Comparison of the Social Network and the Catcher in the Rye
Extended Study – Comparative Texts
Which techniques do J. D. Salinger and David Fincher use to explore the personal dilemmas of their protagonists, Holden Caulfield and Mark Zuckerberg, in The Catcher in the Rye and The Social Network?
In David Fincher’s The Social Network and J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, a story of two young men, Holden Caulfield and Mark Zuckerberg face many difficulties and ultimately are very vulnerable souls. The dilemmas that Holden and Mark face are alienation, betrayal and identity. Fincher and Salinger both use many techniques in order to highlight these dilemmas, including setting, the theme of friendship/loyalty and symbolism.
Fincher and Salinger both expose their protagonist’s dilemmas of alienation and isolation from society. The technique in which both authors used to expose this dilemma was setting. Both of the novels’ opening settings have a strong essence of alienation in both characters. In The Social Network, Mark running through the old Harvard buildings and is by himself. Everyone else around him is with other peers and are also looking quite warm in the cold winter condition, both physical and socially. Mark is from the start of the movie already cold and alone; he is alienated from society. In The Catcher in the Rye, the opening scene of Holden on top of the hill is also another good example. He’s on a large hill by himself, watching a football game but he could be with others which is shown when he says,”…because practically the whole school except me was there…”. Instead Holden is by himself in the cold New York winter conditions meaning he too is alone and cold even though Holden wouldn’t want to admit he is alone. Both characters are alienated from society and isolated from the population of their peers. This is one technique that Fincher and Salinger used to expose the dilemma of alienation.
Another dilemma that is presented in The Catcher in the Rye and The Social Network is the idea of
Which techniques do J. D. Salinger and David Fincher use to explore the personal dilemmas of their protagonists, Holden Caulfield and Mark Zuckerberg, in The Catcher in the Rye and The Social Network?
In David Fincher’s The Social Network and J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, a story of two young men, Holden Caulfield and Mark Zuckerberg face many difficulties and ultimately are very vulnerable souls. The dilemmas that Holden and Mark face are alienation, betrayal and identity. Fincher and Salinger both use many techniques in order to highlight these dilemmas, including setting, the theme of friendship/loyalty and symbolism.
Fincher and Salinger both expose their protagonist’s dilemmas of alienation and isolation from society. The technique in which both authors used to expose this dilemma was setting. Both of the novels’ opening settings have a strong essence of alienation in both characters. In The Social Network, Mark running through the old Harvard buildings and is by himself. Everyone else around him is with other peers and are also looking quite warm in the cold winter condition, both physical and socially. Mark is from the start of the movie already cold and alone; he is alienated from society. In The Catcher in the Rye, the opening scene of Holden on top of the hill is also another good example. He’s on a large hill by himself, watching a football game but he could be with others which is shown when he says,”…because practically the whole school except me was there…”. Instead Holden is by himself in the cold New York winter conditions meaning he too is alone and cold even though Holden wouldn’t want to admit he is alone. Both characters are alienated from society and isolated from the population of their peers. This is one technique that Fincher and Salinger used to expose the dilemma of alienation.
Another dilemma that is presented in The Catcher in the Rye and The Social Network is the idea of