Varghese Nevin Varghese English Honors III Ms. Vayda 12 April 2010 Comparative Analysis of the Theme of Youth Between Holden Caulfield and Santiago Trends in society are often the result of different time periods or different cultures. It is interesting to note that two of America's greatest authors, Hemingway and Salinger, who were born in two different cultural decades, penned ideas about youth and its effects. In both Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea and Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, the protagonists, Santiago and Holden respectively, are both impacted greatly by their youthful age. Santiago is an old fisherman who struggles to capture a marlin after 85 days of not catching any fish. Holden is a young man, who travels through New York for three days trying to discover his path in life. Although Holdens youthful life may seem wasted in his travels and Santiago's may seem irrelevant in his adult life, their respective youths are vital to the foundation and fortification of both their lives. Unlike Santiago, Holden is a young man in the transition phase to adulthood. Throughout this phase Holden encounters a duo of nuns, who changes his outlook on life and ultimately his character. Upon inquiring, Holden discovers that the nuns are teachers. Feeling charitable, Holden graciously donates money to the nuns. Although the nuns thank Holden for his offer, the donor feels guilty that he had only given [the nuns] ten bucks for their collection (Salinger 147). He even tries to [take the nuns'] check but they wouldn't let [him] pay it(Salinger

Varghese 144). Holden's guilt can be interpreted as a sign that he cares greatly about the world though he seems to almost always claim that he hates it. In fact, Holden loves the world more than the world can bear (Heisermann 5). The effort taken by Holden signifies that he is altruistic. As a result of this encounter, Holden learns to be charitable and sacrificial, two valuable characteristics that he can use in his future life to better himself. Like Holden, Santiago, though old, once experienced a certain life changing event that later contributed to the enrichment of his adult life. However, unlike Holden, the effects of Santiago's youth can be seen in his everyday adult life. For example, as an adult, Santiago dreams of lions and lion cubs playing on the beaches of Africa, reminiscent thoughts derived from Santiago's childhood experiences as a young fisherman. In fact, he no longer dreamed of storms...[but] dreamed of places now and of the lions on the beach (Hemingway 25). As a child, seeing these lions and a paradise-like land entranced Santiago, giving him joy and satisfaction. Throughout the book, the old man [dreams] about the lions several times (Hemingway 127). These lions, the epitome of joy and satisfaction for Santiago, are symbolic of Santiago's youth [,which] also reflect[s] a 'double vision,' that of 'the boy and lions' (Unrue 551). This 'double vision' represents the joy from thinking about the lions and from the reminder of youth (Unrue 551). Consequently enough, it is during hard times that Santiago dreams about these lions, perhaps to subconsciously cheer himself up. The first occurrence of this dream is in the beginning of the book, when the reader discovers that the old man has not caught any fish for 85 days. Later, Santiago dreams about the lions when he hooks the marlin and is drifting out to sea. Finally, the lions reappear at the end of the book as a dejected Santiago sleeps, sad at having lost the behemoth marlin. It is the reminder of his youth and the recollection of a happy memory

Varghese that allows Santiago to preserve in his life. Even when faced with difficulties, thinking about the lions, a though reminiscent of his youth, is all that Santiago needs to overcome his problems. Unlike Santiago's youth, Holdens youth is guided by his sister, Phoebe. Phoebe is a talented young girl who represents innocence and purity in a world that reeks of phoniness and corruption (Privitera 204). She is also uncannily wise for her young age, a wisdom which helps her brother, Holden, to discover his true path in life. Before Holden talks to Phoebe, he is driven mad with thoughts of eloping with Sally, running away, getting a job and living quietly; however, it is after his conversation with his sister that Holden becomes more pragmatic. Phoebe does this by opening her brother's eyes to the reality of the world around him. Phoebe knows that her brother hates his surroundings because he cannot even 'name one thing [he likes]' (Salinger 220). Not expecting such a bold remark, Holden actually thought [he] was going to pass out cold (Salinger 267). Holden feels so stunned because he had previously witnessed both Mr. Spencer and Mr. Antolini fail in trying to do the same that Phoebe did. Mr. Spencer warns Holden to think about his future, and Mr. Antolini only tells Holden that he will one day have to discover 'where [he] wants to go' in life (Salinger 245). Then Mr. Antolini's seemingly homosexual advances while Holden sleeps further confuses the youth, who then begins to hate life even more. Unlike these two teachers, Phoebe gives Holden an innocent and more personal view of his behavior. Phoebe even goes one step further by reassuring a Holden, who longs for the innocence of childhood that will soon be lost to him(Privitera 204). Phoebe turns Holden's life around from running away to staying home and facing the consequences of his actions. Without her, Holden might have ended up living in some secluded place, where everybody'd think [he] was just a poor deaf-mute...[and] leave [him] alone(Salinger 258).

