Hero Essays
J. D. Salingerâs 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 âphonyâ 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 bookâs 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. Holdenâs 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 âfakeâ in real life âphonies.â 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, âWhat I really felt like doing was committing suicide. I felt like jumping out the window.â 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. âItâs 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,â 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.
Hi Folks. Good morning! I am Joliever Villanueva and I apologize for not knowing your names as well. Traveling to discuss the nature of the power of taxation is significant in understanding Sovereignty. Sovereignty, also known as Karapatang Mamahala, is crucial for every government and it pertains to taxation because the power of taxation is […]
“Those who foolishly seek power by riding on the back of the tiger often end up inside.” – John F. Kennedy. When individuals attain positions of authority, their perception of control often leads to a disregard for responsibility in making decisions that negatively impact others. This is when power corrupts their minds, fueled by greed […]
ollowing the outcome of the First World War. With Germany’s defeat, many German men returned to Germany feeling betrayed by their country and government. Among them was Adolf Hitler, a young Austrian Corporal who had fought bravely for Germany. When the World War broke out, Hitler was very happy. The War had been a blessing […]
Knowledge can be defined as the fact or state of knowing. There are many different aspects of knowledge. Knowledge comes from many different places. There are great numbers of philosophers who have tried to describe where knowledge comes from. Also knowledge can be divided into different parts according to the way we receive knowledge. There […]
1. Summarize the âTedâ talk: Brene Brown, Ph. D. , LMSW, a self-purported âshame-and-vulnerability expertâ, is a research professor at the University of Houston, Graduate College of Social Work. Focusing the last ten years of her studies on the topics of vulnerability, courage, authenticity, and shame, Brene Brownâs work has been featured on PBS, CNN, […]
Water is often underestimated and disregarded, especially in comparison to beverages such as Powerade and Gatorade. Recent studies indicate that many people are mildly dehydrated on a daily basis. Although this may not have immediate serious consequences, it can negatively impact long-term health. Even a small chronic deficiency of 1-2 percent in hydration levels can […]
Brent Staplesâ essay titled âJust walk on by: A black man ponders his power to alter public spaceâ is an outstanding piece of minority literature of the twentieth century. Not only is the essay a high quality literary work, the point the author makes is also highly relevant to blacks and other ethnic minorities. Through […]
Dear Newbie, I am passing along information that I received when I was in the same position as you. They say that knowledge is power, and for certain students, learning comes easily. However, if you are not one of them, there is no need to worry. Many argue that this ease of learning is due […]
CURRENT SITUATION It is the summer of 1987. Arctic Power laundry detergent has contracted with the consulting firm of Smith and Jones, LTD to assist Arctic Power in determining their strategic direction and their product positioning. BACKGROUND AND HISTORY Arctic Power, a laundry detergent specially formulated to clean in cold water, is part of Colgate-Palmolive […]
Malaysia is among dozens of countries are adopting the concept of the emergence of feudalism in his capacity as a federal state. Since our country, Malaysia gained independence in 1957, the concept of federalism that underlies the idea of merging states in Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Sabah have sparked idealism existence of central government and […]
The history of these two empires shows how they were able to conquer the different variations of subjects, and by this the Mongols had to conquer slightly more technologically advanced populations than the Aztecs had to. Even with being built on different hemispheres and different time periods, it is very odd how they compared in […]
All the time women had been underestimated in societies. Their jobs were only to be a house wife. Also they were not allowed to be educated. In other words, they were convinced that this is menâs world. But in the last three decades, women have proven themselves that they have limited abilities in every field. […]
Steinbeck shows us power in many different ways, Physical, Personal, Financial Power and Power of Seduction the novel was set in the 1930âs when power meant a lot to a lot of people. This meant that people would do anything to get respected! In the 1930âs the world was a different place to what it […]
God condemns for life, whose texture of the skin is black, seems to be the approach and the subject matter of this book. Ghetto is not an inspiring word, and the adjective âdarkâ makes the case even hopeless. The explanation of the word ghetto given by the author makes an authentic âsynopsisâ of the contents […]
In the book Animal Farm, the character Napoleon builds up power as a leader and maintains it throughout the book using various schemes and techniques. This essay will explain how Napoleon creates and maintains his power from the turning point of the book. I shall start with his creation of power then the maintenance of […]
Social class played a major role in the society depicted in Charles Dickens’s novel âGreat Expectationsâ. Many characters were treated differently because of their social class in the story. Seeing the contrast between how the poor and the rich were treated will give a clearer understanding of how much social class mattered. During the nineteenth […]
This essay will explore the impact of supermarkets on high streets and their surrounding areas. According to Wikipedia, supermarkets are spacious self-service stores that offer various food and household items arranged into aisles. Generally, these supermarkets are located away from city centers. Conversely, high streets consist of small shops in town centers that specialize in […]
William Bellâs Crabbe is a novel filled with suspense, action and emotion. With the main character being a teenager that runs away from home, it makes for an intriguing story. Crabbe (Franklin) explains all of his thoughts and beliefs on school, parents and life in the course of the story. As a result, the story […]
Is there a higher power? How mighty is this power? These two questions do not have a right or wrong answer but for many people, they are definitely hard questions to answer. However, for me, these two questions still remain unanswered and I hope to discuss it further in this essay with relating to the […]
Do you remember the saying as a child, âSticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me? â The second part of this phase was and still is commonly overlooked, but many can oppose this statement according to personal experiences. Not only have peopleâs feelings been hurt by words, but many […]
Nepal is often jostled up amongst the facts and myths when it comes to hydro- electric power generation. There are facts that relate it to one of the richest countries in the world when it comes to resources. Then there is a myth, for a nation with such bountiful resources would have never been deprived […]
âRaceâ is not in our genes however judging an individual based on their appearance is deeply rooted in our thoughts and actions. The film Race: Power of an Illusion examines the fact that different âracesâ of the human species donât actually exist and are purely a construct of the human mind invigorated by society based […]
