Comparative Notes - 2015
The Catcher in the Rye [TCITR], I'm Not Scared [INS], ‘The Great Gatsby’ [GG]
KEY MOMENTS
TCITR:
INS:
GG:
Theme: The Search for Identity
In all three texts, the characters all experience some sort of journey, whether it is a mental or physical journey. This involves feelings of isloation and loneliness.
Holden’s state of mind: 'I felt so lonely I almost wished I was dead'. Gatsby is an isolated figure on the pier as he stretches for the green light and when he stands apart at his own parties, and Michele in an isolated setting with a dark secret. This affects their identities in that each is insecure and acting out a role of some kind: Holden adopts different personae, Jay Gatz invents the persona of Gatsby, and Michele pretends innocence while going behind the backs of his parents to help Fillipo.
The characters generally feel frustrated and wish to escape from their prison-like environments or states of mind. In TCITR Holden wants to escape the phoniness of Pency Prep. He has dreams of escapism, to leave his current world full of ‘phonies’ and ‘hotshots’. In INS Michele is trying to set Filippo free from the underground cave. He is impatient for his fantasies to unfold as seen when he asks Sally to run away with him to live in the woods. Gatsby, having been rejected by Daisy, returns as a mysterious millionaire with the intention of wooing her with his materialism (his house, his car, his lavish parties and his shirts). It is all an act as a means of winning her from Tom.
In INS we see Michele grow up greatly throughout the novel. The discovery of Fillippo brings out a more mature side to his character and we see his character develop a lot throughout the novel. Throughout the novel as he witnesses his parents’ actions, he discovers that the life of an adult is very different to that of a child and that the world of an adult is very much one of violence and corruption. On discovering Fillippo he shows a bravery much stronger than any of the adults and makes repeated visits ensuring the wellbeing of this child. We see Michele grow up a lot and see a very mature responsible character develop throughout the novel. The theme of growing up is also important in TCITR. Holden is terrified of growing up and is desperately trying to avoid doing so. He tries to avoid the ‘fall’ into the adult world of hypocrisy and cruelty and wants to remain in the world of a child which he believes to be one of purity and innocence for as long as he possibly can. Gatsby is like a child at times in the novel, especially clear in his meeting with Daisy and in his childish attempt to get Daisy to deny her love for Tom in the New York apartment.
The heroes in all three texts must search for their identity and to make sense of the world around them. As a result, each protagonist experiences a certain amount of isolation and alienation, psychologically and / or physically, which they must deal with.
Isolation and Alienation: Holden:
Cultural Context
Awareness of one's environment: Michele knows his surroundings very well. For example, he straight away knows where Filippo has been moved to. In contrast, although Holden knows New York, he seems lost, wandering from place to place in search of direction. Gatsby is uncomfortable in West Egg, not fitting in with the socialites who attend his parties.
Fear is an aspect of cultural context that can be seen very strongly in INS. It is something that affects the whole community of Aqua Traverse and is very influential on the characters. The kidnapping of Fillippo creates fear in all of the adults involved and we see throughout the film that they are terrified of the consequences. In TCITR fear can also be strongly seen through Holden’s fear of entering the adult world Holden describes the adult world as a dangerous world full of ‘crooks’ and ‘phoneys’. He talks about the world of a child to be a sweet and innocent one free from badness. Holden has a very negative attitude towards the adult world and perceives it to be corrupt, violent and seedy. Holden is terrified of the ‘fall’ into adulthood and is trying desperately to avoid entering the world which he believes is one of cruelty and hypocrisy. He wants to remain in the world of childhood innocence, a world free from the ruthlessness of the adult world. GG is set in the Jazz Age, a period of violence and corruption seen in the character of Wolfsheim and under the eyes of the judging T.J. Eckleberg (symbolic of the eyes of God). INS - The evidence of violence is established when Felice wants to cut off two of F. ears instead of one. There is another example of violence in the climatic scene of the film when M. gets shot. TCITR - Violence is shown in this text when Holden encounters Maurice and also when he confronts Stradlater.
