Viva La Vida (Coldplay) Viva La Vida is reminiscent of Holden because it speaks of a man who fell from a much higher place in his life. When the song says “I used to rule the world / Seas would rise when I gave the word / Now in the morning, I sleep alone / Sweep the streets I used to own” it shows a man’s fall from being a king to a lowly street sweeper. This represents Holden’s fall into reality. He used to be a boy who thought he could do anything he pleased (like leave Pencey early and do as he pleased, but when the money ran out and he fell into depression and slight madness he is represented as a street sweeper, someone at the very lowest, he eventually has to return home. Continuing, it also shows Holden’s obsession with death and his demise into hell. The song states “For some reason I can't explain / I know …show more content…
Piano Man (Billy Joel) This song speaks of the depression that Holden feels in Ernie's bar (with Billy Joel playing the part of Ernie). Even though the song is upbeat, it speaks of the depression and loneliness that the patrons feel. When it says “yes, they're sharing a drink they call loneliness / But it's better than drinkin' alone” it brings to light this depression. Even though Holden is surrounded by fellow patrons, he is in a since drinking alone because he’s secluded in his own thoughts and judging the fellow patrons. Piano Man also shows the phoniness of the patrons that Holden reflects on. This is shown when “the smile [runs] away from [John’s] face,” someone who’s “quick with a joke or to light up your smoke” who wants to be a movie star. John represents the phoniness in the room because even though he is smiling he is not honestly happy with where he is in life but because of the atmosphere in the bar, he’s not going to share that side of himself with anyone. Holden notices this and it drives him to anger that people are so fake. Dream On