Inability to Become Individuals. Essay based on the reading of " Six Degrees of Separation." , "The Catcher in the Rye." and "The Catcher in the Rye:Overview".

In 1949, while recovering in a California sanitarium, 17 year old Holden relates events that occurred during three December days in 1948, when he was sixteen. These events are written in The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. This book has been involve in controversy since its publication. Reasons for banning have been the use of offensive language, premarital sex, alcohol abuse, and prostitution. Mark David Chapman, murderer of the musician John Lennon, was carrying the book when he was arrested . John Hinckley, Jr., who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981, was also reported to have been obsessed with the book. In more recent times we have a new example of Holden's influence over people. In the play, Six Degrees of Separation by John Guare we lisent to Paul's story, another victim of Holden influence. Holden is seen as a juvenile who rejects and is rejected by many peers and individuals.

Paul Walker

Paul Stang

[Portrait of Les Paul, Fat Tuesday, New York, N.Y....

Paul is a young adult whom is looking to fit into a society that he does not belong to. Both of them are outcasts, both of them with the inability to become individuals.

Critics seen Holden as a disturbing influence on youths, they consider him a social outcasts . In the same way, Paul hides his real personality and embraces a new identity. With his new persona, he tryes to fit into a high class society, but he has to lie to make his way throught his new life, becoming an outcast as well. Paul takes the life of Paul Poitier, the son of the famous actor Sidney Poitier (Guare, 22). He lies to everyone, making them think that he is an honest person and gaining their trust. Later on after everyone had opened their doors to a stranger they found out that he is...