In All Quiet on the Western Front the protagonist is Paul Baumer because we experience the story from his point of view and thus we sympathize with him. Paul’s situation is troubling because his life and the lives of other soldiers his age “have become a wasteland” (20). War has changed them and the world so much that they don’t really know what they are going to do once the war finishes. They don’t know any trades; all they know is war. The value of their lives was also changed by war.
Changez’ failed persistence to fit in and adopt the American culture causes him to waste many years of his life as an outsider. Likewise, it is only Jim’s willingness to change to causes him to gain acceptance in the American culture, although it is clear that he too is an outcast in his own unique way. Erica is consumed by her nostalgic past, and chooses to distance herself from society in order to live in her nostalgic past. While Changez works tirelessly to be accepted as an American, he is only ever recognised as an outsider. Changez’ continual determination shows us that he is never accepted by those around him.
Applicable Theories of Criminal Behavior Social Risk Factors: He didn’t always live in poverty, but once his family wasn’t there he was in poverty. He also received rejection by his peers, when they often teased him because of his deformity. Parental and Family Risk Factors: His mother used a very authoritarian style to shape and control her sons. This caused irreparable damage to Gein throughout growing up. His mothers parental monitoring was too much, she never let Ed do anything and always kept him hidden.
In another case, Paul is seen trying to save the life of an enemy that he has stabbed, he fails but his efforts shouldn’t be forgotten. His friends refer to him as a hero, and he neglects this title and all the medals. Paul doesn’t like war and what it represents, to him, war is the real evil. The government forcing people into war, without giving them a choice is evil War can easily turn any person into a hero. Corporal Himmelstoss was an average polite postman before being drafted into World War I, not soon after he became a bully.
It also reflects his compunction for neglect of his education. Although Holden himself does not have any qualms about ruining his education, others around him, like Frome, express regret that what could have been, will never be. Mr.Antolini sees Holden “dying nobly…for some highly unworthy cause.” (Salinger, page 188) He says
With firefights, life and death situations, and the mourning of their fellow soldiers, Restrepo showed that when it comes to war, even when we win, everyone still loses. At war, winning is the main goal. Defeating the opposing side and fighting for your country is what soldiers sign up to do. However, even when the soldiers accomplish their goal, and survive the war, a part of them still dies. They will never be the same person they were before they left for war because what they see, experience and feel will change them no matter how tough they are.
If he would have used some sort of intellect and compassion in understanding his children’s aching hearts, their emotional collapse could have been prevented. Anse never acted as a stanchion – he by no means showed love or compassion for anyone throughout the book, especially his luckless children. With his inability to take action and foresee situations, Anse’s blatant faults overtly parallel every disaster in the novel. Other characters in As I Lay Dying who were more rational and not part of the Bundren family (Peabody, Samson, Tull) all agreed on Anse’s ruinous and lazy character – “I notice how it takes a lazy man, a man that hates moving, to get set on moving once he does get started off, the same as when he was set on staying still, like it ain’t the moving he hates so much as the starting and the stopping”
Guilt and Blame The horrible experiences of guilt strip them of their humanity. Jimmy Cross was a great soldier who felt compelled to keep his soldiers safe at all times. Ted Lavender dies from war but because Jimmy was distracted for a bit, he felt guilty that Ted Lavender died because Jimmy loved Martha so much. He felt that he could have done something to save his life. But because he was distracted he couldn’t do anything.
He has received a considerate amount of criticism for his actions, for being unprepared, for ruining the hope of ever reconciling with his family, the list goes on and on. His critics are correct; after all he did not have the experience nor the equipment for such an exploit, nor will his family ever be able to with bury the hatchet now that he is dead, but do all of these criticisms mean that Chris did not live a meaningful life? How could he have? His family is grieving because of his actions, and not only that but so are the people he met along the way, he could not have lived a meaningful life while hurting so many people. Or could he?
Catcher in the Rye Formal Essay The novel “Catcher in the Rye” written by J.D. Salinger, follows a brief part of the life and events of 16 year old Holden Caulfield through his own narration. The story, being told through the main character, allows readers to correlate their own thoughts and perspective on the many situations Holden experiences with Holden himself. A contrast can be made between what Holden sees as reality and what is truly happening. Holden is still a very childish and juvenile individual and his reluctance –even perhaps fear- of growing up, changing, and accepting his behaviour is wrong leaves him unable to cope with society.