Children are treated differently in all three texts. Daisy’s daughter is barely mentioned playing only a peripheral part in the book and being told that the best she can be is a ‘beautiful fool’. In INS, Filippo is treated very badly by the men – he is kept down a hole in rags and chains around his ankles, although paradoxivcally, Michele’s parents are loving and caring towards him and his sister. Holden’s mother seems aloof and he makes little mention of his father.
Secrets and Lies: Michele must keep the fact that he knows about Filippo a secret. This becomes more apparent when he finds out his father is involved in the kidnapping. Jay Gatz hides the secret of his true identity that is revealed in the end by his father. Holden adopts personae, keeping his true identity a secret from others (e.g. on the train with Ernest Morrow’s mother, in the night club with the three women, and in the hotel with the prostitute).
Class and Money: TCITR – suitcases, nuns, Holden’s disregard for money. This non-materialistic view can be easily compared to Holden from TCITR when, near the end of the book, all he has left is a few coins and he decides to skim them across the lake rather then save them. GG – materialism, social pretensions, Tom putting Myrtle in her place. INS – North v South, poverty, the lengths people will go to for money. INS-Michele too has a very non-materialistic on the world, as seen when, at the near start of the movie when Michele has only just discovered Filippo, Filippo states that his is incredibly hungry. The very next day Michele buys bread for him using his life savings, for a boy who he knows nothing about.
Role of Women: TCITR - Women are perceived in the book to be either quite pathetic such as women looking for celebrities or else they are the people who do the work in their family. INS- In Michele's world Maria has to do most of the work around the household. GG – patriarchal society, adultery for men seems more socially acceptable than women, women seen as objects (except for Jordan who is more masculine)
Vision and Viewpoint
In INS the perception of family relationships is very important and family life is presented very positively. Michele’s family have a very close relationship and he is very fond of his little sister, Maria, constantly looking out for her. For example, at the start of the film when he returns to see if she is alright when she calls out to him, and later when he is up a tree, she wants him to come in for dinner as she is concerned for him. He can always talk to her when there is no one else. Despite this Michele has no close friends. He lives in a tiny village in rural Italy and there are only a handful of children his own age. Due to this, Michele spends a lot of time alone, exploring and discovering the local area and this leads to him making the discovery of the little boy being kept hostage in a hole in the ground. Michele’s curiosity and bravery result in a new relationship developing between these two boys. The bond that has developed between Michele and Filippo is so strong that Michele is willing to oppose his family to see him.
Michele and Pino:
In TCITR, we see that a lack of positive relationships is very influential on Holden Caulfield. Holden longs to ‘fit in’ and be a ‘hot shot’ but has difficulty doings so due to the fact that he perceives most people as crooks and phoneys. Despite his efforts to build relationships, these often fall through and he always seems to end up on his own. Holden’s lack of relationships result in him having a very depressed state of mind and also a great fear of the adult world which develops into the key point in the novel – Holden’s ‘catcher fantasy’.
Holden and his father:
GG – Relationships are generally dysfunctional. Tom, Daisy and Myrtle all cheat on their spouses, and Jordan and Nick’s relationship is a superficial one. Party guests are shallow and gossip about their host, Gatsby. No one attends Gatsby’s funeral which shows their parasitic nature, using Gatsby only for his money and abandoning him in the end. Nick heads out West at the end of the novel, disgusted by the shallow nature of the materialistic East.
Perception of women: The perception of women in TCITR by Holen is that they’re either pure and innocent (e.g. Jane Gallagher) or they are loose and shallow (e.g. Sally Hayes). If the women are not seen as modonnas they are seen as whores and phonies, who Holden is either disgusted by or feels sorry for (e.g. Sunny). The vision and viewpoint of women in INS is that they have no real say in matters. It is a man’s world with Michele’s mother being portrayed as a passive figure, as well as Barbara being picked on by Skull in the opening segment. (For GG, see ‘Role of Women’ above under CC).
Morality: TCITR- Holden has the right intentions in mind when he wants to help everyone but his intentions aren’t realistic as he can’t stop everyone from writing crude graffiti on the school walls (a symbol of the innocence of childhood being corrupted).
