Isolation In The Great Gatsby And The Catcher In The R

In the two novels, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, loneliness and isolation are components that were undeniable for the characters of Jay Gatsby and Holden Caulfield. Loneliness and isolation are caused by yearning for something you cannot have, which turns people’s lives for the worst. Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby, was socially isolated even though he constantly surrounded himself with people, longing to make up for his loneliness. All Gatsby wanted in life was Daisy Buchanan. He threw large, extravagant parties with hundreds of people attending, all in hopes that Daisy would arrive. While at these parties, Nick Carraway noticed how he would isolate himself from the crowd and scam over all the people as if he were looking for someone. This someone was Daisy. Gatsby was a selfish and greedy man, trying to be as successful and wealthy as he could, doing whatever it took. However, these characteristics were …show more content…
Holden attended boarding school where he was forced to be independent. He had very few friends that he did not feel close to, so he separated himself from them. Holden ran away from school and became on his own in the real world. No one appealed to him as a friend so he continued his trend of staying cut off from civilization; he was in his own little bubble. However, the source of all his feelings and actions was the death of his brother Allie. Allie died when he was young and Holden did not feel closure on his passing. Holden was a depressed adolescent and was running away from his problems and in denial of what what was sparking it. Holden left his school, his family and failed to make friends. He felt unable to connect to anyone, leaving him alone and isolated, wishing for his brother