In the novel, The Catcher in The Rye, the protagonist Holden Caufield seems to be excluded from and victimized by the world around him. As he says to his professor Mr. Spencer, he feels trapped on “the other side” of life, and he continually attempts to find his way in a world in which he feels he doesn’t belong. This alienation is both the source of Holden’s strength and the source of his problems. Part of Holden’s alienation is a result of his inability, or perhaps unwillingness, to grow up. Like a child, Holden fears change and is overwhelmed by complexity, but he is too out of touch with his feelings to admit it.
In J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye, the main character, Holden Caulfield, has difficulties coming to terms with his past, which in turn has a negative effect on all present situations. The tragedy of his brother’s death has left Holden empty. It is possible that Holden holds himself partially responsible for Allie’s death and now holds himself back from what his younger brother can no longer do such as mature, excel academically or form relationships. Because of past traumatic events, Holden forces himself into isolation out of his own fear and unknowing.
I found that I had no patience for it, it was far too depressing and boring, but I suppose that back then I was too naïve to truly understand the depth of it. Now that I’ve picked it back up, it made me realize how terrible humans can be to each other and the scarring effects war can have on someone. Remarque weaves a masterpiece reflected by his personal experiences and brings the pain of the Western Front into the hearts and minds of the reader. The book starts out with the introduction of a young Paul Bäumer. At first, he seems like a normal young man.
Charles is torn between good and evil as a child faced with a father that only loves him after Adam. Likewise, Cal feels that he is inferior to Aron's near perfection and must battle with himself constantly. At a point of the novel Cal is introduced with thou mayest relatively in the same time he confronts his mother. Cal at this point is in utter confusement. He decides to try and change his destiny by being a good person.
The children happen to be staying with their mother throughout the separation, and they are now with their father for the weekend. Since he doesn’t get to see them that often now, he decides to take a day to spend completely with the children and go on a little trip. The father does this because he "wanted to know how they were, is all" (Hempel 1202). They seemed to be doing great on their own, but he just wanted to make sure. During the trip, the father realizes that there is a lot of hostility between the kids.
Zooey ended up even worse from Seymour’s teachings. He’s just too smart for his own good and he knows it. He takes everything that anyone says to him and replies with condescending, rude remarks about it. Since he always did his best, he expected amazing things from everyone else. That worked with his family, since they also did the best for each other, but such isn’t the case in the real world.
In William Faulkner’s novel As I Lay Dying, Darl Bundren is labeled as nothing more than another obstacle on the Bundren’s journey, as they are forced to deal with Darl’s insanity and mental instability, when in fact the exact opposite could be argued that Darl is actually one of the sanest members of the family. Darl’s assumed madness is a direct result of the betrayal of his family; the same ones who accuse Darl of his self-induced insanity, pushing him to a breaking point via their own twisted ulterior motives and instability, eventually causing him to perform the same acts that in turn label him as the insane character he is presumed to be. Darl is not insane, rather just misfortunate to be placed in a family such as his and in the situation taking place throughout the novel. He is misfortunate in the sense that his over-analytical mind and personality conflict with the interests of the rest of his family, who don’t seem to know or are capable of understanding Darl. Through his own narrative, Darl is seen as very observant and perceptual.
His first major flaw is exposed when he becomes ignorant as a creator and abandons the monster. The second mistake Victor makes is revealed when he does not aim to benefit his creation educationally. His many errors ultimately result in the monster’s critical decision to end his life. By contrasting Victor Frankenstein to Prometheus, Mary Shelley demonstrates, in Frankenstein, that humans are irresponsible and abysmal creatures who are incapable of being burdened with the responsibilities of God. One of the many flaws that Victor displays throughout the novel is revealed when he fails to express love and compassion towards the monster; instead, he demonstrates ignorance and recklessness as a creator the moment he abandons his creation.
“I just know you’re a good man! You’re not at all common!” This tells a lot about the grandmother’s character, which is portrayed as a selfish, cruel, and superior being until the end. Early in the story, we are told that the family is going on vacation to Florida, which the grandmother does not want to go but would rather go to Tennessee to visit family. She tries to convince her son Bailey to change his mind in going to Florida by showing him a section of the paper. “Here this fellow that calls himself The Misfit is aloose from the federal Pen and headed toward Florida and you read here what it says he did to these people.”(250) she told Bailey.
His search for the truth of Wellington’s death, leads him to revelations which undermine many of his sureties and throw his world into chaos. However it’s his reaction to these revelations which also enables him to restore order in his life. Though he seems unsuitable narrating a novel, Haddon carefully constructs an authorial voice, thus demonstrating symptoms of his behavioural problems, ‘Asperger’s syndrome’. This is a syndrome that enables him to see the world only through his limited perspective, which is closed, frightened and disorientated - which results in his fear of, and inability to understand the perplexing world of people's emotions. His description of events can be somewhat unreliable as he is unable to see the real truths that lie before him.