preview

Arrogance in The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger Essay examples

Best Essays

Arrogance, also known as narcissism, is like a brand new car because an arrogant person is flamboyant and distinctive. Arrogance is a very widely known character trait in which many people can identify. Studies show that “1 in every 6 people is a narcissist” (Peterson, 2014, bullet 5). Many humans have encountered, know, or are a narcissistic human, but what does arrogance really mean? According to merriam-webster.com (2014), the definition of arrogance is, “an insulting way of thinking or behaving that comes from believing you are better, smarter,or more important than other people” (Def. 1). In the novels The Catcher in the Rye and Siddhartha, the main characters both possess the trait of arrogance, but both express the trait in …show more content…

One would think a narcissist would be a smooth talker, but as Kaufman (2011) found from talking to Nicholas Holtzman and Michael Strube, narcissists “engaged in more disagreeable verbal behaviors, arguing and cursing more- and using more sexual language” (para. 11). Narcissist have less of a filter on words because cursing and arguments draw attention. Also, the narcissist may feel powerful by using this language to hurt others. Control is a key factor in every narcissist’s life, for without control over the other person, the narcissist would be unable to exploit the relationship to receive desires. In a nutshell, narcissists are manipulative, attractive, and verbally filterless in order to increase attention from others. Furthermore, the root cause for arrogance builds upon the dictionary definition of arrogance. In recurring instances, arrogance stems from how a person was raised during early childhood. Some psychologists believe arrogance is caused by “biological vulnerabilities, social interactions and early caregivers, and psychological factors that involve temperament and the ability to manage stress” (Goldberg, 2012, para. 3). All of these factors may lead to a need for pampering. The people who experience one or even all of these factors may feel inadequate and unimportant, so in order to get attention arrogance slowly forms. Gaining control of others allows for the narcissist to receive admiration

Get Access