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Holden And Antigone Comparison Essay

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1123979 Thesis: Holden and Antigone both show that anytime a person attempts to express their individuality, their success relies on their status in society. Holden rejects his “perfect” life in order to become an individual, but he fails because of his youth and high class status, which both help define his spot in society.While Holden is on the train leaving Pencey he meets a woman who asks him “‘Excuse me, but isn’t that a Pencey Prep sticker?’” and Holen replies, “‘Yes, it is,’... I did have a goddam Pencey sticker on one of my Gladstones. Very corny, I’ll admit” (Salinger 61). Holden being forced to go to prep school after prep school and expected to succeed at a high level. Since he is a part of the elite class, the only accepted path …show more content…

When Antigone asks Ismene for help burying their brother, Ismene responds by saying, “You ought to realize we are only women, not meant in nature to fight against men, and that we are ruled, by those who are stronger, to obedience in this,” (70-73). Antigone is a women in a society ruled by men. Ismene knows that their position gives them no power over the situation. Realistically, Antigone has no power over her world, but she still seeks unsuccessfully to take control. She wants to be able to take action outside of the law and to do what she thinks is right in the eyes of the gods. But a man’s world stands in her way. The laws put in place by the men of the city bring about a severe punishment. Antigone’s singularity and defiance is punished. As Creon faces the two sisters after Antigone is discovered burying her brother, he says, “I never thought that I was raising two sources of destruction, two rebels against my throne,” (585-587). Antigone is a princess in a city that is attempting to recover from chaos. As a female figure of royalty she is expected to be perfect, to stand by quietly. She is a role model of female behavior for all of the women in her city, and in Ancient Greece, women never opposed men. Antigone was raised in the royal family, and as a princess she was only allowed to obey the rules. Because of this, Creon is even more

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