Abstract
J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye (1951) and Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar (1963), both serve as masterpiece accounts of teen angst and intricate detailed workings of the mind post world war when society was growing on one side with new foliage of technological innovation aimed at improving the lifestyle of human beings, on the other was on a slowyet painful process of moral, individual and spiritual decay as men and women had given way to the evils of the surplus and easy way of living. Not only were relationships coming under the radar of suspicion with humans doubting and betraying each other, a major issue of serious concern was on the rise as well that being the changing dynamics of adolescent brain and mind. Prone to modernization, the functioning of the mind of teenagers was undergoing a tremendous change where overt sensitivity was on rise. This paper focuses upon the main themes of (I) ideals cherished by both the protagonists, their view on them as individuals of the society, (II) on sexuality and (III) the serious issue of suicide which had been sought out as the best means of escape as their surroundings fail to bend according to their visions. This paper makes special efforts at analysing the same by bringing into it the status of relationship of the protagonist with his or her family member, peers, teachers and counsellors and how exactly it helps in expressing who they are and what they want.
Highlights
During the entire passage of time when human beings all over the world were in the process of healing and mending physically as well as mentally, a shift in emotional and psychological balance was noticed and as the mutated state of mind kept altering to various degrees of degradation the crisis became more palpable than what could be hidden behind the veil of ignorance and societal denial
Esther Greenwood, in a very similar manner is the poster-child of teenage angst just like Holden but in her own uniquely confessional tone where her deep, contemplative and retrospective manner of reflecting upon her life and people around her highlights upon the transition the society was undergoing as intellectually gifted yet socially handicapped individuals like her were gradually coming to the fore
Esther’s condition remains somewhat doubtful and ambiguous if at all she was able to escape the confines of ‘the bell jar’ she had been trapped in for a long time, the consequences of which had been her impulsive behaviour in attempting suicide by overdosing upon pills and sealing away herself in a hole to being treated for schizophrenia and related mental disorders
Summary
Becoming a ‘slob’ apart from being a ‘phony’ was what became of one in order to score higher above others as Holden remarks on Stradlater as kind of a“guy that if your parents saw his picture in your Year Book, they’d right away say, ‘Who’s this boy?’” (Salinger,2010,29) Despite being roommates and students from the same school, Holden as a result of which could never go along with these narcissist and exhibitionist people which made him stand out as a social pariah who according to his history teacher at Pencey, Mr Spencer could not understand if at all he felt “absolutely no concern for your future, boy?” Holden’s reply being, “Oh, I feel some concern for my future, all right.
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