Holden Caulfield And Chris Mccandless Analysis

Holden Caulfield and Chris McCandless share a similar view of society and challenges. These two characters suffered from depression and despair. However, they have very distinctive characteristics and personalities. Statistics believe that eleven percent of peoples in the entire world is currently facing depression and anxiety. These two famous character have a strong connection with eleven percent of the world population. Holden Caulfield is a teenager that always assumes society is full of phonies. Chris McCandless is an educated person with a college degree and wanted to be free from the ugliness of society and their way of life. Caulfield’s thoughts and opinions about society indicated that he suffered from depression throughout his life.

He wanted to experience life in the wilderness where nobody can tell him what to do. During his childhood, McCandless occasionally see violence in his household. McCandless found out that his father had a second family. He recognized and realized that his entire life was full of lie. This made him believe that living in solitude is the best way to live. From all the tragedy that happened in his life, McCandless still has faith until his death. Caulfield admitted to himself that he was an atheist, “Sally said I was sacrilegious atheist. I probably am” (Salinger 137). In the novel of The Catcher in the Rye, Caulfield always had trouble every time he was trying to get along with someone. Holden Caulfield is socially awkward in general with people. Caulfield was always trying to accomplish something but ended up neglecting his own words. McCandless wrote a letter to Ronald Franz on how he was motivating Franz to not delay his willing, “don’t hesitate or allow yourself to make excuses. Just get out and do it. Just get out and do it. You will be very, very glad that you did” (Krakauer 58). Caulfield will most likely to not listen to the advice that McCandless gave to Franz. Caulfield poor judgement to people made him to not trust anyone unless himself and Phoebe. Caulfield always have negative thoughts about people on how he was freaked out when Mr. Antolini was patting to comfort him. Caulfield’s lifestyle is also doesn’t match McCandless lifestyle in the wild. McCandless quoted, “two years he walks the earth, no phone, no pool, no pets, no cigarettes” (Krakauer 163). When Caulfield was wandering in New York City, he was doing what he was not supposed to be doing at his age. Caulfield smokes cigarette, drink alcohol, and invited a prostitute to his hotel room. Caulfield’s lifestyle is an indication that he can’t really survive