Catcher In The Rye Isolation

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Recommended: Isolation and its effects

Isolation is a common literary theme throughout the novel “The Catcher in the Rye “by J.D Salinger and the extract from the text “In the Skin of a Lion” by Michael Ondaatje. The Catcher in the Rye is set around the 1950s and is written in first person by an unusual protagonist 16year old boy named Holden. Holden tells his story from a tuberculosis rest home and takes us through the journey of his complex life. Throughout the book, we watch Holden’s character mature as his morals change over time. In the extract “The skin of the lion” a young boy named Patrick feels isolated in his own home due to his father’s unknown neglect. Using the company of a group of insects as comfort and love he regains his confidence and finds a place where he feels …show more content…

In J. Ds teenage years, he had trouble fitting in at school and it seems that his father had a large impact on his decisions much the same as Holden. Isolation is a key theme connecting both the texts “The Catcher in the Rye” and “In the skin of a lion”. In The Catcher in the Rye isolation is displayed throughout the character Holden. Holden attempts to make a connection with people but always ends up failing. This is seen as a way of protecting himself, as it seems that he is better than everyone else and therefore above interacting with them. Isolating himself from other people in the world is the stability in his life, this sense of superiority serves as a type of self-protection. Holden does not address his emotional problems instead he builds a wall of protectiveness alienating him from any interaction. This is shown through a scene in the book when Holden’s loneliness propels him to go on a date with a girl he likes but ends up driving her away because he insults her. Another cause of his isolation is the death of Allie Holden’s brother as it always seems to be the root of Holden’s problems. After his death Holden forced himself to lose all connections he had with people to avoid getting hurt again resulting in Holden isolating himself from everyone. This is a protection strategy for Holden to not let himself get hurt

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