One Last Breath

to it. “Siddhartha listened attentively to this river, to this song of a thousand voices; when he did not listen to the sorrow or laughter, when he did not bind his soul to any one particular voice and absorb it in his Self, but heard them all, the whole, the unity; then the great song of a thousand voices consisted of one word: Om--perfection” (Hesse 111). Ultimately, the river is what helped him to travel down the correct path to enlightenment, with guiding from Vasudeva. After learning all he…

Children often develop an urge to go against social norms and expectations when they are faced with the issue of growing up and maturing. The reason behind this rebellious behavior is widely debated upon among thinkers and scholars, one of which is Albert Camus, a twentieth century philosopher and writer who argued that the reason behind adolescent rebellion lies in the fact that young children often have tendencies to maintain their usual habits and innocence while avoiding the responsibility…

Antolini's strange behavior and his strained relationships regarding his parents and romantic interests.According to Freud A. Strachey in his introductory lectures on psychoanalysis states that regression is an unconscious defense mechanism in which one reverses back to acting as if they are emotionally back in the mindset of a child.Holden’s innocent manner therefore is caused by the impression that his brother’s death left on him.His unknown sense of identity…

of well-being” and requesting him to identify something he likes. Ultimately causing Holden to discover that he doesn’t like anything. When Phoebe’s mother smells smoke in her room, Phoebe is quick to cover up and say that it was her who took just one puff when in reality it was Holden. Similarly, when her mother complains of a headache Phoebe quickly prescribes a few aspirins. Mitchell questions “Does Phoebe’s covert wisdom support Holden’s premise that society is corrupt?” Mitchell suggests…

wasn't the one who was in control of his life because if he believed this - he would feel guilty of taking someone (himself) away from a lot of people who were dependent on him - in a way he gives them hope and is almost a tool for them to cope with their lives. This is also why Gunnar hadn’t changed a lot by the end of the book. Furthermore, there is no specific person that you can point to and say that they are the one controlling the course of Gunnar's life because it is not just one person,…

final wish. “He heard a harsh laugh behind him, and turning round saw the old King looking at him with a malicious expression. "Well, my friend! You don't seem to have managed so wonderfully with your first two wishes, do you? What will you do with the last? Turn yourself into a swan? Or turn Leita back into a girl?" "I shall do neither," said Mr. Peters calmly. "Human beings and swans are better in their own shapes (Aiken,3)". Surely, the most significant evidence that demonstrates the theme…

3 percent of teens suffer depression for at least a year at a time, compared to about 5.3 percent of the general population.” (“Teen”). In the first chapter of The Catcher in the Rye, Caulfield tells his story of getting kicked out of his school. One symptom of depression is having poor performance in school. Caulfield tells us, “ I was flunking four subjects and not applying myself- especially…

brother. It is apparent to the reader that Holden has some form of a mental illness, but not apparent to the people in Holden’s life. The stigma is often based around societies assumption that people with mental illnesses are violent or unstable. In one article in states that “people are twice as likely today than they were in 1950 to believe that mentally ill people tend to be violent.” (Dingfelder). Nowadays people make assumptions that could change someone’s life forever. If it is assumed…

Parents often find themselves frustrated and lost when they fail to understand the actions of their children, but try their best to adapt to new situations. In The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon, the protagonist, Christopher Boone is a fifteen year-old autistic boy living in a dysfunctional family. Ed Boone and Judy Boone, the father and mother to Christopher, are estranged, with Ed being the primary caregiver to Chris. Ed faces many difficulties in raising his son…

rub it off the wall with my hand if you want to know the truth”(201). This is a very crucial example that Holden is not only trying to save his loved ones, he is also trying to save himself. He will not rub it off with his hand because in his mind there is a chance touching a word like that will strip him of his innocence. Causing him to lose the one thing he has been trying to save: his innocence. This would be his ultimate fear, thus leading to a rapid increase in a full blown…