Belonging Essay- The Catcher in the Rye and Khe Sanh

How has your study of belonging enhanced your

understanding of the potential of the individual to
enrich or challenge a community or group?
All individuals have the potential to belong but it is our own
choices which affect our decision to assimilate within places or
groups. Belonging is a fundamental part of human nature that
provides an individual with a sense of purpose, direction and
security within their lives. We all have a desire to feel accepted
and without this we are often left feeling isolated and alienated
from the world. An individuals perceptions of belonging evolves
over time with our past experiences playing a major role in
shaping our attitudes and ideas about groups in our community.
Composers use various techniques to express their ideas on
belonging. J.D Salingers novel The Catcher in the Rye
represents these ideas throughout, through the protagonist,
Holden Caulfields own unsuccessful struggle for acceptance
within society. Similarly the lyrics to the song Khe Sanh by Don
Walker portray this same idea that perceptions of belonging
change over time as the lyrics describe a man, who once
returning from the Vietnam War tries hard to fit back in to
everyday life but his past experiences have left him feeling
disconnected and isolated from his family and community. Both
texts explore an individuals potential to challenge or enrich
groups, while portraying the way we feel when we disassociate
ourselves from places and groups.
The desire to belong is a driving force within us, often clouding
our judgement and directing our actions to contradict our
values. This can cause us to sacrifice our own individuality in
order to conform to societys expectations. In both texts, The
Catcher in the Rye and Khe Sanh the protagonists face
problems which they try to overcome but eventually end up
feeling worse as they struggle to feel a sense connection
anywhere. In The Catcher in the Rye J.D Salinger clearly
demonstrates Holdens disconnectedness as he aimlessly tries

to fit in by roaming the streets of New York. During Holdens

date with Sally we notice how Holden is clearly mentally
unstable and how strong his desire is to feel accepted. We get
the biggest insight of this when he comes up with the idea of
marrying Sally and running away with her even though he says
he doesnt like her. I told her I loved her and all. It was a lie,
of course Salingers use of an oxymoron further portrays
Holdens instability and shows that he is even going against his
own perceptions and attitudes just to feel a sense of belonging.

Salingers use of first person throughout the novel is especially

effective during the prostitute scene as it enables readers to
acquire a better understanding of what Holden is going through
at the time. During this scene Holden goes against his own
principles once again, and even says so himself, in order to
make himself feel less depressed and isolated. Okay, I said.
It was against my principles and all, but I was feeling so
depressed I didnt even think. This demonstrates how rejection
can lead to destructive choices in an attempt to find a
connection within your community.

Through the lyrics of Khe Sanh Don Walker effectively depicts

the struggle a man faces upon his return from war and how he
tries everything he can to comfortably fit back into society.
Walker uses rhyme throughout Khe Sanh which helps to keep
the listener interested and add flow to the lyrics And the legal
pads were yellow, hours long, pay-packets lean, And the telex
writers clattered where the gunships once had been these
particular lines are used to show that the man is trying to fit in
by getting an everyday job but it isnt working out well as he is
getting paid very little and is struggling to cope with noises that
remind him of war. With the use of a metaphor for sexual
escapism, Walker describes how the man has given up on his
chances of feeling any sort of belonging within Australia and in
one final attempt to feel accepted the man decides to travel

back to Vietnam and hire a prostitute; Im gonna hit some

Hong Kong mattress all night long. This line helps to add
deeper understanding of the speaker as we are left feeling
sorry for the man who can no longer conform to societys
expectations of work and marriage. The tone in this stanza is
depressed but still hopeful as he is still making an effort to feel
some comfort and belonging within his life even if it seems
pointless to others.
Many people when feeling depressed and insecure will alienate
themselves from others in their community. Dealing with tragic
circumstances or accidents can become challenging and cause
people to re-evaluate who they are and how they are going to
find meaning within their lives. This is evidently shown in both
The Catcher in The Rye and Khe Sanh when each individual
avoids seeking help dealing with the grief and trauma they
have suffered so they are left to deal with their problems alone
leaving them feeling withdrawn and isolated. Throughout The
Catcher in the Rye it is clear to see that the main reason for
Holdens lack of belonging is due to his inability to come to
terms with his younger brothers death and the suicide that he
witnessed at school. Salinger writes about how Holden wants to
make connections with others but after what he has
experienced he is afraid to do so which is most likely caused by
the distress and depression he is suffering. This is shown
strongly through Holdens desire to see his childhood friend
Jane yet his repeated avoidance of her; I oughta go down and
say hello to her or something. Salingers use of colloquial
language creates a conversational tone allowing readers to feel
as though Holden is talking to them. Holden also believes
almost everyone is a phony, which lead to him developing a
hatred of pretty much anyone who he thought was phony. One
of the biggest reasons I left Elkton Hills was because I was
surrounded by phonies It makes me so depressed I go crazy.
J.D Salinger uses repetition of this throughout the novel to
portray further evidence of Holdens distraught emotional state.
Throughout the novel Holden is constantly stating how

depressed he feels although he appears unaware of the reasons

for his emotional state; Depressed and all. I almost wished I
was dead... but I was feeling so depressed I didnt even think
What I really felt like, though, was committing suicideI felt like
jumping out the window. While Holden has alienated himself
from groups in his community, he is too immature and
depressed to challenge his family or school community
effectively.
The emotional and spiritual damage of war can damage an
individuals ability to enhance or enrich their community
afterwards. In the 1970s, the Vietnam War was a very
controversial subject as many men were conscripted to go and
on their return to Australia they were treated with little respect
and were accused of being mindless murderers. In the first line
of song Khe Sanh, Don Walker shows further insight into the
minds of returning soldiers through the use of a metaphor and
symbolism; I left my heart to the sappers round Khe Sanh.
This line means that after all the trauma the soldier has faced
he feels as though his heart, which is a symbol for love and
compassion, has been left behind to where the war took place,
preventing him from feeling himself ever again. The song
further expresses the mans struggle to fit in with the lyrics
adding harsh emotion creating a better understanding for
readers. I tried to find a place to settle down where my mixed
up life could mend and each one found me aimless one more
year the worse for wear Walker uses this idiom to express how
the soldier never manages to find anywhere to belong with
each year making him feel worse. He further expresses the
struggle that a soldier may face through the line Car parks
made me jumpy and I never stopped the dreams or the growing
need for speed and novocaine. We see how when an individual
is struggling to cope with the stresses of not belonging they
may turn to drugs as a way of escaping their problems, which
clearly does not enrich a community or group.
We search for places to belong, without realising that it is own
perceptions and personal context can act as barriers to our

acceptance. In The Catcher in the Rye it is clear to see that

Holden Caulfield would like to enrich his own community and be
included in family and school groups, but it is his own miserable
attitude that holds him back from finding a true connection with
anyone. Similarly the soldier in the song Khe Sanh also
struggles with his desire to feel a sense of belonging after the
horrors of war have left him spiritually empty. In both texts the
protagonists feel a desire for acceptance with them both
changing their own original ideas and principles in an effort to
conform but are held back by their past experiences. Although
they try to challenge the expectations within groups in society
they are left feeling isolated and depressed from their futile
efforts. Everyone has the potential to enrich the world around
them and feel a sense of belonging but it is ultimately the
choices an individual makes which enables them to either
release this potential or to waste the opportunities provided.

Sophie McGovern