Comparing Da Vinci Code, Great Gatsby, And The Catcher In The

The Da Vinci Code, Great Gatsby, and The Catcher in the Rye each have many different themes but one they all have in common is letting go of the past. In each novel a character’s inability to let go of the past ends up being their ultimate downfall. Gatsby, Holden, and Sophie were all stuck on past events. Gatsby couldn’t let go of his love for Daisy, Holden couldn’t get over the loss of his younger brother and Sophie wouldn’t forgive her grandfather. In The Da Vinci Code, when Sophie was coming home early from college she witnessed her grandfather, Jaques, in an act that frightened and repulsed her. Sophie didn’t understand what she had seen and thinking about the event deeply affected her. She went as far as to not talk to her grandfather for ten years. She only learned of the real meaning behind the ritual she had seen after he was murdered. Even when Jaques sent Sophie countless letters, she still turned her back on him. Sophie went through years of not knowing about her family because she couldn’t let go of the past, not to mention the pain she
Throughout the novel Holden has a hard time letting go of Allie, as well as his childhood. Holden is afraid of growing up and wants to hold on to his childhood as long as he possibly can. He consistently flunks out of classes and schools. In order to escape the stress of growing up, Holden drinks to forget about his problems. One of those problems is Allie’s death. Holden has a hard time finding people that don’t annoy him, except Allie. Holden constantly wishes to himself that Allie was still alive. One night Holden gets very intoxicated and imagines himself falling endlessly every time he steps off a curb. While imagining this, Holden calls to Allie asking him to save him. If Holden was to let go of Allie and grow up instead of holding onto his childhood, he could lead a far more productive