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Similarities Between Holden And The Great Gatsby

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When teaching about the American dream many English classes use The Great Gatsby by F. Scotts Fitzgerald as a primary example. While highly different, a secondary example used to teach the same lesson is The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger. In both novels the main characters, Gatsby and Holden, don't seem to have much in common but going in deeper both have much in common. Both characters are so ignorant and flawed that their plans are set to fail. However Gatsby being more ignorant, fails deeper. Now both Gatsby and Holden, mostly having nothing in common, but both suffer from similar issues. Having idealized minds, they both desire what they cannot reach which includes being accepted and wanting the feeling like they belong. However Holden tries to look for this and while being a dislikeable character that has a negative mind set on everyone and doesn’t like, “… anything that’s happening” (169), Gatsby is a outgoing, likeable and more idealistic character that refuses to give up hope, even when Daisy strongly shows liking Tom over Gatsby himself (144-145). According to Nick’s narration Gatsby is , “...worth the whole damn bunch put together’”(154). In saying this Nick …show more content…

He believes that when one knows everything about everything to know about reality, they won’t be able to have such a life than they could’ve, which causes him held back by little details. In doing this, Holden doesn't enjoy his life. Holden knows that he is going through his own fail, as his older teacher shows, “‘I have a feeling that you’re riding for some kind of a terrible, terrible fall’” (186). Mr. Antolini here is telling Holden o he is going through this fail, and that if he doesn’t start paying attention something terrible will happen. By knowing of his fail and also knowing he's a terrible person he believes his knowledge and experiences are the reason behind his fail. Holden believes he deserves the awful happening that will come from his

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“I am one of the few honest people I have ever known.”(Nick Carraway- The Great Gatsby) The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald is about Gatsby striving for his goal of reuniting and marrying Daisy. Gatsby starts his plan by moving in next to Nick and across the bay from Daisy. He then asks Nick to invite Daisy over to his house so they can meet again.

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How do Mr. Antolini’s words apply to the novel? “The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.” Mr. Antolini’s words apply to the novel because it addresses one of the central points of both the novel and the central character parts of Holden. These words show the flaw in a lot of Holden’s thinking even if his intentions are good. He sees himself as having the responsibility of saving others from losing their innocence even as he struggles with the transition from being an innocent child into the life of an adult.

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In the books The Catcher in the Rye, and The Great Gatsby both J.D. Salinger and F.Scott Fitzgerald wrote about two phony characters name Holden and Gatsby. They are phonies because they lie about everything, even simple stuff like their names. The person who is phonier between Holden and Gatsby is Gatsby. He lied about his whole life basically Gatsby lied about his name, covered up a murder, and lied about what school he went too. Gatsby biggest problem is he lied about his name.

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Being idealistic characters, they both desire what they cannot obtain; being accepted and feeling belonged. However where Holden seeks this in being a dislikeable character that believes everyone is a “phony” and he seemingly doesn’t, “…like anything that’s happening” (169), Gatsby is a likeable and more idealistic character that refuses to give up hope, even when Daisy seems to have chosen Tom over Gatsby himself (144-145). According to Nick’s narration, “‘You’re [Gatsby] worth the whole damn bunch put together’”(154).

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Throughout the history of literature, many authors have tried to reveal a clear understanding of the American Dream. And whether it is possible to achieve lies all in the character the author portrays. The Great Gatsby and The Catcher in the Rye are prime examples of this. F. Scott Fitzgerald and J.D. Salinger, the authors of these titles, respectively, fashion flawed Jay Gatsby and Holden Caulfield, with one important desire: the longing to gain what they can’t have; acceptance and the feeling of belonging. Each being different in their own ways as well.

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He is constantly in denial and thinks that everything else is to blame for his own problems. Holden always has an excuse to justify his action. When he left his old school he said, “One of the biggest reasons I left Elkton Hills was because I was surrounded by phonies. That’s all” (17). Holden is basically saying here that he left his old school not because he is not smart but it was because he could not stand the people there.

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Both F. Scott Fitzgerald and John Steinbeck show similarities and differences in achieving the american dream the way that the characters want to, as they do have diverse dreams.

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It is the faults in their characters that, not only makes them distinct, though is what leads to their ultimate fall at the end of each novel. Holden Caulfield and Jay Gatsby struggle with the present because they tend to reject reality by being overly self-interested. Holden Caulfield appears to not “fit in” anywhere and leads him to view most people as “phony” as an

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Helping others in American Literature Though helping others achieve their dreams we ourselves can find happiness in our own lives. That is one of the themes created by characters in books The Great Gatsby and Of Mice and Men. The Great Gatsby takes place in the roaring 20’s. The is a story about Nick Carraway and the hidden secrets he learns and creates while becoming friends with his mysterious neighbor Jay Gatsby.

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Enemies are portrayed as being opposites of each other and work to repel the other like magnets. When one thinks of enemies, they may think of Batman and the Joker. One works to preserve the well being in Gotham and tries to prove that it has good people living in it. The Joker on the other hand works to upset the established power and expose their corruption to the public through heinous crimes. Such is not the case in The Great Gatsby.

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F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway are among the most prominent exponents of literature of the twentieth century. Forming part of the Lost Generation, these authors not only develop similar themes throughout their works, but heavily influenced each other. The Great Gatsby being Fitzgerald’s magnum opus, serves as a prime illustration of the staples of contemporary literature. In the novel The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald, the author depicts himself through a character, Nick Carraway, conforming to other self depiction common in the Lost Generation, such as Hemingway in the Nick Adams stories. Nick Carraway and Nick Adams represent Fitzgerald and Hemingway, both serving as apertures into Fitzgerald’s and Hemingway’s view of the world.

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Gatsby later tries to reconnect with Daisy, much to the dismay of Tom. Fitzgerald utilizes the characters of Gatsby and Tom to create parallels and highlight certain characteristics in both men. Tom and Gatsby are similar in that they both are very wealthy and love Daisy, each in their own way. While they share this similarity, there are a myriad of differences between the two. Tom is a racist, is part of the old money society, and does not face judgement for his actions.

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Holden has a “Me vs the World” mentality against anyone that succeeds causing him to push people out of his

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Holden struggles with growing up and facing reality. There are many examples of Holden’s immaturity that are displayed in many forms such as facing responsibilities, his speech, his actions, and etc. Holden’s outlook on adult life is that it is superficial and brimming with phonies, but childhood was all about looking pleasing and innocent. He wants everything to stay the same and for time to stop. As Holden progresses in age, he will discover more about becoming mature in the

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