Student Question
Compare the characters: Holden Caulfield, Vincent Freeman, and Todd Anderson from "The Catcher in the Rye", "Gattaca", and "Dead Poets Society".
Quick answer:
Holden Caulfield, Vincent Freeman, and Todd Anderson all grapple with societal expectations. Vincent struggles with his genetic limitations in a world that values genetic perfection, forcing him to assume a false identity. Todd faces pressure from parental expectations to excel academically rather than pursue his passion for writing. Meanwhile, Holden is caught between his identity and the "phonies" he perceives in society. Each character navigates their unique challenges to reconcile personal identity with external demands.
One primary level of comparison between the three characters is that they are all battling with the social expectations placed upon them. Examples of this would be Vincent with his genetic composition, Holden with his perception about the social world in which he is a part, and Todd having to follow tradition and honor bound codes of conduct. Each character is struggling to make peace with both who they are and what society expects of them. At many points, each has to make a conscious choice of how to address the fact that society may see them as "different." The social perception of non- genetically engineered individuals plagues Vincent, forcing him to assume a new identity. Anderson has to battle through the reality that parental expectations compel him to get good grades and into a good college, as opposed to indulging in his penchant for writing. Holden continually battles between who he is and the "phonies" that are all around him.
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