How One’s Honesty and Attitudes Affect One’s Life
Through the Comparison of Two Writings

  Similarities and differences always exist between any writings. The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger, and Myself by Edgar Guest, have similarities and differences that are present in them. Both shows how honesty and attitudes of a person could affect one’s life; however, each one of them has different attitudes toward their lifes.

  Using metaphor, Myself describes during one’s life one should be truthful to himself, not hiding the real thing from myself: “I don’t want to keep on a closet shelf / A lot of secrets about myself, / And fool myself, as I come and go.” The narrator wants to be respected highly, by comparing himself to a sculpture-like object: “I want to go out with my head erect,” he said. The truth is, he said, is that he could never cover the truth, from anyone: “I can never hid myself from me;” and from himself. “I never can fool myself, and so,” he wants to be “Self-respecting and conscience free.” Ultimately, he emphasizes his allegiance to be truthful using alliteration: “I don’t want to look at myself and know/That I’m bluster and bluff and empty show.”

  Similarly, both main characters in the both literature have the fact that truth and the way of “forecasting” contributes to the outcome of one’s life. Holden Caulfield and Edgar Guest have dislike toward untruthfulness, as seen in the above examples. However, different outlooks are presented for each narrator. Holden Caulfield does not, in fact, want to face the truth, thus isolate himself internally and externally, while Edgar Guest wanted to be sincere to himself and others. Holden also felt discomfort toward the future, while Guest have hope to look out for a better tomorrow.

  Because both Holden and Guest dislike untruthfulness, and while Holden “fools” himself from reality, in contrast, Guest have courage to face the truth, both writings have shows how truthfulness and a person’s attitude toward the future could affect one’s life.