Catcher In The Rye Essays (1020 words) - Literary Realism

Catcher In The Rye Essays (1020 words) - Literary Realism Catcher In The Rye The Impossible Job: Catcher in the Rye Recent studies show that depression is common among teenagers. Although the research may be new, it is not a new disease that has occupied teenagers. In the novel Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, the main character Holden Caufield is a depressed young man searching for good in the world; scenes in this story push Holden over the edge until he has an epiphany that eventually causes him to have a breakdown. Holden's constant inquiry about the location of the ducks in Central Park and his conversation with Sunny, instead of sexual intercourse, signify a lost boy in desperate need of help. Holden interrogates two taxi cab drivers about the location of the ducks during winter in Central Park. As Holden questions the second driver, Horwitz, the taxi cab driver responds by relating the ducks to the fish in the lake. The taxi cab driver irritably responds to Holden's barrage of questions by replying, If you was a fish, Mother Nature'd take care of you, wouldn't she? (109) The answer is satisfactory to Holden because he knows that wherever the ducks may be, they are taken care of. Holden's motive for wanting to know where the ducks fly in winter is that he cares for them because they relate to him. Similarly, Holden is subconsciously searching for help; he believes that by helping others, such as the ducks, he will find good in the world that will warm his heart and cure him of his depression. However, he finds the ducks do not cure his depression and again he discovers himself feeling lonely. Soon after the duck incident, Holden has his first encounter with Sunny. He starts talking to her and states his (phony) age. Sunny responds, Like fun you are. (123) Then, Holden recognizes she is just a kid; prostitution is no way for a child to live. As Holden tries to reach out to her by initiating a conversation, instead of sex, she only pushes him away by stating, Let's go. (125) Sunny eventually leaves and again Holden feels depressed. He only wishes to help her because subconsciously he could relate to her: they were both trapped in a world in which they did not want to participate. Mr. Antolini's discussion with Holden, identifying his problem, causes Holden's depression to soar to a new level. Holden calls Mr. Antolini because he remembers him as a decent man with whom he could hold a decent conversation. Thus Holden enters his apartment and Mr. Antolini recognizes something is wrong with Holden. Mr. Antolini vocalizes his concerns by stating that Holden is riding for some kind of a terrible, terrible fall. (242) Holden cowers away from his advice by thinking to himself he is tired. However, Mr. Antolini hammers on stating, But I do say that educated and scholarly men, if they're brilliant and scholarly to begin with-which, unfortunately, is rarely the case-tend to leave infinitely more valuable records behind them than men do who are merely brilliant and creative. (246) Mr. Antolini is trying to help Holden by saying that if he does not apply himself to receiving an education, he is ruining and depriving himself of a happy life; his future will depend on the degree of his education. Holden tells himself he is tired and in fact, he is actually establishing a wall in order to block out Mr. Antolini's advice. Later, Holden goes to bed and finds Mr. Antolini stroking his head. He exclaims, What the hellya doing? (249) Holden's new wall is the assumption that Mr. Antolini is a homosexual. As a result, Holden believes this gives him the right to flee from Mr. Antolini's apartment. Later, Holden becomes more depressed as he realizes Mr. Antolini was only admiring him but, he realizes this at a safe distance. It is another part of his wall to not hear more of Mr. Antolini's diagnosis; he knows he will never return to the Antolini's apartment. Holden's depression deepens as he has an epiphany both in the museum and at the carousel. For example, Holden stands in a tomb (in the museum) and again he views another Fuck you scrawled under the

