growing up and loathing it :: essays research papers fc

Growing Up and Loathing ItAlienation can be interpreted as loneliness caused by the lack of understanding of others, and may be caused by oneself or inflicted upon by another. During teenage years, boys are especially hypersensitized to the anguish felt as a result of alienation. Jerry Renault, the protagonist of the Chocolate War, is encumbered by both the alienation imposed upon himself, and that which is burdened upon him by a secret society known as the Vigils. The Catcher in the Rye introduces Holden Caufield who has segregated himself from all but a few of those surrounding him, and is deeply dissolute by this. The alienation wrought by Caufields awkward ascension into adulthood is manifested in his fallacious attempts to casually interact with others. Because of their ages, Jerry and Holden feel threatened by the individuals whom they would normally associate themselves. This intimidation spurs the alienation and loneliness felt by Jerry Renault and Holden Caufield. Jerry R enault, an average teenager, has an issue with confidence that influences him to doubt himself, and thus alienate himself from his peers. Because Renault has low conceit and feels little influence from his classmates, he refuses to sell chocolates like every other kid in school(Cormier 66). He lacks the school spirit that others posses because he is excluded from them in his head. This reinforces Renaults lack of influence felt as a result of others, and shows the fact that he is indeed alienated. In addition, after he refuses to sell the chocolates and is shunned by his classmates, he feels invisible(163). Jerry causes this himself, for his actions alone influence the entire bookman body to dissociate him from their ranks. Jerry who is suddenly forced to come to terms with the situation, instead, separates himself from his former peers redden further. Also, even when the students realize that Renault is some kind of rebel hero, he refuses to respond to them and continues his self -imposed alienation (175). Jerry Renault, who at this point has lost all hope of being a normal student, continues his assault on all of that which he would hold dear. If it would not have been for his minuscule sense of self-esteem, he would not alienate himself from the rest of the student body. Jerrys alienation from all the people that he would normally embrace has caused him mental and physical hardship concerning the interactions with others.