Varghese Like Phoebe, who affects Holden, Manolin, the epitome of youth in Santiagos life, plays a major role in fortifying Santiago's adulthood. Although Manolin is present in Santiago's old age, Santiago is still affected by Manolin's youth. Santiago, in a way, never grows past his youth since the boy...remind[s] Santiago of his own youth (Oliver 3); thus, he seems to live vicariously through Manolin. As a result, he remains youthful, ever affected by the boy. The old man uses the youth of Manolin to gain happiness. Throughout his travels, Santiago constantly 'wish[es] [he] had the boy' (Hemingway 45); At one moment, he regretfully thinks if the boy were [in the boat] his fishing trip would have been easier (Hemingway 83). This desire for the boy symbolizes the old man's desire for his youth, because it may be this youth that has kept him alive thus far. Although Manolin doesn't affect Santiago's youth directly, he helps to fortify Santiago's life with his own youth. Santiago 'comes to understand that without the child he can never win' ; in other words, he has nothing to live for if not for the boy (Waggoner 12). In his

critique, Oliver suggests that the constant thoughts of Manolin serves to help Santiago keep up his mental and physical strength (Oliver 4). Therefore, it is clear that the youthful Manolin is vital to the fortification of Santiago's life. Although Manolin fortifies Santiago's adult life, Holden's youth is fortified even more as a result of leaving Pencey Preparatory School. The initial impetus for his departure was that [the school] kicked [him] out (Salinger 6); however, Holden also leaves because he feels angry and resentful toward the students and faculty of his school, who made [him] too sad and lonesome (Salinger 66). Upon leaving Pencey Prep, he utters his hate for his fellow student population, waking everyone up by yelling 'Sleep tight, ya morons' (Salinger 68). It is only after Holden's departure from his school that he begins to understand his true purpose in life. If

Varghese he had not left, he would not have realized that he is not meant to escape society and live as a poor deaf-mute (Salinger 258). Actually, Holden's desertion of Pencey Prep affects his youth the greatest of all his adventures. He leaves to escape the phoniness of society...but he is seeking nothing less than stability and love(Heisermann 5). Ultimately, Holden finds the love and stability he needs, that from his family, especially Phoebe. Because of his exodus from Pencey Prep, he realizes his independence, which is synonymous with his realization of adulthood. Holden's most life altering event is his exodus from Pencey Prep; likewise the most effective event in Santiago's life is his victory of the arm wrestling contest, which fills the old man with pride, a quality that transcends into the old man's adult life. When Santiago was a young man, he once arm wrestled with black man [going] one day and one night...gripped tight (Hemingway 69). Although spectators claimed that the black man was better than Santiago, the old man proved the spectators wrong by defeating the black man, becoming the champion. Santiago enjoyed being known as El Campon. It gratified him to be respected for the strength of his arm and the confidence of his spirit. (Brenner 48). Santiago reminisces about this event during a time when he felt he could not capture the marlin; however the gratifying memory of the arm wrestling competition emboldens Santiago's resolve to endure and to vanquish his opponent in [fishing] too (Brenner 49). Thus, the arm wrestling competition only fortifies Santiago. Because of the contest, he develops a resiliency of mind and body which Santiago employs to survive in the adult world. Without this experience, he may not have had the strength or courage to capture the marlin.

Varghese Like the youth of both Holden and Santiago, this transition phase to adulthood is one of the most volatile and most forceful phases of a person's life. It is during these teenage years that a person learns who they are, what they are capable of, and what they have the ability to become. A person's youth is not set in stone- it can always change, shaping that person's own persona as well. It was George Bernard Shaw who once boldly stated that it's a pity youth is wasted on the young; however, this Irish playwright was greatly mistaken. Indeed, youth is not wasted on the young, but youth fortifies the young so that one can survive in the world. It is this youth that is critical to the survival of a human being.