Imagine a dystopian future where brainwashed people are made to believe in a biological standard of beauty. Imagine another world where the events of World War One have been altered to include fabricated beasts and steampunk-like machines. Scott Westerfeld has created these worlds with his distinct style. His style is clearly evident in Uglies and Leviathan.. Westerfeld’s style is made up mainly of simile, imagery, and characterization through a character’s thoughts.
During Catcher, the whole story is set as a first person recount from the view of Holden Caulfield, but during this recount, there are some small instances of Holden thinking of his life as a child. The recount is from Holden’s point of view as he is obtaining psychiatric help, after he has been found to have mental issues. The majority of these small flashback moments during the text are about Holden’s younger brother Allie, who passed away with Leukemia when Holden was a few years younger. Holden holds strong and happy memories of his younger brother’s life, and during this extended flashback, he tells the author about his brother, and although Allie does not take part within the story, the audience learns lots about him. Holden is very much traumatised by the death of his younger brother, and this traumatic event has helped in making Caulfield the socially awkward person that he is during the recount.
Point of view is mostly used throughout the book. You get to see through Ethan’s perspective. This showed how the duties for his wife made his life boring and dull until Mattie came along. He describe Mattie as “The girl was more than the bright serviceable creature he had thought her. She had an eye to see and an ear to hear: he could show her things and tell her things, and taste the bliss of feeling that all he imparted left long reverberations and echoes he could wake at will.”
Simile: “True, I don’t look so good by the end of the day ... but it’s the brilliant green-and-yellow uniform that gives me away, like prison clothes on a fugitive.” (Ehrenreich 100) In comparing the obviousness of Ehrenreich’s maid outfit, to that of a Prisoner’s, a simile is utilized. This is a smooth and effective way of comparing the two, and adds to somewhat ornate language in Nickel and Dimed.
It is evident that Holden Caulfield’s anxiety and depression in The Catcher in the Rye directly correlates to the realities of child anxiety and depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety disorders affect one in eight children. Common rationales that lead to child anxiety and depression include formidable parents, parental conflict, separation anxiety, academic pressure, sexual abuse and bullying (Mahale). Influences of paternal, maternal, and social structure results in child disorders such as anxiety and depression.
Similes and metaphors give the reader a more sensual representation of what is happening so it is easier to understand it. Figurative language is a big part of literature. Hobbs’ use of similes and metaphors enhances the reader’s understanding of the plot of Crossing the Wire because it is a good way of explaining the situation, which makes the story more interesting. Similes help make CTW more interesting because it makes the story more fun to read.
Narrative point of view can express a different perspective to the reader by presenting experience, voice, and setting. Perspective is a particular way or attitude of considering events, by whatever character’s point of view the narrator takes. A character’s background and experiences in their life is a key to help the reader relate to the character. Culture may provide more insight about the circumstances, and can change a reader’s perspective, as well as the voice of the narrator - sophisticated or naive.
Thomas Jefferson once wrote, “He who permits himself to tell a lie once, finds it much easier to do it a second and third time, till at length it becomes habitual”. In the book Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield’s lies become habitual throughout the book. Holden is a sixteen-year-old boy, who has been kicked out of several schools including, most recently, Pencey Prep. Holden’s younger brother, Allie, died when Holden was only thirteen and his older brother is too busy working for Hollywood to care about Holden. Although his mother cares immensely for him, Holden saddens her by failing academically.
Frederick Douglass uses point of view to show the love that one embodies. Point of view is used to show the love his mother had for him even from being separated. In the story, Douglass talks about being separated from his mother and father as a child. He barely had seen his mother to really know her and was able to only at night.
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.
The Catcher in the Rye In the novel The Catcher in the Rye J.D Salinger writes about a teenager struggling to find his place within the existence of the reality of others. Salinger creates shocking events that lay out the foundation of the the main character Holden Caulfield’s life in the novel. Salinger uses Holden’s characteristics throughout the novel such as Holden’s stubbornness to establish a much bigger theme in the book along with many other symbols.
The novel “The Catcher in the Rye” was about the journey of a adolescent boy finding his way to adulthood. In the book Holden Caulfield was unsuccessful in finding his way to adulthood. Holden’s attitude in the novel throughout his journey was very immature. He also can't accept the fact that innocence can’t be forever protected. Lastly, Holden calls everyone a phony when in reality he is the real phony.
“True!- nervous-very,very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad?” (par. 1) First person point of view is unique, because it shows the reader every thought of the main character. Other points of view convey the thoughts
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.”
The Tell-Tale Heart contained suspense created through point-of-view, irony, and diction. Point-of-view is the how the story is being observed. The Tell-Tale Heart is told in an unreliable first person point-of-view, meaning that the reader only knows the thoughts of the narrator. Throughout the Tell-Tale Heart, the reader is never sure what the narrator will do next.
