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One of the most difficult transitions a person must experience in his or her life is the transition from childhood to adulthood. For many adolescents, the responsibilities adulthood entails often overshadow the vast carefree, innocent wonderland that is childhood. On the other hand, many teens find the adult world intriguing, with its many opportunities and freedoms. Yet, these young adults are often disappointed finding the trials associated with "growing up" confusing. Although they are full of potential, teens are repeatedly overlooked by adults because of their lack of experience. Both The Catcher in the Rye and The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz centre on youth who are distressed by the various hardships of growing up.
The fundamental theme of The Catcher in the Rye is the pain of growing up. Throughout the book, readers get a chance to see the world through the eyes of a troubled teenager, Holden Caulfield. According to his view, there is no worse fate than to grow up. To a boy like Holden Caulfield, childhood is a paradise that should last forever. Holden feels it is his duty to preserve the innocence of children, by acting as a Catcher in the Rye. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff I mean if theyre running and they dont look where theyre going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them.
Thats all Id do all day. Id just be the catcher in the rye and all. [p. 173 ] Even more so, he hopes the world will stay static. The dioramas in the Museum of Natural History that Caulfield is fond of, exemplify this, by being perfectly still and unchanging. Holden Caulfield believes that by allowing children to stay in a state of purity, he can prevent children from facing the phony world of adults. Phoniness, according to Holden, is the grown-ups biggest failure; it is this that Holden tries to shield kids from. In Holden's opinion, adults only act based on what others impose on them and not on what they actually feel.
Throughout the book, Holden indicates which people are phony in his day to day occurrences. For instance, he describes his teacher Mr. Spencer as being phony when he would laugh frantically at the principals dry humour. According to Holden, stepping into the adult world of phoniness is like falling off a cliff and dying, which happened to his brother D. B. Caulfield.
Holden's siblings play roles in the novel, exhibiting different aspects of growing up. For example, D. B. Caulfield, Holden's older brother, is a brilliant writer who has gone to Hollywood to become a scriptwriter.
Holden admires D. B. s earlier stories, and feels that switching to screenplays was rash, leaving what he truly enjoys. The purpose of D. B. is to illustrate a child who has chosen an adult lifestyle based on phony pretences.
He has truly fallen off the cliff according to Holden's view. Although, Holden deems his brothers behaviour adult like, Holden's behaviour is just as bad. In spite of himself Holden is growing up. Holden is frightened of the transition into adulthood, something he views to be insincere. However, it has become apparent that he is guilty of his own accusations of others. Instead of acting innocently as a child would, he is often seen behaving like his version of an adult.
Holden's compulsive lying is proof that he is superficial and dishonest. For instance, upon meeting a schoolmates mother on the train ride to New York from Holden's school, he lies about her son, informing her that he is a great friend. In truth, Holden found him to be a rude boy. These actions are nothing short of adult phoniness, where Holden is just impressing the mother with information she wants to hear. Holden feels that his oncoming adulthood is inescapable and so he believes it is his duty to keep children good and innocent, so they need not experience his pain. You ever pass by the lagoon in central park? ...
Well you know the ducks that swims around in it? In the springtime and all? Do you happen to know where they go in the wintertime, by any chance? [p. 81 ] The lagoon in Central Park acts as a grand metaphor illustrating Holden's situation. Being partially frozen and partially not frozen, the lake symbolizes Holden being stuck between the world of adulthood, which he does not wish to enter, and childhood, which he cannot stay in. Unlike Holden Caulfield, Duddy Kravitz cannot wait to grow up and stop being a child. One of the essential themes of The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz is the disappointments of growing up.
To an ambitious young adult like Duddy Kravitz, the adult world is an exciting place, full of opportunity and chance. Duddy's grandfather made this impression on Duddy, when he said, A man without land is nobody. [p. 48 ] Kravitz lived by this philosophy, always trying to do well in business. The Boy Wonder, a legendary businessman in Montreal, solidified Duddy's vision of a glorious adult world, rich in prospects and accomplishments. From the start Duddy learnt that it was very difficult to be accepted as an adult on account of his actually being young. This notion is due to the fact that adults often translate young as unprofessional and inexperienced.
For example, at first, people were not interested in hiring Duddy's movie company, because they could not look past his youthfulness. Sure. Hes Louis B. Mayer himself. Duddy, Duddy, whats he doing here making bar-mitzvah pictures with with a boy? [p. 123 ] Nevertheless, once Duddy was triumphant in producing a terrific bar-mitzvah film, people began hiring him to film their various happy occasions. Acting on his grandfathers words, Duddy starts his adult endeavour by planning to buy the land around Lac St.
Pierre in the mountains. He is determined to follow this dream, not allowing anything to step in his way. At first, Duddy acts quite honestly. He starts various ventures, like his movie company, in order to gain enough capital to pay for the various plots of lands around Lac St. Pierre. However, Duddy is encountered with yet another tribulation due to age; purchasing land.
Duddy was too young by law to own land. Not allowing this to turn into an issue, he needed an older counterpart to join in his business. He makes his older French-Canadian girlfriend, Yvette, a business partner. She can legally own land. Yet, as the novel progresses immature tendencies surface in Duddy, leading his business down a path of dishonesty.
Lac St. Pierre, similar to the lagoon in Central Park in The Catcher in the Rye, is a physical embodiment of Duddy's goals and aspirations. Throughout the book, Duddy strives to obtain all the land, gaining the money by any means possible. His transition into the adult world is reflected by the ongoing acquisition of the surrounding land. Like Holden, Duddy begins to behave the way he constantly tries to avoid. As a child Duddy was notorious for being a bully, a prankster and taking advantage of peoples weaknesses.
Duddy is seen acting childlike when he takes advantage of people in business, for example; Virgil, Duddy's epileptic employee. Not finding employment very easily, Virgil is thankful to get any work he can get. Duddy recognizes this, and offers the epileptic a dangerous job of driving a truck. In turn, he pays him a very measly salary. Worst of all, to acquire the last portion of land on Lac St. Pierre Duddy must steal it from Virgil.
Duddy shows he is still too immature to work in the adult world, which consequently plays an effect on adults acceptance of Duddy. Both The Catcher in the Rye and The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz centre on youth who are distressed by the various hardships of growing up. Both Holden and Duddy cope with this period in sharply contrasting and contradictory manners but both soon realize that they both have succumbed to the behaviour they most eschew. Holden resorts to the adult like behaviour which he so despises while Duddy reverts to childlike patterns in order to succeed in his adult business ventures. They are both frustrated and upset at the outcome of their escapades. They realize that all their beliefs and goals have failed them.
In the end in the midst of their anger and disappointment they both have their respective epiphanies. I felt damn all of a sudden, the way old Phoebe going around and around if you want to know the truth. I dont know why. [p. 213 ] Holden while watching his sister on the carousel realizes subconsciously that he is no longer a child. More importantly he no longer wants to behave like a child. Duddy's sudden celebrity and recognition by the waiters, Thats all right sir, well mark it. [p. 316 ] fulfils his aspirations of being an adult albeit a lonely and despised adult. They have passed through the dark tribulations of maturation and have suddenly come into the apparent light of adulthood.
Free research essays on topics related to: bar mitzvah, apprenticeship of duddy kravitz, holden feels, catcher in the rye, holden caulfield
Research essay sample on Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz Catcher In The Rye
