Catcher/Perks Paper A large part of human nature is the desire to be loved and to love. The need and want for love is usually strongest within the people who are the loneliest. Catcher in The Rye by J.D. Salinger highlights the struggles of finding love within the main character, Holden. Holden is extremely lonely, and often times finds himself lost. He conceals his sensitive feelings with sarcastic remarks as a pretense to not seem so alone. His lies and deceiving attitude often push people away from him, making it harder to succeed with loving relationships. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, describes the life of highschool student Charlie. Charlie is full of innocence, honesty, and uncontrollable emotions. Charlie does
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Charlie spends most of his life remembering how much he loved his Aunt Helen, and how he looked up to her. However, his Aunt does not guide him and instead ends up hurting him. In fact, “[his] aunt Helen drank a lot. [His] aunt Helen took drugs a lot. [His] aunt Helen had many problems with men and boys. She was a very unhappy person most of her life. She went to hospitals all the time” (90). As a young child, it is important to be surrounded by good role models, and Charlie’s aunt failed to provide a strong example for Charlie to look up to. On top of that, she molests Charlie, and therefore takes advantage of his innocence and love. The fact that he has been so traumatized by a mentor he loves, alters his perception on love and makes it difficult for him to find love. On top of that Charlie’s parents and siblings provide little guidance. Charlie says that “when [his] dad slapped [him], [...] Aunt Helen told him not to hit [him] in front of her ever again and [his] father said that this was his house and he would do what he wanted” (6). His dad fails to lead by example, and instead hits his son, the person he is supposed to love most. This also detriments Charlie’s ability to find love because he is taught to lash out on the people in his
Charlie spends most of his life remembering how much he loved his Aunt Helen, and how he looked up to her. However, his Aunt does not guide him and instead ends up hurting him. In fact, “[his] aunt Helen drank a lot. [His] aunt Helen took drugs a lot. [His] aunt Helen had many problems with men and boys. She was a very unhappy person most of her life. She went to hospitals all the time” (90). As a young child, it is important to be surrounded by good role models, and Charlie’s aunt failed to provide a strong example for Charlie to look up to. On top of that, she molests Charlie, and therefore takes advantage of his innocence and love. The fact that he has been so traumatized by a mentor he loves, alters his perception on love and makes it difficult for him to find love. On top of that Charlie’s parents and siblings provide little guidance. Charlie says that “when [his] dad slapped [him], [...] Aunt Helen told him not to hit [him] in front of her ever again and [his] father said that this was his house and he would do what he wanted” (6). His dad fails to lead by example, and instead hits his son, the person he is supposed to love most. This also detriments Charlie’s ability to find love because he is taught to lash out on the people in his