Morality: In Holden’s world is seen by the reader as a place where everyone looks out for themselves you’re on your own:
Feelings of Responsibility for Wrongdoing / Guilt: INS - This can be related to Michele in ‘INS’ as he stands up and aids Filippo even though he is directly defying his father, but he does it anyway as he knows it is the right thing to do. TCITR - Holden in TCITR also displays feelings of guilt when speaking to the nuns, as even though he donates $10 to their cause he as an strange feeling of guilt as he is unable to help the two any further. This contrasts to GG when the killing of Myrtle is covered up by Tom and Daisy. It is only Nick who feels disgusted with others (and perhaps himself) by the end of the book.
The Catcher in the Rye [TCITR], I'm Not Scared [INS], ‘The Great Gatsby’ [GG]
KEY MOMENTS
TCITR:
- Looking down from the hill at the start - isolation
- Leaving school - his decision to leave Pencey Prep after his fight with Stradlater
- Prostitute incident - Sunny and Maurice
- Nuns - coming to terms with Allie’s death
- Conversation with Phoebe - the Catcher fantasy
- Mr Antolini incident
- Watching Phoebe on the carousel - moment of revelation
INS:
- Michele standing up to Skull to help Barbara
- Finding Filippo
- Michele eavesdropping on all the adults fighting and watching the news
- Michele and Filippo playing in the fields
- Mother's guilt - consoling Michele after she realises he knows their dark secret
- Father shooting Michele accidently
- Final scene – victory
GG:
- The Green Light
- Nick meeting Gatsby for the first time
- In the restaurant with Wolfsheim
- Gatsby and Daisy’s reunification
- New York apartment – fight over Daisy
- Myrtle’s death
- Gatsby’s funeral
Theme: The Search for Identity
In all three texts, the characters all experience some sort of journey, whether it is a mental or physical journey. This involves feelings of isloation and loneliness.
Holden’s state of mind: 'I felt so lonely I almost wished I was dead'. Gatsby is an isolated figure on the pier as he stretches for the green light and when he stands apart at his own parties, and Michele in an isolated setting with a dark secret. This affects their identities in that each is insecure and acting out a role of some kind: Holden adopts different personae, Jay Gatz invents the persona of Gatsby, and Michele pretends innocence while going behind the backs of his parents to help Fillipo.
The characters generally feel frustrated and wish to escape from their prison-like environments or states of mind. In TCITR Holden wants to escape the phoniness of Pency Prep. He has dreams of escapism, to leave his current world full of ‘phonies’ and ‘hotshots’. In INS Michele is trying to set Filippo free from the underground cave. He is impatient for his fantasies to unfold as seen when he asks Sally to run away with him to live in the woods. Gatsby, having been rejected by Daisy, returns as a mysterious millionaire with the intention of wooing her with his materialism (his house, his car, his lavish parties and his shirts). It is all an act as a means of winning her from Tom.
In INS we see Michele grow up greatly throughout the novel. The discovery of Fillippo brings out a more mature side to his character and we see his character develop a lot throughout the novel. Throughout the novel as he witnesses his parents’ actions, he discovers that the life of an adult is very different to that of a child and that the world of an adult is very much one of violence and corruption. On discovering Fillippo he shows a bravery much stronger than any of the adults and makes repeated visits ensuring the wellbeing of this child. We see Michele grow up a lot and see a very mature responsible character develop throughout the novel. The theme of growing up is also important in TCITR. Holden is terrified of growing up and is desperately trying to avoid doing so. He tries to avoid the ‘fall’ into the adult world of hypocrisy and cruelty and wants to remain in the world of a child which he believes to be one of purity and innocence for as long as he possibly can. Gatsby is like a child at times in the novel, especially clear in his meeting with Daisy and in his childish attempt to get Daisy to deny her love for Tom in the New York apartment.
The heroes in all three texts must search for their identity and to make sense of the world around them. As a result, each protagonist experiences a certain amount of isolation and alienation, psychologically and / or physically, which they must deal with.
