Growing up is basically what most kids, especially teenagers dream of doing. They wish for freedom and independence. However, they also get things they don't want such as responsibilities. Growing up, would mean going through changes. Doesn't have to be physical, but anything really. For some people, growing up isn't easy at all. Having to go through the pain and obstacles in growing up is very hard. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, shows the readers the pain in growing up. This book shows how Holden views the world, and let's just say it's not so pretty.
Wanting to grow up is like wanting to change. You don't like something about yourself, and suddenly wanting to get rid of it. You want a change in your life, because of whatever happened in the past possibly. Lots of people feel that way. I definitely feel that way. Holden on the other hand, "the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like." Now does that sound like he was happy back then? I'm not saying he's happy now, but there are certain moments in the past that you just want to forget.
In the beginning, Holden Caulfield shows that he is a very bitter person. It shows that he is troubled, and needs help. It seems like he hates his life. It seems like he wants to forget what happened in the past.
Holden is not the most appropriate person... the way he talks, it sounds like he's never proud of anything. Which reminds me, I'm not referring to emo people, or naming anyone, but haven't you walked down the street and see someone that looks really depressed, always cursing, and not caring about the world? "They were these little hard, dry jobs that you could hardly even cut." This quote shows that, he's always finding something to complain about. I'm not saying that he does, but it seems like he gets pleasure from looking down at everything surrounding him. Not only that, but I've also noticed he tends to say damn a lot.
As you're growing up, you realize new things you want to do in life, and new thing you don't want to do in life. You have new goals, yet you have things you want to avoid doing. Holden dropped out of school, and doesn't want to go back, thinking everything there is phony. He thinks EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE is phony. Now looking at that, aren't there times in your lives where you look at a person and go "wow, they are so fake"? To me, it seems like Holden does that at everything he sees. "All those Ivy League bastards look alike. My father wants me to go to Yale, or maybe Princeton, but I swear, I wouldn't go to one of those Ivy League colleges if i was dying for God's sake." He's having a hard time getting along with people. He's having a hard time "fitting in", which is what a lot of people try to do growing up. He seems like one of those who just gave up on life thinking there's no point of living.
I agree with Holden, and his views of the world. Certain times in my life, I just want to give up. I didn't want to live because everyone out there is phony, and will just keep messing with me. You can call it bulling, annoying or whatever. They're doing something I don't like, but to them I'm probably doing something they don't like. Even though I do agree with him, it is not 100%. Not everything is phony to me, and I believe there's a purpose of life. Growing up isn't easy nor fast. There are things that will change your mind about the world. You'll discover many things even if you don't want to.
No comments:
Post a Comment