Catcher In The Rye Compare Contrast Essay

Catcher in the Rye and Dead Poet’s Society both had a protagonist trying to find their own way in the world while society told them to conform. When Holden and Neil realized they wanted to be themselves, they faced problems because they also wanted to be accepted by the world around them. The pressure to conform caused harm to both Holden and Neil. Holden had a mental breakdown, and Neil felt the need to commit suicide. Their true selves had been oppressed for so long because they were repeatedly told what they should become. Both boys attended a boarding school that helped lead to their loss of individualism. At Welton Academy, the school Neil attended, the boys had no room for expression. At one point, the headmaster questioned the fact

On the contrary, there was hardly an adult presence in Holden’s life. Neil’s parents were constantly around, but they were not there to support Neil. They were there to serve as a reminder of what society expected. On the other hand, Mr. Keating was a good role model for Neil. He constantly urged his students to be the best they could be and to find their own voice. Yet, the presence of adults did not seem to make a difference in Neil’s life. Mr. Keating encouraged the boys to be themselves, but society told them who to be. Even with a good role model, society and the pressure to conform overpowered Neil. The message to conform were coming in from too many people; Neil felt like there was no way to be himself in a world where he was forced to be a doctor instead of an actor. In contrast, Holden hardly had an adult presence in his life. He believed every adult was a phony and refused to get close to them. He thought they had all already succumbed to the pressure of society and did not want to see himself do the same. He had no role model to tell him to be himself; he received only one message: conform to who society wanted him to be. Although the amount of adult influence varied, one thing remained constant: society continued to coerce the boys to