Joan Caulfield

“Araby,” a short story from James Joyce’s Dubliners, recounts an unnamed boy’s transition from childhood into adulthood, from a life filled with fantasy to all the harsh realities of life in Ireland under British rule. The narrator of the story is the older version of the protagonist, and as a result the prose seems far from what a child would write—a preadolescent would not display such self-awareness and understanding. Further examination of the text shows that the narrator is actually embarrassed

In Giovanni’s Room, James Baldwin utilizes David to emphasize situational identity. David’s situational identity causes him to put up a facade to fit into social constructs, while wanting to live an entirely different way. David is constantly lonely and fears permanent loneliness because he tries to please everybody, and causes him to never truly connect with any members of society. Evident in his every decision, David strives to please his surrounding peers and to fit into societal norms which decisions

got expelled from boarding school, and on the verge of a mental breakdown. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, follows the life of a depressed six foot two and a half inch, partially gray-haired, and woefully angular sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfield. Recovering from a recent breakdown, Holden tells his story from a mental institution in California. His older brother D.B. is a successful writer in Hollywood, and his younger sister Phoebe is attending elementary school in New York City. At thirteen

Paul’s behavior at school comes under reproach when his teachers ostensibly organize an interrogation. Paul confidently answers his teachers’ criticisms for his demeanor, disdain for their efforts, and even how he chooses to adorn his outfit with “a red carnation,” and is eventually released despite the loathing of his teachers. He joyfully heads to Carnegie Hall for his shift as an usher. It is here where Paul escapes the monotony of his life; he finds refuge in his livened senses—the sounds of

Shadow Jumper by J.M. Forster is a nonfiction novel about a young boy named Jack who struggles to live a normal teenage-life, but can't due to his illness. Jack’s disease prevents him from being able to go in the sunlight. Jack’s inability to go into the sunlight prevents him from being a normal boy; playing outside and developing friendships like other kids his age. Early in the book, Jack’s dad leaves him and his mom which causes Jack’s illness to get worse. In order to get his mind off of

This Boy’s Life shows that boys need reliable adult role models in their lives. Discuss. In his retrospective memoir, This Boy's Life, Tobias Wolff recounts his volatile childhood during conservative post-war America and subtly explores the impact of unreliable or abusive role models on individuals. Whilst Wolff demonstrates that there can be significant negative consequences of unreliable or unstable adult role models, he also suggests that boys need more than just reliability and the absence of

In the film ‘Her’, directed by Spike Jonze, the main protagonist,Theodore Twombly conveys the idea of alienation via technology and its possible effects, due to his depression via his divorce and his easy going relationship with an artificial intelligence operating system named Samantha. The idea of alienation and technology and its possible effects on human relationships is conveyed via the quote, “Sometimes I think I have felt everything I'm ever gonna feel. And from here on out, I'm not gonna

there is one thing that everyone has in common, and it’s that sooner or later, everyone has to grow up. The novel Catcher in the Rye helps us understand this strange and difficult part of life through Holden Caulfield, by presenting the theme, the challenges of growing up. Holden Caulfield is a 16- year-old junior who doesn’t want to grow up. When introduced at first, Holden appears to be a normals boy. He behaves like a normal teenager and thinks of girls often, especially his friend Jane. However

Holden never quite fitted in to society's tradition norms and this is obvious from his poor academic performance, scoffing at authority and his distinct choice of clothing that is promotes his isolation even more but what exactly is Holden alienated from? At best society, but more importantly himself and others and since Holden does not own up to his own mistakes nor ever assess his judgment which purely reflects himself, he remains alienated from the world. Early one we learn that Holden is failing

The moral dilemmas and diversity attained when one reaches adulthood can appear complex and incomprehensible, hence change is difficult. Through the main protagonist Holden Caulfield, J.D. Salinger captures the confusion of a teenager when faced with the challenge of adapting to an adult society and changing their own sense of values and morals. “. . . I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff…. I’d just be The Catcher in the Rye and all,” shows his idea of catching children that