Intertextuality is the interaction between new and old works of literature.
Huckleberry Finn and The Catcher in the Rye
The connection between these stories lies in the main characters and their relationship with society. Both Huck and Holden are rebellious in some way, that is to say that they were wronged in their youth and continue to hold it against the world through their teenage years. While Huck was seemingly naturally wild Holden's rebellion comes from his parents shooing of him to Prency Prep, a boarding school. Both run away from home, have clumsy encounters, and run ins with the law all the while readers never hate them nor blame them, thus a common fantastic element. The characters have a similar story that creates a greater meaning and relationship with the reader. In both stories we become interested yet scared, worried yet celebratory.
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I love the last sentence of your post. The poignancy of each of those novels is a part of their brilliance. I find that for many readers Holden is merely depressed, and Huck's journey is merely a fine ride down the Mississippi River. Holden's humor and his strength are often missed. Many only see Huck's adventure as a series of chuckles without celebrating his spot on ability to see into the eyes of humanity at its best and its worst. Human frailty is the stuff of most good literature as well as the stuff of life!
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