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Unspoken Codes In J. D. Salinger's Catcher In The

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Michael Ignatieff believes that, for one to truly fit in with their peers, they must apprehend to the unspoken codes that reside among them. These unspoken rules are frankly actions and thoughts that society believes are unacceptable and shouldn't be preformed. As easy as it may sound, many characters throughout literature and people of today’s generation find following these unspoken rules quite difficult, mainly due to the fact that these codes are never vocalized, but expected of all. Unspoken rules, or tacit codes, are destructive to young people’s creativity and individuality as they produce the unsatisfactory results of a homogenous society. In J. D. Salinger’s, The Catcher in the Rye, the main character Holden Caulfield doesn’t follow the restrictive tacit codes that were set in place during the 1950s, mainly due to …show more content…

For example, in today’s day and age it is consider forbidden for women to dress themselves in apparel that is short or skinny, because it is perceived as inappropriate. Young girls are taught to cover up every square inch of their body, because showing even the tiniest amount of skin can be seen as distracting. Teenagers are expected to not apply too much makeup because that can come across as looking fake, but, at the same time, are supposed to wear enough makeup so that they don’t come across as looking ill or immature for their age. And, if they slip up or decide one day to not follow these strict guidelines of society, they forever will be called names, made fun of, and ostracized from their peers. In fear of these unjust consequences happening to them, today’s young men and women are forced to abide by the strict norms that have been placed before them. This new conformity of those who once opposed the unspoken rules of society, places humanity one step closer to a bland and ordinary human

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