Hero Essays
J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye illustrates the story of an adolescent going through a period of perception-changing times in his life. The story is told from the point of view of the main character and protagonist, Holden Caulfield, a junior in high school. Throughout the novel, Holden is going through a phase in which he realizes the “phony” nature of the people in the world. Overall, the story encompasses themes such as loss and confusion ultimately resolved with advice for finding oneself. Clearly, many young adults undergoing a paradigm shift or a maturing from adolescence can relate the book’s protagonist on a personal or even spiritual level. Because of his relatable journey, I view Holden Caulfield as a hero, not in the archetypal sense, but as a champion for those struggling to find a sense of direction in their lives. Holden’s entire character has not been fully established yet as he is still immature and has no definite plans for his future. He had been kicked out of three schools for not applying himself, and he calls people who act “fake” in real life “phonies.” However, what makes Holden Caulfield such an important character is that he is going through what many have experienced or are experiencing: the transition from childhood to manhood.
On the contrary, Holden seems to resist this transition as he was never serious about his schools. In fact, he came to the point where he thought of ending his life in chapter 14. He writes, “What I really felt like doing was committing suicide. I felt like jumping out the window.” Of course, many teenagers have had the same feeling, although I am an exception to this. In chapter 17, he explains to Sally everything he resented about school. “It’s full of phonies, and all you do is study so that you can learn enough to be smart enough to buy a goddam Cadillac some day,” he continues. Eventually, he came up with the idea of running away with Sally up north. With this, Holden shows he has never given thought to his actual future and what he plans to be. At this part of the plot, I did not really identify myself with the character of Holden Caulfield anymore.
I on the other hand do plan on attending college for medicine. Holden in chapter 17 embodied the rebellious nature of some teenagers who, much like the protagonist, choose to run away from his/her problems.The symbolism J. D. Salinger inserts into the story can provide more to the theme. There is a recurring thought that Holden has concerning the ducks inhabiting the lagoon in Central Park in New York City and where they go when the lake freezes up. Holden brings up this train of thought in various locations. The first was in his meeting with Mr. Spencer and again on two different cab rides. The symbolism behind this is that the ducks represent himself and his refusal to adapt to a changing environment. It puzzled him how the ducks would have to move and where. This is where I can relate to Holden. Growing up and moving on is difficult, but it is necessary for life. Holden Caulfield is a hero through what he has endured and who he can emulate. I myself do not relate to him as I have already been through what he has gone through, at a lesser degree, of course, but he can be seen, by some, as an example for a refusal to adapt. He is not a hero that is perfect or super strong, but he is a hero that inspires and relates himself to the common adolescent.
Felix Mendelssohn was German writer, pianist and a conductor of the early Romantic period, born in the year 1809 in Hamburg and died in the year 1847 in Leipzig. He was born in a prominent family owing that even his grandfather Moses Mendelssohn was a philosopher. He was brought up without religion, though was later […]
Franz Liszt, a prominent figure in the music industry during the Romantic Movement in 19th century Europe, was celebrated for his artistic talents as a music composer, pianist, and conductor. Additionally, Liszt actively engaged in philanthropic work and supported Hungarian nationalism. Birth, Personal Life, and Death On October 22, 1811, Franz Liszt was born to […]
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born on 7th May, 1840 Vyatka region in Russia. He was the second of the six children, had five brothers and one sister. Ilya Chaikovsky, his father, was a mining business executive in Votkinsk. Aleksandra Assier, his mother, was of French and Russian ancestry. At age of five, Tchaikovsky was able […]
Tania Aebi narrates the story of her expedition in her book Maiden Voyage. The book is a chronicle of teenage anguish, self-discovery and exploration. Aebi’s story is remarkable for the reason that she was by lots of standards, inadequately equipped for her voyage as well as unaccompanied, but triumphed through skills she both discovered and […]
Johannes Brahms, born on 7/5/1833 in Hamburg, Germany. Both of Johannes Brahms’ parents, Johann Jakob and Nissen Christina Brahms, were musicians. Born in Germany, Brahms himself became a celebrated composer, conductor, and pianist. His father, who was also an innkeeper, instructed him in playing the piano and violin from a young age. At six years […]
I am [Name], born in [Month] of the year. My parents are of African descent, mainly from Nigeria in West Africa. My father’s name is [Father’s Name], and my mother’s name is [Mother’s Name]. Professionally, my father is an accountant and my mother is a social worker. I grew up in Brooklyn, New York City, […]
