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Extended Essay Cultural Standpoint

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Extended Essay Cultural Standpoint
How do Cormac McCarthy and J.D. Salinger use Cultural Aspects in the Novels Catcher in the Rye and All the Pretty Horses to Influence the Social Development of John Grady Cole and Holden Caulfield?

Erika Retzlaff
Candidate number: 006101-020
Spring 2013
Literature C1
Word Count: 3,640
Pueblo West High School

Table of Contents
I. Abstract………………………………………………………………………………….3
II. Introduction………………………………………………….………….…………….. 4
III. What is Culture and Social Development?………...….……………….…………...…5
IV. The Essence of Time……………………......………………………………………...6
V. Effects of Parental Guidance..…….......…………...…………………………………..9
VI. The Emotional Barrier……………...……………………………………………......10
VII. Evidence of Social Class……………………………………………………………11
VIII. The Present Economy………………………………….……………….……….....12
IX. Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………...14
X. Works Cited…………………………………………………………………………..16

I. Abstract: The essay consists of an in depth analysis of how the authors J.D. Salinger and Cormac McCarthy use cultural aspects throughout the novels The Catcher in the Rye and All the Pretty Horses to enhance the social development of Holden Caulfield and John Grady Cole. The research was undertaken by annotating these two works in depth. The in-depth, critical analysis of the two works lead me to the conclusion that the two authors of The Catcher in the Rye and All the Pretty Horses use the same aspects such as time, economy, and social class when conveying social development of the main characters. The authors use the time period, parental guidance, the present emotional language barrier, the evidence of social classes, and the economy to portray how culture affects a young adult to a great extent. John Grady Cole is evidently affected by the culture that surrounds him. He shows perseverance and dedication because he has to. He is on his own with no parental guidance at the age of 16 years old. This in itself develops a character that is strong and willing to do what



Cited: "Culture." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com,LLC., September, 2012. Web. 15 Oct 2012. McCarthy, Cormac. All the Pretty Horses. New York: Vintage Books, 1992. Print. Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 1979. Print. "Social Development." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com,LLC., September, 2012. Web. 15 Oct 2012.

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