...lawyers; this aspiration drives an individual to better themselves, thus bettering society. However, there are others who may yearn to be someone who doesn’t have a high paying job or a high ranking position. Holden Caulfield and Chris McCandless seek a unique future; one involving days filled with wonder and tranquility, one away from the hustle and bustle of society, one away the greed that consumes most people. The Catcher in the Rye tells the story of Holden Caulfield, who is a teenage boy that ventures to New York City after being expelled from private school. On the other hand, Into the Wild recounts the adventures...
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...An inability to be at peace with oneself is a defining connection between the central characters of The Namesake and Into the Wild, written and directed respectively in 2003 and 2007 by Jhumpa Lahiri and Sean Penn. The notion of nomenclature as a means of redefinition is something with which we become familiar in The Namesake, as we observe Gogol Ganguli's ongoing struggle to identify with the Bengali culture of his parents, rather than the American culture in which he is immersed. Similarly, in an act of defiance against his family and the materialistic American society, Christopher McCandless in Into the Wild establishes a new identity for himself when he abandons all possessions and changes his name before venturing into the isolation of the Alaskan wilderness. Aided by devices, notably setting, symbolism, narrative technique, juxtaposition of minor characters and imagery, Lahiri and Penn endeavour to demonstrate the effects of culture, childhood and family, in particular, on shaping individuality. Diverse settings are employed by Lahiri and Penn to portray culture and its influence on the personas of the central characters. A ceremonial setting is common to both texts and foreshadows the protagonist's desire to retreat from his traditions. Gogol's 'annaprasan' is a customary Indian rice ritual for newborn children, who 'confront [their] destiny' by selecting a 'clump of soil ... ballpoint pen, [or] ... dollar bill' from a plate, respectively representing 'a landowner, scholar...
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...Christopher McCandless was a young man who went on an undeniably extraordinary journey. It is easy to romanticize the live he lived and his journey to unearth his spirit. However, it’s also easy to dismiss him as a victim of the fearlessness and ignorance of youth. I believe both of these interpretations of Chris are wrong. I think he was a complex individual who was foolish and intelligent, logical and passionate, dedicated and stubborn. He was a living contradiction, like most people are. Part of Chris was a dreamy youth wandering the world in order to achieve what he perceived to be the ultimate freedom for his soul. It is an admirable goal for most people. He had enough courage to be able to leave his comfortable life and venture into the harsh unforgiving world. He was dedicated to his...
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