The use of computers is essential in our modern society for storing, retrieving, transmitting, and manipulating data. Information technology plays a significant role in various areas such as business, academia, social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, and online shopping. The development of computers has been impressive since the introduction of analogue computers in 1958 […]
Milton was born on September 13, 1857 in Derry Township, Pennsylvania, United States, to Henry Hershey and Fanny Snavely Hershey. Despite growing up in a humble environment, he was expected to assist his parents on the farm, which was typical during that era. However, due to a lack of motivation, he received minimal education and […]
Catalina de Erauso was born on February 10, 1592, in northern Spain at in San Sebastián city. She was a Basque woman and a sister of soldiers from Basque Country in the city of San Sebastian. She was a daughter of MarĂa PĂ©rez de Galarraga and Miguel de Erauso. She attended the San Sebastián el […]
Thomas Kinkade is an American painter who was born in 1958, at Sacramento, California. Kinkade spent most of his life in Placerville. His artwork made of oil painting communicated deeply with the viewers by providing a warm nostalgia in a stressful and often complex world. He gave out a message to slow down by appreciating […]
Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member is a non-fiction book by Sanyika Shakur published in the 1993 and that was published by Grove Atlantic Books. Sanyika wrote this book in form of a memoir while serving his sentence in prison. The book is written as a form of guideline that violence and criminology […]
Birth Nelson Mandela was born in a village known as Mvezo. He was born on 18 July 1918 where his father was a key adviser to the Thembu royal family. Early Years Mandela received and developed his political views and attitudes at a tender age during his early school days. Influences by the elder’s stories […]
When I reminisce about the most important events in my past, the underlying aspects of my life currently, and my expectations for the future, the essential theme is mainly to be thankful for the work done by authors from across the different continents in the world. My name is Jarah, and I study at the […]
My name is Brave Claudius, born and raised in Orlando, Florida to Mary Leakey and Richard Leakey on the 3rd day of February 1994. I was raised singly by my mother, who has had a great influence in making most of the career decisions I have had in life. My mother owns a group home […]
I was born in Baltimore, Maryland and attended my elementary school in Maryland state school. My family still lives in Maryland, and my siblings all go to school there. We grew up a large family, and my dad was a senior lecturer at Illinois state university. My mother was a flight attendant and used to […]
Erauso’s autobiography shows us that she had acquired the position of a heterosexual man. She strongly refuses being a heterosexual woman as it is associated with subordination and hence replaces it with a heterosexual male role, complete with proprietary and exploitive attitudes towards females. This starts during the time when Erauso flees away from the […]
Hello, everyone! My name is John Doe and I currently work as a Health Economist, which is my area of interest. Health economics primarily involves evaluating the efficiency, effectiveness, value, and behavior associated with healthcare product production and consumption. My work in this area entails analyzing health sector system operations and behaviors that impact healthcare […]
In the novel The Power and the Glory, Graham Greene sets up his readers to search for the power and glory represented in the novel. The title’s main words connect not only many of the characters and their chronicles, but to the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount. The Priest unknowingly lives out a […]
In today’s society, gender and race have a significant impact, particularly on Hispanics and African Americans who often encounter employment discrimination based on their ethnicity. Regrettably, stereotypes of laziness are associated with Latinos and African Americans despite their equal work ethic. John Steinbeck’s book Of Mice & Men illustrates these situations. Power is also a […]
My experiments’ focus is to obtain an accurate measurement for a specific lens’s power. This will be achieved by focusing on the lens equation:1/v (curvature of wavefront after lens) = 1/u (curvature of wavefront before lens) + 1/f (power of the lens/curvature added by lens).By performing an experiment with a source of light, a lens, […]
The OEEC, which later became the OECD in September 1961, initially consisted of member states such as Japan, Canada, and the United States. Over time, the number of members has expanded to include 30 countries worldwide. Any country that promotes open markets, representative democracy, and human rights is eligible to join the OECD. The main […]
Introduction Economics experts and various studies conducted across the globe envisage India and China to rule the world in the 21st century. For over a century the United States has been the largest economy in the world but major developments have taken place in the world economy since then, leading to the shift of focus […]
