I’d just be the catcher in the rye and all.”

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As Holden tiptoes through the house he glances through rooms searching for Phoebe and discovers she is in her favorite place to sleep, D.B.’s room. Before waking her, Holden sits and reads through her schoolbooks, analyzing the way she signs her name as “Phoebe Weatherfield Caulfield” even though her middle name is Josephine. When Holden finally decides to wake her, Phoebe is overjoyed to see him and starts filling him

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Holden is seen truly happy for the first time in the book, just by the sight of Phoebe enjoying her childhood. Holden appreciates the carousel moving in circles, but nothing about it changes. He wishes the same applied to him, even though that is not possible. Yet again, a repeated theme: fear of change. Another

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Holden seems to be happy and he starts coming around “Although Holden identifies many of the novel's characters as ‘phonies,’ and although it appears at times that he hates being around people, there is evidence to suggest at the end of the book that he does come to terms with the fleeting nature of relationships and human existence, as Phoebe finally provides him with companionship and fosters some brief moments of happiness in his life. ”(Pettineo, Jeff. "Isolation in The Catcher in the Rye.") It seems that once he saw his sister pheobe and got to be with her, he finally felt some happiness. In the end, In J.D Salingers

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Holden Caulfield lives his life as an outsider to his society, because of this any we (as a reader) find normal is a phony to him. Basically, every breathing thing in The Catcher in the Rye is a phony expect a select few, like Jane Gallagher. What is a phony to Holden and why is he obsessed with them? A phony is anyone who Holden feels is that living their authentic life, like D.B. (his older brother). Or simply anyone who fits into society norms, for example, Sally Hayes.

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To achieve true peace and comfort, rather than trying to find love and comfort from others, an individual will search for someone who will give them a sense of belonging. This is seen through the novel, “the Catcher in the Rye” by J. D. Salinger where the persona, Holden, is seen searching for someone or a relationship. For example, the Holden tries to form many relationships including romantically, make friends, and with family members. Thus, to belong with a sense of peace and comfort, Holden attempts to interact with others.

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Throughout the book, Holden is struggling to get by. The death of his brother Allie has left him in a tough spot. Holden doesn’t exactly know how to deal with this. The different stages of grief are represented through Holden. Holden shows denial and anger when he flashbacks to one of his memories after his brother’s death.

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Option 3: Argument Life can either be taken way too seriously, or not at all. Some people choose to take life seriously by following all the rules that are enforced on us from birth until we get older, and others choose to take their own path and see where it takes them. The second behavior can be seen as treating life like a game. In Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Dr. Thurmer says that “life is a game that one plays according to the rules,” and Mr. Spencer mentions that idea to Holden while they talk. Although Holden does not think life is a game, his behavior and experiences show otherwise throughout the book.

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As a small child, the chances are still against her, but since Phoebe desires to play it, Holden figures he should allow her. The force pushing Phoebe to become older and Holden to become an adult, is inevitable. This realization makes Holden cry. But rather being tears

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Salinger hints the contrasting view of an adult and an adolescent when old Spencer talks to Holden. Spencer connects life with a “game” (Salinger 8). He makes this comparison to stress the fact that life is amusing and systematic. However, Holden describes life as a “crazy cliff” (Salinger 173). Although Holden tries not to express his emotions throughout the book, fear still seeps through his emotional shield when he discusses about his adulthood with Phoebe.

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The only motivator that Holden has to continue living is his younger sister, Phoebe, who is extraordinarily intelligent for her age. After he gets kicked out of Pencey, Holden is lost in life. He speaks to many people, seeking advice and comfort, but they are not able to help him find a human connection. Holden’s depression increases throughout the novel, almost to the point of suicide. He criticizes many people and ideas, labeling them as ‘phony’.

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A. Allie’s death causes Holden to become obsessed with death and this obsession makes him believe that growing up and becoming a “phonie” is like dying; this belief that is planted inside Holden’s head when Allie died is what sends him on a quest to preserve children’s innocence and save them from the “death” of growing up. B. Salinger includes the traumatic story of Allies death that happened years in advance to provide an explanation for Holden’s obsession with death and how he sees loss of innocence as equivalent to dying. Allie died with his innocence still intact, so Holden does not want other children to grow up and have their innocence “die”. C. Holden even admits to being mentally unstable after his brother’s traumatic death when he says, “I was only 13, and they were going to have me psychoanalyzed and all, because I broke all

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Holden’s Struggle To Find Himself: Throughout the novel, The Catcher In The Rye, by J.D. Salinger, Holden struggles to find himself and who he truly is in order to be happy. His struggles relate to many things that he does or say in particular. Holden lacks with a social status with women and his family, whether it’s a relationship or being antisocial. Throughout The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield experiences the complexities and struggles involved with both physical and emotional relationships.

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He sees himself as the useless member of the family, and states that he’s “the only dumb one in the family” (67). The most heartbreaking cause of Holden’s loneliness is the death of his young brother, Allie, to leukemia. The brothers’ connection is shown through the symbol of Allie’s red hair, which Holden could have a “hunch” for even if Allie was sitting “a hundred and fifty yards” away (38). The cut of a bond this deep devastates Holden. Unfortunately, because of his inactive parents, he deals with it through anger and isolation that is symbolized by the red hunting hat he wears.

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While many argue that Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye does not deviate from the traditional anti-hero attributes and, therefore, does not display any prominent change, an argument can be made to the contrary. Holden Caulfield goes through some noticeable character development and is in a better place emotionally at the end of the book because he speaks with Phoebe. His meeting with Phoebe and Phoebe’s message to him shows him a youth’s perspective on his world, rather than the superficial sincerity of his elderly professor and his favorite teacher that makes advances on him. Additionally, him being able to successfully communicate with a member of his own family puts him in a better place. His time with her lets him see his own self-image of a “catcher in the rye.”

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