Connections to Other Literature

Catcher in the Rye

Though he is much older than Holden Caulfield, Julius has some similarities to the protagonist of J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. Each spends time by themselves in New York City, thinking about and dealing with sexual issues as well as relationships from their past. Both characters have past professors who they admire and turn to for advice as a part of the novel. Both novels are also examples of mental growth, as the evolution between each narrator’s past and present self is apparent.

Mrs. Dalloway

The book is also similar to Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway, because it follows a normal character’s thoughts throughout the course of their normal lives. The reader gains insight into the characters’ past via their own thoughts. This insight allows for a deeper understanding of who the character currently is, why they make the decisions they do, and the reasons behind their thought process. Both books also use birds as a recurring symbol representing freedom, and Julius and Mrs. Dalloway look to them in a wistful manner as they are free to travel where they want.

Unaccustomed Earth

There are two underlying themes in Open City, immigration and assimilation, which it shares with Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri. The many short stories all feature characters who are either Bengali immigrants or are descendants of Indian immigrants to the United States. Each character has to deal with the issue of coming into a culture, learning to understand the culture as well as overcoming prejudices against them.