Pygmalian- comapring the catcher and the Rye to pygmalian
...r, this gradually changes and he opens up. He uses the terms "and all" and "or anything" regularly throughout the novel and because not everyone speaks like this, these terms make Holden's speech unique. Holden also feels he has to confirm what he is saying because he does not quite believe himself. For example, he says, "I'm a pacifist, if you want to know the truth" (26). When Holden is particularly angry, he swears more often. He says "That guy Morrow is about as sensitive as a god dam toilet seat" (55). His inability to properly communicate without have to rely on profanity to express himself shows Holden as a boy suffering from what some might call "teenage angst." Holden, however, rarely shows his angst publicly. For the most part, he is composed in front of people; especially adults and strangers. If annoyed about something, he manages to say what he thinks in such a polite, disguised way, the people he talks to do not even notice. Holden believes in manners and treating everyone equally. Before Holden leaves for Christmas Break, Mr. Spencer invites him to his house and asks about what the headmaster, Dr. Thurmer, said to him. Holden replies that Dr. Thurmer spoke of life being a game, and that one should play it according to the rules (8). Holden shows no animosity about Dr. Thurmer's speech. He accepts it as part of the educator's duty even though he knows that life is only a game if you are on the right side, where all the "hot-shots" are. Mr. Spencer also lectures and proceeds to go through Holden's history exam with him. Holden did poorly both in class and on the exam and feels guilty because Mr. Spencer is infatuated with history. Holden tells his teacher that he enjoys listening to his lectures in class but he didn't care much for history because he "doesn't want to hurt his feelings" (11). Robert Ackley, the boy living in the room next to Holden and Ward Stradlater, Holden's roommate at Pencey Prep, are seemingly exact opposites of each other. Ackley is a boring, homely loner while Stradlater is an exiting, handsome athlete. However, Holden sees them as being quite similar. Primarily, they are both slobs. Ackley is a blatant slob: "He has lousy teeth [...] they always looked mossy and awful" and "he had a lot of pimples (19) while Stradlater is a "secret slob. He always looked all right, but you should've seen the razor he shaved himself with [....] rusty as hell and full of lather and hairs" (27). They are also uncaring and self-absorbed. For example, Stradlater does not care about Holden's feelings for Jane Gallagher. After the two fight about her, Holden goes to Ackley's room to talk. Ackley keeps telling Holden to be quiet and go to sleep even though Holden always listens to his problems. Holden also condemns a former headmaster who is especially courteous to well-dressed, well-to-do parents and less courteous, to less sophisticated and powerful parents. This disgusts Holden and he resents that someone he is supposed to respect is such a prime example of the materialistic society he lives in. Eliza also believes that all people should be treated equally. Including herself, she greatly dislikes the patronizing way people of low-class society are treated by people of high-class society. In an attempt to equal herself with others in society, Eliza wants to take lessons on how to "talk more genteel" (23). Even though she has virtually no money, she insists to Henry Higgins and Colonel Pickering that she has "come to have lessons, I am. And pay for em too: make no mistakes" (23). She does not believe that she should be given any special considerations just because she cannot as readily afford the lessons as others. These lessons, she believes, will change her life and she will then be a happier person. In the beginning of Pygmalion, Eliza is a young low-class woman selling flowers on the street corner so that she can make enough money to survive. Even though this is the only way of living she knows, Eliza sees that there is more out there and she does not have to be a low-class woman forever. She wants more out of life and will not allow herself to be stomped on by others. She is a very proud person and when Henry Higgins orders his maid, Mrs. Pearce, to "take all of her clothes off and burn them," Eliza replies angrily, "you're no gentleman, you're not, to talk of such things. I'm a good girl, I am" (27). The burning of her old clothes marks the beginning of a series of changes for Eliza. In the hopes of achieving a "better" life in high-class society, she must say good-bye to everything she knows and this she does with mixed emotions. After her transformation, though, she discovers that life is not as wonderful as she thought it would be. Eliza realizes that so-called "proper" people have problems as well. Now that she has achieved her goal, she does not know what she is going to do with her life. She does have secret hopes of marrying Henry Higgins, however, but these hopes are destroyed during a fight in which he reveals to her that he has no intentions of marrying her. He tells her she "might marry, you know. You see Eliza, all men are, not confirmed old bachelors like me and the Colonel. Most men are the marrying sort (poor devils)" (77). After this realization hits, Eliza leaves Professor Higgins' home. Soon after, she gets involved with Freddy Eynford Hill, a poor but classy, intelligent gentleman. He is clearly in love with Eliza and they marry. From this point on, they live a simple life, working in their own flower shop. Throughout her transformation, Eliza loses sight of her original goal which is to own a flower shop. She begins to think she needs more to b happy. Ironically, however, at the point in her life when she has the most materially, is the point she is unhappiest. This is not to say that she resents all that she has learned because now she realizes that achieving her original goal is all she needs. Holden presents this t...