Hello, my name is chase Nardolillo. The novel I have chosen is Franny and Zooey, by J.D. Salinger.

My essential question is Why do humans keep unhealthy relationships? I seek to discover why, even though a relationship is damaging to someone, they continue to keep it and do not end it.

In the article "Fear and Unhealthy Relationships", Theodore Lovelace uncovers the problem some people have with love. He states that "It has often been said that if you love, you might be considered naïve" (Lovelace 2). Almost everything that comes with true love is critiqued and almost always labeled as "suspect". This means trusting others makes you foolish, but if all of these negative things make a healthy relationship, how is it possible to have one?

There are a lot of actions that make up a healthy relationship, and it isn't very easy. To develop it, "one needs to know something about love; compassion; tenderness; caring; sharing and how to relate to another" (Lovelace 3). If one has not experienced this, there life is empty. In the novel "Franny and Zooey", Franny is very unhappy in her relationship. With her current boyfriend Lane, she has not experienced the happiness that comes with having a healthy relationship.

Lovelace says that because of some people's egos, they do not admit that they are confused and unhappy. This "inevitably produces and unhealthy relationship" (Lovelace 4). Lane in "Franny and Zooey" seems to use Franny as sort of a "trophy girlfriend". When he is in a bar with other classmates, he makes sure they are looking at his girlfriend because she is pretty, and that will boost his reputation at school. His ego makes him numb to his unhappiness and blind to how Franny really feels.

"Fear and Unhealthy Relationships" also outlines advice for relationships that are unhealthy. The biggest emphasis is to not be afraid of loving relationships. They are a vital part of "life, health, and emotional growth" (Lovelace 8). Lastly, anything you learn can be unlearned. Just because one bad thing happen, doesn't mean that nothing good will. Although you should never get comfortable with a unhealthy relationship, as "extreme failure could be lurking around the corner" (Lovelace 10).

I used the novel "Franny and Zooey" to base my essential questions, and the article "Fear and Unhealthy Relationships" to gather my information.