Alienated and disenchanted youth: A study of comparison and contrast between Holden Caulfield and Charlie Kelmeckis

Abstract

Juxtaposing two of the most familiar young adult literary characters, this paper tries to read the comparison between the two characters of two different periods with different backgrounds. Both these characters show a few common character traits, such as- loneliness, shyness, and post-traumatic stress disorder, to name a few. This paper tends to explore the connection between the nature of their respective traumatic youths through the lens of Freudian psychoanalysis. Holden and Charlie are two conjoined characters linked by their aloofness and oddities-this very paper puts an effort to understand why they want to ‘observe the world’ rather than ‘participate actively.’Finally, this paper delves into inquiring if these traumatic youths represent the universal condition of the struggling youngsters and their self-inflicted ostracism from society.