There is an old cliché that says that life is not a bowl of cherries and that it presents difficulties to everyone. Thomas Hobbes takes this cliché to another level when he says: “The life of man [is] lonely, poor, wicked, brutal and short. » To most, this quote is depressing and gloomy, but in many works of literature, it describes the plot that develops throughout the work. From Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye to Hamlet in Shakespeare's play Hamlet, to Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby, man's life doesn't seem as good as it makes it out to be. These characters face struggles that lead them to become depressed, lonely, senile, and even crazy. Whether they lose their father, the love of their life, or themselves, these characters are part of a story that shows very little light. The themes of these different works fall on a similar spectrum as they deal with the misery that life can bring. In The Catcher in the Rye, by JD Salinger, the theme that particularly stands out is that life is not fair and that it is difficult to make your way. The main character, Holden Caulfield, faces his own forms of deception from the adult world and must learn to deal with the struggles that come with growing up. Holden begins to learn to deal with these struggles, especially during his time at Pencey Prep, as it was not pleasant for him. There was nothing about the school that Holden liked or appreciated. He described some of the food as “steak.” What a commotion. You should have seen the steaks. They were these little hard, dry jobs that you could barely cut. » (35) Holden also has to deal with a terrible roommate, Stradlater. When Holden went on a double date with him, he describes Stradlater's motivations and attitude...... middle of paper .......Salinger, JD. The Rye Catcher. [1st ed. Boston: Little, Brown, 19511945. Print. The Catcher in the Rye is a novel by JD Salinger told from the point of view of Holden Caulfield. Holden is a young man who has difficulty growing up and facing the adult world. A misunderstood teenager, Holden learns to face the deception of the adult world and the consequences of his choices.Shakespeare, William. “Hamlet: whole play.” Hamlet: entire play. Np, and Web. May 20, 2014. .Hamlet is a play by William Shakespeare about a young prince dealing with the death of his father. Faced with deception and deception, Hamlet struggles to discover the truth about what really happened. In his efforts to avenge his father, Hamlet ends up losing everything to establish justice.MLA formatting by BibMe.org.