The Catcher In The Rye Holden's Journey

The narrator was disappointed and upset because his brother was different, the narrator wanted a normal brother; however, throughout the short story the narrator’s negative attitude starts to change. In the beginning of the The Scarlet Ibis, the narrator is upset that his brother is abnormal; also, the narrator feels embarrassed. The narrator stated “It was bad enough having an invalid brother, but having one who possibly was not all there was unbearable, so I began to make plans to kill him by smothering him with a pillow” (Hurst 485). This quotation shows the narrator’s disappointment and cruelty towards his brother. The narrator is very cruel because he is willing to kill his brother because he is disabled.

Jules feels so guilty about the death of Baby’s mother that he is unable to even look Baby in the eyes. Jules does not want Baby to blame him for the death of Manon so he is secretive about the truth in an attempt to avoid his guilty wrongdoings. Jules is in denial of the situation, which is why he attempts to avoid the responsibility of owning up to his mistakes. In many cases, those who experience guilt eventually admit to their regret as a defense mechanism in an attempt to feel better, much like Jules. Jules attempts to hide from reality and escape the truth which manipulates his mindset.

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’. Holden lies as a result of his depression, in order to hide the fact that he’s lonely and bored with his life, to divert any questions which he believes are too personal, and to create his own reality. In this way, Salinger illustrates how, during difficult times, people resort to lying as a coping mechanism.

This story has a protagonist who wants to break free, this is a common characteristic of Romantic stories. Other characteristics include having a character going against the establishment which can be clearly seen by how Mr. Hooper was made an outcast and harassed by his people. For example, In the story when the narrator says " Old Squire Saunders, doubtless by an accidental lapse of memory, neglected to invite Mr.Hooper to his table..."(Hawthorn 5). This demonstrates how Mr. Hooper is an outcast because he is wearing a black veil. He struggled with his secret sin and was alone most of his life due to everyone being against his beliefs .

Just like teens today Holden just wants someone to hear him out and understand what he’s feeling but at the same time he feels like explaining his feelings is useless. “ …. The night Allie died… I broke all the goddamn windows with my fist, just for the hell of it, i hardly didn’t even know i was doing it…” I personally think that his quote that Holden says about the him finding out about the death of his brother Allie is the meaning of when his phase started. He felt lost and he didn’t know what to do, he felt like he couldn’t talk about it with anybody except his sister phoebe. In the beginning of the novel it explains how Holden 's roommate Stradlater asked him to write a meaningful essay for him about anything.

In The Picture of Dorian Gray, this immoral acts are the ones that lead to the tragic ending of the book and the unhappy life that he had on his last years of living. During a substantial portion of the book, Dorian felt the weight of his conscience and he never describes it as a pleasant feeling. His only escape became the opium in one point. “There were opium-dens, where one could buy oblivion, dens of horror where the memory of old sins could be destroyed by the madness of sins that were new” (Wilde, 16). He was trying to forget his sins but the weight of them was unbearable, he was living an unhappy life.

However, the dissertation plays to the role of Everyman being reduced to only essential characteristics. David Mills states: The fear that Death instills in Everyman separates the individual from his context, stripping him of social and physical support and identity until he is reduced to his essentials of his soul and his good deeds. The isolation of the individual soul before God translates into images of social rejection and abandonment of the two sets of “friends”. (133) Everyman’s three “friends” lead him on in the beginning of his quest to have them join him on his journey. It is not until they figure out what is at stake for them that they leave Everyman to face his death alone.

For many adults and even teenagers themselves, it is difficult to grasp the adolescent mind and the behavior they exhibit. In J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye, protagonist Holden Caulfield suffers from depression despite his upper-class status that many strive after. From the beginning of the book, Holden’s cynicism and difficulty fitting in is exemplified. However, it is not until further into the book that the root of his cynical, depressive, and contradictory behavior and thoughts is explained.

Against Jocasta’s suggestions, he is persistent in finding out who his father and mother were. When he does, he is dismally torn to shreds. Even if he didn’t mean to kill his father and have children with his mother, it proves to be immoral and wrong even in today’s standards. Because of his strong emotions of self-hatred, he inflicted much pain unto himself so as to never have to see the world again, therefore proving he suffers both physically and mentally. Oedipus’ downfall makes the audience feel a sense of catharsis, or emotional release that is provoked by Oedipus’ downfall.

People always say that “the road won’t be easy.” Unfortunately, in life bad things happen to good people. For example, people have a loved one die, and they cannot control it. This is also the case for Oedipus, because he does not know the truth about his life and does not know that he is actually fulfilling the prophecy about him.Oedipus was blind to the truth almost the entirety of the play. In Oedipus Rex, Jocasta is to blame because she complained to Oedipus and then killed herself, and Creon is to blame because he made Oedipus angry and brought Teiresias to Oedipus. The Herdsman revealing the truth to Oedipus brought grievance to him.