Ordinary People and The Catcher in the Rye were two very relatable books, especially for teenagers. Both the book and the movie contain everyday obsticles that teenagers face. In The Catcher in the Rye we read as Holden tried to overcome the deep rut of depression that we has in. In Ordinary People, Conrad became happy and accepted once again. Although the movie is not an exact shadow of the book, they are very similar and in many cases Holden and Conrad share the same kinds of problems. .
Dealing with superficial people was a large part of why both Conrad and Holden had such problems in life. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden was so concentrated on the way people viewed him that he could not have possibly been a happy young man. He was lazy and tried to appear as if he did not care about anything, but after he reveals his actual thoughts, it is clear that he sympathizes with those who may not be as fortunate and may not be as bright as he. It's very sad because just walking down the streets of New York, Holden finds a problem with just about anyone who he comes in contact with. He seeks out the bad things about people rather than search for the good qualities in them. In Ordinary People, Conrad has the challenge of facing his classmates after he was in a mental hospital. This is one thing that would not be easy for any teenager. He always felt as if people were judging him and got very nervous when speaking aloud in class. Not to mention, every night he goes home to his mother who has an artificial love for everyone. It is apparent that Conrad senses neglect from his mother and it just adds to all of the reasons that he misses his brother. Overcoming the "phonies" was something neither Holden or Conrad was prepared to do and neither dealt with very well. Losing a sibling is the worst loss that a teenager could possibly face. Holden and Conrad both lost a brother.