Because the story from Holden Caulfield regarding Catcher in the fresh Rye, Herzog has certain points one imply so you can the autobiographical framework
Most other signs of existential drama instance unreasonable fear and anxiety may be seen with Holden. As he offers to Sally Hayes, whom the guy does not have any one genuine ideas to possess, he admits that he seems because if he usually must be in action; otherwise, he anxieties you to anything crappy will come. However, the guy knows that their strategies don’t possess people rational motives. That it concern that is due to this new existential dread he feel, is additionally revealed when he feels cold throughout the playground. The guy fears which he has the pneumonia, and then he is just about to pass away: “We remaining worrying that i was bringing pneumonia, with all of those individuals hunks of freeze during my locks, and i would perish”(This new Catcher in the Rye, 1951, 201).
Herzog was first authored in 1964, a short time following the book of J.D. Salinger’s The fresh new Catcher on Rye (1951), also it shows the latest mental spirit of your blog post combat The united states therefore the details and you will feelings of the blogger. The smoothness Herzog, such as the composer of the book, Saul Bellow, stayed in Canada, emerged off an effective Jewish background, got multiple marriage ceremonies, which is an intellectual who’s got difficulties with the newest size people who’s got come to real time automatically without the religious viewpoints. So it spiritual vacuum can easily be inferred throughout the individuals letters the profile Herzog writes to various anyone about novel and additionally their behavioral thinking toward certain situations he experiences.
Herzog is an accomplished professor, exactly who originates from a very spiritual background you to beliefs faith and you can family relations. However, in spite of his religious history along with his archaic top you to definitely dignifies social affairs, Herzog no longer is able to place religion and nearest and dearest from inside the the fresh new centre out-of their life. Within the a letter he produces so you’re able to God according to him: “How my head has battled to make defined sense, We haven’t been too-good on they” (Herzog, 1964, 325, italics modern). His Jewish origin is a Kinezi nevjerovatni troЕЎkovi vital motif from the unique and you will brings important clues with the internal issues they have. He apparently thinks about his earlier in the day and his awesome relatives as the good answer to escape from new anxiety that encompasses him. This paradoxical aspect of Herzog’s mind might be depicted with the help of our sentences:
Their sis Willy, his cousin Helen, even the cousins. It had been childish regarding your; the guy know one. He may simply eyes at himself, he are going to be therefore undeveloped thereon tall side of their characteristics. The guy sometimes attempted to believe, inside the very own language, whether it is his archaic aspect, primitive. Tribal, you realize. Associated with the ancestor worship and you will totemism (Herzog, 1964, 78).
The modern community you to surrenders him is criticized toward following conditions for disregarding the individual and you will implementing an excellent materialistic view of life.
Even when Moses Herzog’s archaic spirit you to philosophy household members, love, mental dependence, interests try stated from time to time about unique, he could be no more in a position to follow so it spirit from inside the an excellent community in which interactions convey more instrumental opinions than religious
Into the a community. Inside a great century. Within the transition. When you look at the a size. Turned of the technology. Less than organised stamina. Subject to astounding regulation. In a state brought about physical. Adopting the later incapacity regarding revolutionary dreams. Inside the a culture which had been no people and you can devalued the person. Thanks to new multiplied strength regarding numbers which made care about negligible (Herzog, 1964, 200).
