T4 - Graham Greene

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Human life is only meaningful when it involves connecting with other people. Graham Greene once said "it is impossible to go through life without trust " In other words, The world becomes a dangerous fearful place when one must face it without the support of other people. The truth of this quote is reflected two works of literature, the catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger and Macbeth by William Shakespeare. In the catcher in the Rye, the protagonist Holden Caulfield, alienates himself, attempting to survive in the world of "phonies ". In Macbeth, the wife of the eponymous character falls into a trap laid by her own deceit, losing her mind and ultimately her life. Using characterization, symbolism and conflict, Salinger and Shakespeare explore the idea that human bonds are not only helpful, but necessary for survival.

Through the character of Holden Caulfield, Salinger shows what can happen when someone cuts himself off from family and friends. Devastated by the death of his younger brother, Allie, Holden wanders the streets of New York City as a kind of walking paradox, both repulsed by the phoniness of his fellow man and desperate for the comfort of human contact. Salinger employs the symbol of the red hunting hat to represent Holdens alienation. Holden refers to his hat as his "people killing hat", an expression of his hostility toward a world that destroys innocence.

In spite of his attempts to isolate himself, the protagonist eventually finds that the world is a challenging place without the support of others. Phoebe, Holden's amiable and precocious younger sister, manages to break through Holdens nonchalant exterior. Offered his sister's Christmas money, Holden breaks down in tears, his adolescent defense mechanisms dismantled by the honest love and concern of his younger sibling. Holden finally realizes that he must open his heart to give and receive trust, the basis of all human relationships.

Lady Macbeth is a woman who cultivates deception and murder, convincing her husband to commit regicide. This fierce character, believing she is equal to her daunting ambitions, relies on her husband's loyalty to commit the acts she hasn't the heart to. However, as her husband ascends into madness, a result of his own ferocious greed for power, Lady Macbeth loses the relationship that had previously sustained and nursed her. Alone in the world, the evil queen begins her own descent into insanity. Shakespeare uses symbolism, a spot that lady Macbeth cannot wash away, to show how lack of trust can destroy an individual. Isolated from the warmth of human contact, Lady Macbeth is left alone to consider her guilt. This feeling, insidiously spreading, destroys the fabric of her soul. Unable to survive in a world without trust, Lady Macbeth eventually succumbs to her own fears and kills herself.

Trust is an absolute necessity for human survival. Studies have shown that infants who do not receive the warmth of human touch do not fully developed. Indeed, Lady Macbeth and Holden Caulfield are literary examples whose experiences prove Graham Greene's thesis that it is impossible to go through life without trust.