"and as they went by I see they had the king and the duke astraddle of a rail - that is, I knowed it WAS the king and the duke, though they was all over tar and feathers, and didn't look like nothing in the world that was human - just looked like a couple of monstrous big soldier-plumes. Well, it made me sick to see it; and I was sorry for them poor pitiful rascals, it seemed like I couldn't ever feel any hardness against them any more in the world. It was a dreadful thing to see. Human beings can be awful cruel to one another" (Twain 191).…
The story of The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is given from the perspective of the main character, Holden Caulfield. Although the story goes into a considerable amount of detail the reader is not led to believe every part of the story because Holden presents himself as a self-avowed liar, and therefore he cannot be trusted. This greatly hinders the reader's ability to gather valid information and put together their own perspective of Holden's story.…
In the novel “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain, societies boundaries and expectations are pushed to their limits not only by the actions of the main character, Huck, but in Twain’s controversial writing style. Though the book is often claimed to be offensive, it was actually a parody of the times. Mark Twain was ridiculing the racist tendencies of mid-1800s society and their views of the poor/lower classes. Through reading “Huck Finn” it is apparent Twain is challenging the reader to rethink society’s…
that we all share with each other. This book is in the hands of many…
With it’s aggressive cynicism, J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye broke stereotypes of what tones writers could exhibit through narration. The Catcher in the Rye is the story of young Holden Caulfield angst-ridden struggle with growing up and dealing with “phonies”. Holden is the protagonist and narrator of this story, Holden’s narration proves to be unreliable through his compulsive lying, inconsistent memory, and his cynical perception of reality.…
uneducated slave, to realizing that Jim is an amazing friend. Huck was born and raised in a…
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is about the journey Huck goes through, facing the challenges of living on a raft and constantly looking for food and money. However as Huck makes his journey down the river he makes a moral one as well. In the beginning of the novel Huck’s way of thinking is childish and heavily influenced by the widow and Pap, by the middle of his journey his own morals start to change and he is able to identify right and wrong despite what society thinks, and finally by the end Huck see’s how corrupt civilization is.…
With only a few pages into the novel, Holden begins with a plethora of information about him and his family. He informs the reader that he must say his goodbyes with his history teacher, Mr. Spencer, for unknown reasons. In a moment of nostalgia he quickly remembers to mention that he has recently been expelled from Pencey Prep for flunking most of his courses. To the reader’s surprise Holden remains completely calm throughout his entire explanation of the expulsion, yet a hint of suspicion lingers after he states, “They kicked me out… I mean I’ve left schools and places I didn’t even know…
The Catcher in the Rye written by J.D. Salinger is a reflection of his own life being shown through a teenage boy, Holden Caulfield. Like Salinger in the novel Holden jumps from prep school to prep school not finishing each time, however excels in English classes. Holden’s life in the novel shook the nation with controversy and curiosity. Illustrated in the text it conveys extreme depression, sexual tension, love, and lewd language. Holden attempts to see the “phony” world through a new light, however fails due to the type of person he is, his troubled background, sexual confusion, family issues, and fallacious world we all live in.…
“Change means movement. Movement means friction. Only in the frictionless vacuum of a nonexistent abstract world can movement or change occur without that abrasive friction of conflict” (Saul Alinsky). In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Twain explores many different conflicts. He captures man versus self, man versus man, and man versus society. Huck, the main character, experiences each type of conflict first-hand. These conflicts cause Huck to change throughout the story as Twain illustrates his dynamic character.…
The novel is basically about young Holden and his psychological problems. He is stuck between the adult world versus rejecting it. So Holden attempts to connect with his peers on a whole different level. He experiences an encounter that deems him unable to handle a sexual encounter. Finally, it is revealed to Holden that he should just remain a child for as long as possible and not to rush himself into adulthood.…
The Catcher in the Rye is the story of a young man's understanding of the world he lives in, and the things he encounters (Lomazoff 3). This work is similar to other famous and influential…
This whole novel shows how Holden has to face his problems with depression and coping with loss or death. He has to deal with his older brother D.B living in Hollywood and Allie being dead. The plot is when Holden leaves Pencey Prep and is alone in New York, because he does not want to go back home to face his…
The symbol of the carousel and adolescence used by J.D. Salinger in the Catcher in the Rye develop Holden’s character into a young man. Holden Caulfield is an adolescent that refuses to grow up. He begins his life in the book as a confused young man in search of saving humanity. Through the realizations Holden has, he is able to recognize his true role in life. Holden understands that he is not able to stop every child from taking risks, that allowing them to take risks is part of growing up.…
In this novel Salinger uses ducks as a symbol of Holden’s isolation to the world. On the way to the hotel in a cab Holden asks the cab driver some interesting questions: “'You know those ducks in that lagoon right near Central Park South? That little lake? By any chance, do you happen to know where they go, the ducks, when it gets all frozen over? Do you happen to know, by any chance?'" (78). Holden is relating himself to the ducks, how he is lost and isolated from the world and does not know where to go. Holden is curious about the ducks and where they go when they can no longer live in their home just like Holden not being able to live in his home, he is very lost and confused because he is now entering adulthood. After…