A Misfit to Society: An investigation of the common struggle in Catcher and the Rye and The Bell Jar between the sexual ideals imposed by society

Society is ofttimes the curator of ideals, beliefs, and expectations among a vast summate of inexplicit conformist individuals. It dictates a strict set of guidelines of which no unrivalled is to venture from, or they risk being denominate as social outcasts. These unwritten social laws affect every(prenominal) unmarried individual, and often conflict with ones own beliefs particularly on the function of sex, and sex-role stereotyping. Such a criticism is evident in the graphic symbol of J.D. Salingers The backstop in the Rye, and Sylvia Plaths The Ball Jar. twain of the protagonists in these narratives settle a fundamental struggle by adolescents to comply with their several(prenominal) gender roles.         In the case of Holden Caulfield, the narrator of The Catcher in the Rye, his journey into adulthood requires him to accept his role in coordinateliness as a typical man - a august manipulative force. In Holdens view, this pith he must start out h imself of all innocence, and embrace his informality. This closely parallels the views of the protagonist Esther Greenwood in The ships bell Jar, as she rejects the idealized image of the traditional female and often compares herself to a bell in a bell jar, where she is suffocated by societal pressures, and she herself is weak and voiceless.

Both characters portray these emotions through their anti-establishment and malcontent nature, leaving them to face the consequences of refusing societys order in a psychiatric institution because of their refusal to conform to their respective gender stereotypes.         Both narrators let out their rebellions to their gender s! tereotypes through the most obvious means possible- sex. If you indispensability to know the truth, Im a virgin. I really am. Ive had kind of a few opportunities to lose my virginity and all, but Ive never got some to it yet. (Salinger 92) Holden reveals his sexual innocence by... If you want to get a integral essay, order it on our website: BestEssayCheap.com

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