Isolation and Alienation: Holden:
- Holden throughout the whole text struggles to fit in.
- He pretends to be the suave Jim Steele when he tries to chat up the women at the bar but they just laugh at him and treat him like a child.
- When he meets up with Carl Luce he starts asking him about his sexual life and becomes too intimate with him. He alienates Carl who gets quickly tired of entertaining Holden, whom he sees as a child.
- When Holden finally finds someone who will listen to him, Mr. Antolini, he thinks Mr. Antolini is touching him when he sleeps and he runs off.
Cultural Context
Awareness of one's environment: Michele knows his surroundings very well. For example, he straight away knows where Filippo has been moved to. In contrast, although Holden knows New York, he seems lost, wandering from place to place in search of direction. Gatsby is uncomfortable in West Egg, not fitting in with the socialites who attend his parties.
Fear is an aspect of cultural context that can be seen very strongly in INS. It is something that affects the whole community of Aqua Traverse and is very influential on the characters. The kidnapping of Fillippo creates fear in all of the adults involved and we see throughout the film that they are terrified of the consequences. In TCITR fear can also be strongly seen through Holden’s fear of entering the adult world Holden describes the adult world as a dangerous world full of ‘crooks’ and ‘phoneys’. He talks about the world of a child to be a sweet and innocent one free from badness. Holden has a very negative attitude towards the adult world and perceives it to be corrupt, violent and seedy. Holden is terrified of the ‘fall’ into adulthood and is trying desperately to avoid entering the world which he believes is one of cruelty and hypocrisy. He wants to remain in the world of childhood innocence, a world free from the ruthlessness of the adult world. GG is set in the Jazz Age, a period of violence and corruption seen in the character of Wolfsheim and under the eyes of the judging T.J. Eckleberg (symbolic of the eyes of God). INS - The evidence of violence is established when Felice wants to cut off two of F. ears instead of one. There is another example of violence in the climatic scene of the film when M. gets shot. TCITR - Violence is shown in this text when Holden encounters Maurice and also when he confronts Stradlater.
Children are treated differently in all three texts. Daisy’s daughter is barely mentioned playing only a peripheral part in the book and being told that the best she can be is a ‘beautiful fool’. In INS, Filippo is treated very badly by the men – he is kept down a hole in rags and chains around his ankles, although paradoxivcally, Michele’s parents are loving and caring towards him and his sister. Holden’s mother seems aloof and he makes little mention of his father.
Secrets and Lies: Michele must keep the fact that he knows about Filippo a secret. This becomes more apparent when he finds out his father is involved in the kidnapping. Jay Gatz hides the secret of his true identity that is revealed in the end by his father. Holden adopts personae, keeping his true identity a secret from others (e.g. on the train with Ernest Morrow’s mother, in the night club with the three women, and in the hotel with the prostitute).
Class and Money: TCITR – suitcases, nuns, Holden’s disregard for money. This non-materialistic view can be easily compared to Holden from TCITR when, near the end of the book, all he has left is a few coins and he decides to skim them across the lake rather then save them. GG – materialism, social pretensions, Tom putting Myrtle in her place. INS – North v South, poverty, the lengths people will go to for money. INS-Michele too has a very non-materialistic on the world, as seen when, at the near start of the movie when Michele has only just discovered Filippo, Filippo states that his is incredibly hungry. The very next day Michele buys bread for him using his life savings, for a boy who he knows nothing about.
Role of Women: TCITR - Women are perceived in the book to be either quite pathetic such as women looking for celebrities or else they are the people who do the work in their family. INS- In Michele's world Maria has to do most of the work around the household. GG – patriarchal society, adultery for men seems more socially acceptable than women, women seen as objects (except for Jordan who is more masculine)
Vision and Viewpoint
In INS the perception of family relationships is very important and family life is presented very positively. Michele’s family have a very close relationship and he is very fond of his little sister, Maria, constantly looking out for her. For example, at the start of the film when he returns to see if she is alright when she calls out to him, and later when he is up a tree, she wants him to come in for dinner as she is concerned for him. He can always talk to her when there is no one else. Despite this Michele has no close friends. He lives in a tiny village in rural Italy and there are only a handful of children his own age. Due to this, Michele spends a lot of time alone, exploring and discovering the local area and this leads to him making the discovery of the little boy being kept hostage in a hole in the ground. Michele’s curiosity and bravery result in a new relationship developing between these two boys. The bond that has developed between Michele and Filippo is so strong that Michele is willing to oppose his family to see him.
