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.
Shel Silverstein has been recognized as one of the most talented and successful authors for poetry of his time. Shel grew up learning more talents than most of the other children. His career was full of success; many believe he was born with the natural ability to write. He had a strong sense of humor […]
Wayson Choy was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1939. As a Chinese-Canadian he grew up and lived in Chinatown. He attended Gladstone secondary school, and then went on to attend the University of British Columbia studying creative writing. He was the first writer of Chinese ancestry to study creative writing. He studied under Earle […]
Garrett Morgan Garrett Augustus Morgan was born on March 4, 1877 in Paris, Kentucky, the seventh of eleven children to Sydney and Elizabeth Morgan. His parents had previously been slaves, freed by the Emancipation Proclamation. At the early age of 14, Morgan decided to travel north to Ohio in the hopes of receiving better education […]
Ronaldo de Assis Moreira was born in the Rio Grande do Sul capital of Porto Alegre. His mother, Miguelina, is a former salesperson who studied to become a nurse. His father, Joao, was a shipyard worker and footballer for local club Esporte Clube Cruzeiro (not to be confused with Cruzeiro EC) and suffered a fatal […]
Anne Hutchinson Born In Lancashire, England in 1591 Anne Hutchinson was a puritan spiritual advisor whose strong religious convictions caught the attention of many puritans In the New England area. She was a key role model In the developing time of New England’s colonies and was also recognized for her contribution to the history of […]
Not only do I take care of my siblings, but I cook and lean and do everything my mother does, because was raised to do those things easily without complain. Anyone who isn’t part of my family/friends would look at my life and think I have no freedom. But the way I was raised taught […]
My name is Chen Ying Ting and I have lived in different places. In my childhood, I was raised by a single father since my mother was not present. However, the love from my father made up for the lack of maternal affection. Despite being an only child at home, I have developed a high […]
Hello everyone! My name is Eva Faye Jones and I am a 52 year old single non-traditional student at the College of Coastal Georgia, pursuing a BS degree in Early Childhood and Special Education. I have completed several courses including College Success Seminar, Introduction to Communication, English Composition I and II, Global Issues, Computer Concepts, […]
Nobel Prize-winning American author. One of the most influential writers of the 20th century, his reputation is based on his novels, novellas and short stories. However, he was also a published poet and an occasional screenwriter. Most of Faulkner’s works are set in his native state of Mississippi, and he is considered one of the […]
First of all, my name is Sio Tevaga; I am the youngest out of three. I was raised in the island of Samoa which is located about 5000 miles south of Hawaii. As a little kid, I was always competitive in all that I did especially when it came to sports. For example, racing was […]
Traditionally, we all have dreams and we set our goals thus, this serve as our inspiration in driving our lives. Parallel to this, St. Therese of Lisieux likewise has her aspirations in life which give her the strength to live her life to the fullest given all the challenges in this world. Story of the […]
The music of Sergey Prokofiev is known all over the world. Even amongst the musically uneducated, his music is recognised today more than ever, heard frequently in radio broadcasts, television adverts and sitcoms. His less known works are also becoming increasingly popular, with many of his ballets and operas getting played around the world. However, […]
On 12th May, 1987, a baby girl was given birth in the Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital being the first child of the Lee’s family. From that day onwards, she has been growing up in both her body and spirit. Now she’s an optimistic, talkative, quite caring girl. Yet she’s also sometimes impatient – she may get […]
Hi. I am Gold. I have been around since the beginning of time, but humans started to use me only 4000 years ago. Now, don’t think that you can throw me out into the garbage; there are millions of people who will come looking for me. Firstly, I am one of the most expensive and […]
Hi, I’m Luke Wye, also known as ginge. I was born on December 16th at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London. Despite being expected to arrive on the 15th, my entry into this world was a difficult 17-hour labor and accompanied by my striking red hair. During my arrival at our flat in Paddington, I […]
Kitty Kelley really lacerates into the pretenses Nancy Reagan in her unauthorized biography. Kelley tells many personal secrets that Reagan thought would make people may judge her. The writer may be trying to show people “The Real” Nancy Reagan. The many examples she uses would overall, have people disliking Reagan due to her pretenses. The […]
Steven Watsonâs book âFactory Made: Warhol and the Sixtiesâ is a brilliant attempt to create a cultural map of Americaâs 20th century pop culture. Instead of focusing solely on a biography of an artist or a description of prominent films and TV shows from the 1960s, Watson examines a collection of intermingled lives centered around […]
Debbie grew up In California and at the age of 16 she was named All-American after her team swept SABA Nationals. She was the youngest player ever to be honored this title. In 1992, Green earned a BAA in communications from Long Beach State, where she had been an assistant coach for the women’s volleyball […]
Wilma Rudolph Wilma Glodean Rudolph was born on June 23. 1940 to Ed and Blanche Rudolph. She was born in St. Bethlehem. Tennessee and raised in Clarksville. Tennessee. Wilma was born prematurely at 4. 5 lbs. the 20th of 22 other brothers and sisters. She and her female parent were non permitted to be cared […]
Tupac Shakur 1971-1996 Born: June 16, 1971 in New York, New York, United States Died: September 13, 1996 in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Ethnicity: African American Occupation: Rap Musician, Musician, Actor “Don’t shed a tear for me … / I ain’t happy here / I hope they bury me and send me to my […]
My name is Mandy L. Wolf I live in Hollywood California. I was born on June 19th 1987 in Flint Michigan.I am 13 years old. I have 3 siblings, my twin sister Manda and my big brother Edward my little sister Kylea. I have 2 dogs Bruno (a german shepard) and sam (a scotty dog). […]
I can remember it happening, not that it hadn’t happended before but this time I wasn’t quite so sure of the outcome. In March of 1995 I had accepted a challenge that only 10% of all American’s ever complete. The challege of becoming a United States Marine. Every so often I open my big mouth […]
