An Analysis Of Daring Greatly By J. D. Salinger

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Theodore Roosevelt was right. "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit”, said Roosevelt, “belongs to the man who is actually in the arena." This man has the values of courage, tenacity, and…vulnerability. This man even through occasional defeat, succeeds because he confronts his fears, because he isn’t afraid of being vulnerable. Unfortunately, many of us – men and women - haven't yet entered the arena. Why? Because, we make ourselves wait until we believe we are "perfect", fully ready. Too often, this time lost squanders potential experiences and relationships. University of Houston's Dr. Brené Brown defines vulnerability as uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure. In her NYTIMES bestseller, "Daring Greatly", Dr. Brown contends, "We equate vulnerability with weakness and poison. Whereas vulnerability is actually the birthplace of joy, love, and empathy".

In order to live a full, "wholehearted" life, we need to gain a better understanding of the true nature of vulnerability. Millions of children have been introduced to vulnerability by author J. D. Salinger. Salinger was vulnerable to rejection, criticism, failing. His novel, I’m sure you know it, “The Catcher in the Rye” was rejected 15 times. One editor tossed it aside as juvenile. Perhaps you remember the book’s last lines: “Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you’ll start missing everybody.” Sure Holden Caulfield put up a tough front but the character created by Salinger is endearing and enduring even to this day – in large part because of his vulnerability. So if we want joy, love, and empathy in our lives, we need to let vulnerability into our hea...

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...ent. I fumbled for the words to get the lesson across. But instead of reacting negatively, I was pleased to see that Anabella and Francisco and Santos – and all my other students understood. They saw that I was trying my best, and that for any positive change to occur, we, all, had to put ourselves at risk in the arena. After all, Francisco is a grandfather and he was not ashamed to come to sixteen-year-old me for help. Francisco is proud that he can now order a coffee, converse more with his employer, talk to his grandchildren. It was humbling to see how a division of age and language and lifestyle didn’t get in the way of creating a sense of community and family. And we shared in the truth of Roosevelt, a truth all of us can share. “It’s not the critic who counts. The credit belongs to those who enter the arena.” Please, ladies and gentlemen, enter with me now.

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