Catcher in the Rye Inclusion/Exclusion PDF

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Q: It is ultimately not an individual’s social setting that determines whether they feel included or excluded; it is the individual themselves that controls this.

Compose and present a speech in which you argue the extent to which you believe a comparative study of the two prescribed t...

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It is ultimately not an individual’s social setting that determines whether they feel included or excluded; it is the individual themselves that controls this. Compose and present a speech in which you argue the extent to which you believe a comparative study of the two prescribed texts supports this. The extent to which an individual feels included or excluded is often a complex dynamic influenced by social setting. Despite this, it is ultimately controlled by the individual’s attitudes. The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger and Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis explores this concept of control. Salinger set The Catcher in the Rye in 1950’s post-war America, at a time when the people enjoyed stability and held conformism and conservative consumerism in high regard. Both of which Holden vehemently rejects and impacts his ability to feel included in his society. In contrast, Persepolis is set in the late 1970s, leading up to the Iranian revolution. The instability is accentuated by oppression and fundamentalism, in which Marjane rebelliously defies in an attempt to build her character. In the process, she is excluded from the Iranian society. These different contexts can impede on one’s sense of inclusion, but it is ultimately the individual who controls how much effect it has. An individual can allow their rejected social context to dominate, which can determine their sense of exclusion. Holden, in The Catcher in the Rye, sacrifices his inclusion for the sake of preserving his values. When he leaves Pencey on the train, he has the opportunity to be truthful with Mrs Morrow but instead lies. As an unreliable narrator, Holden describes her son as “the biggest bastard that ever went to Pencey…”, and regardless of this “started throwing the old crap around”. This was an opening for inclusion that he passed up fearing that she was a ‘phony’. His diligence to stand by his values, which are incompatible in his society, forces his exclusion. Marjane in Persepolis had a similar attitude, as her social context was not something she could support. As a young girl, she had developed her political position, most obviously her rejection of the fundamentalist regime. For fear of her life, her parents physically excluded her and sent her to Vienna. The mid-shot of Marjane waving back to her parents features a glass screen separating them. This symbolises the isolation she will feel until she returns to Tehran. The social values the Ayatollah held forced Marji’s exclusion as she was not able to abide by them. Although the social settings differ, both protagonists allow their social contexts to control their inclusion. Whist an individual can allow the social context to preside; one can also accept conflicting social values and develop a sense of inclusion. For Holden, this transpired at the end of the novel, seen with his decision against leaving. This is conveyed when Phoebe accepts Holden, displayed through the interaction with his red hunting hat. His hat is used as a symbol of individuality and independence. As his point of difference, it was also synonymous with ridicule and exclusion. “She reached in my coat pocket and took out my red hunting hat and put it on her head.” Phoebe can be seen to give him an entry for inclusion within society. Although Phoebe was a catalyst in that change, it shows the ultimate control Holden had over his inclusion. Marjane comes to a similar acceptance of her social context. At the end, a wide-angle shot shows her taxi driving away from Orly Airport. The driver asks her where she is from, and she confidently responds with Iran. Leading up to this moment, she is conflicted by the clash between her personal views and her society’s. This scene communicates her new-found acceptance of the differences. Whist she cannot return to Iran, Marjane has come to terms with her heritage. Holden and Marjane were excluded from society due to conflicting values, but by accepting those differences, they found inclusion.

J.D. Salinger with The Catcher in the Rye and Marjane Satrapi with Persepolis explore this concept of control over inclusion and exclusion. Both narratives consider the effect of social setting by opposing the values of society with those of the individual. Ultimately though, the influence of social context pales in comparison to the power an individual has, clearly shown by the powerful endings, where the protagonists re-include themselves in society....