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Essay / The Cyclical Nature of Fugue: Holden Caulfield and Francis Weed
In "The Country Husband" and The Catcher in the Rye, Francis Weed and Holden Caulfield attempt to escape the cyclical nature of their societies, but are ironically brought back to a routine lifestyle that is both predictable and clearly understood by the two protagonists. Both struggle to fight through the cage of false appearances and uniformity, attempting to reinvent their monotonous personalities and extricate themselves from their irrational peers. By fleeing and acquiring characteristics alien to their natural personalities, Francis and Holden ironically return to the cyclical nature of their rejected societies, their rebellions unable to overcome the constricting cycle of monotony. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on 'Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned'?Get the original essayHolden Caulfield, unable to tolerate the brainwashing of his teenage classmates in high school, rejects the 'stupidity' of trying to s integration, an elusive concept for adolescents with rational feelings. Believing that his knowledge of corrupt society contrasts with the other teenagers' ignorance of their problems, Holden "had no choice but to leave" (Salinger 98). Hypocritically, Holden leaves because of lack of acceptance, proving that even though he claims to not want to fit in, his intentions are to find a society in which he feels accepted. His roommate Stradlater, the jock opposite Holden, maintains his usual routine of shaving with a razor that “he never cleaned or anything” (Salinger 31). Each boy follows a strict routine that is unnatural for Holden as they do not deviate from their predictable patterns of character and actions. The nature of general structured society repels Holden because his individuality and rational thoughts are (in his mind) superior to the social norms unconsciously followed by everyone else. Ironically, as Holden escapes from his own routine school and social life, he once again revisits another realm of sameness and perpetual routine. The carousel, representing every race and type of person, all moving in rhythm to the same song of –– calls to him, returning him to his social cycle. Moving away from his previous setting causes Holden to run at the same pace of the carousel, once again falling back into the path of routine as he ends the story looking at his sister, as do the other indistinguishable adults. Holden watches his sister, caught in the circle of childhood, “go around in circles,” just as the other children follow her. Although Holden initially rejects the endless carousel of childhood, he returns to the cycle. His character, even though he undergoes mental reevaluations and irrational decisions, has never changed from the beginning as he returns to his original cycle. Unconsciously, Holden reverts to the typical teenager he rejects while seeking comfort from his family, the foundation of average American society. In "The Country Husband", Francis Weed ironically attempts to change his personal routine after waking up near death, but ultimately ends up in the same marital structure in which he began. He begins to notice the daily routines of his neighborhood, exclaiming his dislike for them, constantly seeking out the negativity of his neighborhood. The identical family homes all housing seemingly perfect couples and families seem unnatural to Francis and arouse in him a rebellion which he executes with the rejection of his marriage and the desire for an untouchable woman. His actions speak louder than his words as he unreasonably seeks a relationship with.