A Misfit to Society: An investigation of the common struggle in Catcher and the Rye and The Bell Jar between the sexual ideals imposed by society

Society is often the curator of ideals, beliefs, and expectations among a vast number of unquestioning conformist individuals. It dictates a strict set of guidelines of which no one is to venture from, or they risk being labeled as social outcasts. These unwritten social laws affect every single individual, and often conflict with one's own beliefs particularly on the matter of sex, and sex-role stereotyping. Such a criticism is evident in the case of J.…

…even more misery. Both authors pay much attention to notion of sexual oppression, isolation, and sexism in society, in hopes of encouraging acceptance among every aspect of humanity. Sexuality is the most primal of human instincts and therefore by elaborating, the authors show the severity of social conformity. <Tab/>"To the person in the bell jar, blank and stopped as a dead baby, the world itself is the bad dream." (Plath 227)