Michele and Pino:
- Michele and his father have a good relationship most of the time.
- Pino brings home Michele and his sister a present from work.
- Michele and Pino arm wrestle and Pino asks if he has done his push ups. He wants him to fit into the masculine culture of the town.
- Pino is also not afraid to get angry at Michele. When Michele goes wandering Pino shouts at him and tells him to get lost. When he finds out Michele knows about Filippo he tells him he’ll beat him if he goes near him again.
In TCITR, we see that a lack of positive relationships is very influential on Holden Caulfield. Holden longs to ‘fit in’ and be a ‘hot shot’ but has difficulty doings so due to the fact that he perceives most people as crooks and phoneys. Despite his efforts to build relationships, these often fall through and he always seems to end up on his own. Holden’s lack of relationships result in him having a very depressed state of mind and also a great fear of the adult world which develops into the key point in the novel – Holden’s ‘catcher fantasy’.
Holden and his father:
- Not much is said about Holden’s father in the text.
- Phoebe mentions him when Holden sneaks home to talk to her. She says that is dad sees him Holden will be in big trouble.
- Holden’s parents send him from one boarding school to the other.
- We get the feeling that they haven’t got much of a talking relationship.
GG – Relationships are generally dysfunctional. Tom, Daisy and Myrtle all cheat on their spouses, and Jordan and Nick’s relationship is a superficial one. Party guests are shallow and gossip about their host, Gatsby. No one attends Gatsby’s funeral which shows their parasitic nature, using Gatsby only for his money and abandoning him in the end. Nick heads out West at the end of the novel, disgusted by the shallow nature of the materialistic East.
Perception of women: The perception of women in TCITR by Holen is that they’re either pure and innocent (e.g. Jane Gallagher) or they are loose and shallow (e.g. Sally Hayes). If the women are not seen as modonnas they are seen as whores and phonies, who Holden is either disgusted by or feels sorry for (e.g. Sunny). The vision and viewpoint of women in INS is that they have no real say in matters. It is a man’s world with Michele’s mother being portrayed as a passive figure, as well as Barbara being picked on by Skull in the opening segment. (For GG, see ‘Role of Women’ above under CC).
Morality: TCITR- Holden has the right intentions in mind when he wants to help everyone but his intentions aren’t realistic as he can’t stop everyone from writing crude graffiti on the school walls (a symbol of the innocence of childhood being corrupted).
Morality: In Holden’s world is seen by the reader as a place where everyone looks out for themselves you’re on your own:
- Holden is alone in NY
- People don’t want to help him even when he makes an obvious cry for help e.g. Carl Luce and the women at the bar
- People will take advantage of him because he’s really just a child alone in NY e.g. Sunny the prostitute and Maurice
- Filippo is kidnapped so others will profit from him. Everyone in the town plays a part by keeping it secret. Except Michele
- Skull is a bully and stands out as the leader of the group of kids. e.g. Scene with Barbara
- Michele’s friend, Salvatore, betrays him by telling Skull’s brother what he was doing. Again he did this for his own profit (he gets to drive the car)
Feelings of Responsibility for Wrongdoing / Guilt: INS - This can be related to Michele in ‘INS’ as he stands up and aids Filippo even though he is directly defying his father, but he does it anyway as he knows it is the right thing to do. TCITR - Holden in TCITR also displays feelings of guilt when speaking to the nuns, as even though he donates $10 to their cause he as an strange feeling of guilt as he is unable to help the two any further. This contrasts to GG when the killing of Myrtle is covered up by Tom and Daisy. It is only Nick who feels disgusted with others (and perhaps himself) by the end of the book.