Mary Cassatt Biography - Painting History

Mary Cassatt Biography - Painting History Born on May 22, 1844, Mary Cassatt was one of the very few women who were part of the French Impressionist movement in art, and the only American during the movements productive years; she often painted women in ordinary tasks. Her help to Americans collecting Impressionist art helped bring that movement to America. Biography of Mary Cassatt Mary Cassatt was born in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, in 1845. Mary Cassatts family lived in France from 1851 to 1853 and in Germany from 1853 to 1855. When Mary Cassatts oldest brother, Robbie, died, the family returned to Philadelphia. She studied art at the Pennsylvania Academy in Philadelphia in 1861 to 1865, which was among the few such schools open to female students. In 1866 Mary Cassatt began European travels, finally living in Paris, France. In France, she took art lessons and spent her time studying and copying the paintings at the Louvre. In 1870, Mary Cassatt returned to the United States and her parents home. Her painting suffered from a lack of support from her father. Her paintings in a Chicago gallery were destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Fortunately, in 1872 she received a commission from the archbishop in Parma to copy some Correggio works, which revived her flagging career. She went to Parma for the job, then after study in Antwerp Cassatt returned to France. Mary Cassatt joined the Paris Salon, exhibiting with the group in 1872, 1873, and 1874. She met and began studying with Edgar Degas, with whom she had a close friendship; they apparently did not become lovers. In 1877 Mary Cassatt joined the French Impressionist group and in 1879 began exhibiting with them at the invitation of Degas. Her paintings sold successfully. She herself began collecting the paintings of other French Impressionists, and she helped several friends from America acquire French Impressionist art for their collections. Among those she convinced to collect Impressionists was her brother, Alexander. Mary Cassatts parents and sister joined her in Paris in 1877; Mary had to do the housework when her mother and sister fell ill, and the volume of her painting suffered until her sisters death in 1882 and her mothers recovery soon after. Mary Cassatts most successful work was during the 1880s and 1890s. She moved from impressionism to her own style, significantly influenced by Japanese prints that she saw at an exhibition in 1890. Degas, upon seeings some of Mary Cassatts later work, was said to have stated, I am not willing to admit that a woman can draw that well. Her work was frequently characterized by depictions of women in ordinary tasks, and especially with children. Though she never married or had children of her own, she enjoyed visits from her American nieces and nephews. In 1893, Mary Cassatt submitted a mural design for display at the 1893 Worlds Columbian Exhibition in Chicago. The mural was taken down and lost at the end of the fair. She continued to care for her ill mother until her mothers death in 1895. After the 1890s, she did not keep up with some of the newer, more popular trends, and her popularity waned. She put more of her efforts into advising American collectors, including her brothers. Her brother Gardner died suddenly after Mary Cassatt returned with him and his family from 1910 trip to Egypt. Her diabetes began to create more serious health problems. Mary Cassatt supported the womens suffrage movement, both morally and financially. By 1912, Mary Cassatt had become partially blind. She gave up painting entirely in 1915, and had become totally blind by her death on June 14, 1926, in Mesnil-Beaufresne, France. Mary Cassatt was close to several female painters including Berthe Morisot.  In 1904, the French government awarded Mary Cassatt the Legion of Honor. Background, Family Father: Robert Simpson Cassatt (banker)Mother: Katherine Johnston CassattSiblings: fiveAlexander was president of the  Pennsyvlania  Railroad Education Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, 1861 - 1865Studied under Chaplin in Paris (1866) and Carlo Raimondi in Parma (1872) Bibliography: Judith A. Barter, editor. Mary Cassatt, Modern Woman. 1998.Philip Brooks. Mary Cassatt: An American in Paris. 1995.Julia M. H. Carson. Mary Cassatt. 1966.Cassatt and Her Circle: Selected Letters, New York. 1984.Nancy Mowll Mathews. Mary Cassatt: A Life. 1994.Nancy Mowll Mathews. Cassatt: A Retrospective. 1996.Griselda Pollock. Mary Cassatt: Painter of Modern Women. 1998Frederick A. Sweet. Miss Mary Cassatt, Impressionist from Pennsylvania. 1966.Forbes Watson. Mary Cassatt. 1932.Mary Cassatt: Modern Woman. (Essays.) 1998.