Comparative Study of Texts and Contexts – ‘Catcher in the Rye’ and ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ The developmental process of the evolution of youth to adulthood in any circumstance can be both tumultuous, disorderly and over emotional. The exploration of one’s inner self during this time can generate a fervent desire to discover the answers to all of life’s questions; however the result can often fail to produce a satisfyingly straightforward response. In both the renowned novel, ‘The Catcher in the Rye’, published in 1951 by author J.D Salinger and Stephen Chbosky’s 2012 motion picture, ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’, both protagonists in the form of Holden Caulfield (Catcher) and Charlie Kelmeckis (Perks) possess surprisingly similar qualities in terms of situation and circumstance despite being set almost forty years apart. The themes of alienation, external and inner emotional turmoil resulting from previous past experiences and the intense yearning for the formation and preservation of relationships, especially with peers, are just a few of the key aspects explored in both texts, within which we as an audience are able to see the journey both characters undertake as they arrive at what is ultimately the precipice where childhood is forced to coalesce with the adult world. The path one takes in order to discover their true self during the period of adolescence is often accompanied with feelings of uncertainty, pronounced insecurity and disorientation in terms of fitting in within a chosen sect in society.
Chapter 1: “Every Trip is a Quest” Foster states the essential criteria for a quest: a character to embark on the quest, a destination, the initial reason for reaching the destination, difficulties faced on the way, and the actual reason to reach the destination. The character many times does not complete the initial assignment, instead achieving an increased understanding of themselves, which Foster explains is always the actual reason for a quest. Because of this, the protagonist is normally young and has not gained independence. The initial reason usually wanes with progression of the story. “Had I a right, for my own benefit, to inflict this curse upon everlasting generations?...I shuddered to think that future ages might curse me as their pest, whose selfishness had not hesitated to buy its own peace at the price perhaps of the existence of the whole human race.” (Shelley 114-115) Assuming that Frankenstein’s quest was to create another being to accompany his monster so that the monster would leave Frankenstein’s loved ones unscathed, his initial assignment was uncompleted as he tore apart the being he was making.
The voice of Frank shows the immaturity of him during his childhood. That juvenile voice magnified the intensity of the book and grabs a hold of the readers attention. Frank McCourt, it seems, intended to write this book for anyone who has lived, or is living a hard childhood. This audience could relate with what he went through. I think Frank is trying to teach that the struggles that you go through only make you stronger when you have to face the world.
Longo |1 Literature Across Culture 1 EL 3500 The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Analytical Essay Debbie Longo Longo |2 Literature as always remains as society's personal history lesson. As time unravels and generations become smarter, more diverse and more inquisitive to the mysteries of life, this fact becomes increasingly evident. The works of Junot Diaz has proven to be a part of this history lesson. More specifically, Junot Diaz's, very first novel, 'The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao' does just that by highlighting the cultural differences among people who are in actuality quite similar in many ways. Because of Diaz’s comparison between the life of an immigrant in the Dominican Republic and the United States, he ensures that
As he grew up, he experienced bullying because of his physical malformations and his unrecognizable speech. As he grows, he chases normal throughout the entire world, trying to find acceptance from a wide variety of different people. As he searches for normal and tells the reader about his life, he is at risk of telling a single story; the story from his perspective, not taking into account the way others felt during all of these events in his life. Schonborn’s story is interesting because it does not all come from his own memories. A portion of his childhood had to be told to him.
The short story ‘Paul’s Case’ written by Willa Cather shows the story in the life of a young boy who expresses his individuality. The story demonstrates the conflict between conformity and individuality towards a young teenager fighting for what he believes in because of his one and only imagination, and uniqueness. Paul’s Case deals with the inescapability of the everyday life. Paul also deals with internal conflict when one see’s that the only grasp of air that Paul is able to fulfill is from his hero; the theatre. The beginning of the story highlights Paul’s uniqueness when the author gives the reader a very precise description about him précising on his eyes being, “remarkable for a certain hysterical brilliancy, and he continually used them in a conscious, theatrical sort of way...but there was a glassy glitter about them which that drug does not produce”(Pg .
The majority of Carvers stories in his collection of short stories entitled “will you please be quiet, please?” are about a couple going through a financial, marital or identity crisis. Each of his stories has one major predicament in which his characters must try to overcome. Though these predicaments are all consuming to the characters and the future looks confusing and dim to them, what the reader can see that protagonist/s may not is that Carver always provides his characters with a possible chance at achieving contentment in their lives. “They started up the walk to their door. His heart moved when Hamilton saw the lighted windows.” A quote from the short story “Bicycles, Muscles, Cigarettes” is a perfect example of Carvers Protagonist, Hamilton, facing a predicament, a possible chance at contentment and then finally reaching that contentment.
Likewise, according to Erikson’s intimacy vs. isolation psychosocial stage, participation in hook-up culture dramatically shifts the focus from developing intimate sexual relationships to frequent and short-lived relations. It is an extended remnant of adolescence as young adults navigate their development. Nonetheless, these models are not perfectly fitting, because the borders of the proposed stages are fluid indicating the influences of other variables. Furthermore, it is complicated by patterns of neurocognition observed from young adults indicating hooking up as a repeating behavior and attitude (Wade, 2013; Wheeler, 2010). Further developmental research implicates adult attachment styles as a tenet of hook up culture
Some characters in the novel aid in his efforts, some characters spit and trample on his efforts, and some characters perplex him. No matter the differentiations between which character contributes what effect, they each accompany Santiago with an understanding and awareness that leads to a life-changing epiphany at the end of his journey: the location of his treasure. Coelho builds Santiago’s character from the commencement of the novel to the novel’s completion, all the while utilizing the techniques of repetition and imagery to identify his newly developed perceptions. Like most young adults, Santiago embarks on his journey with a seed of knowledge that matures into a fully fledged apple tree of understanding by the end of his journey. Towards the beginning of his travels, Santiago is simply a shepherd boy, apprehensive to follow his dreams and intuitions.
Kristina Brown MYP Mrs. Brown Period 4 10/23/13 Growing to Migration Some people spend their whole lives trying to find their true meaning in life. It is difficult to achieve this, but it can be reached by a dedicated person. J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye is about a young and depressed teenager struggling through depressing and unusual events. Holden, the main character, is trying to find his purpose for living.