Holden's Use Of Symbols And Motifs In Catcher In The Rye

To roughly describe Catcher in the Rye, one could say that we are told a story of an adolescent named Holden Caulfield as he searches for companionship and some sense of purpose. The novel cannot be described as lengthy as the actions that are vividly told from Holden’s point of view, occur over the course of three days. Within this three-day story we can see, both obviously and subtlety, many symbols and motifs, which drive the story, forward and urge Holden to continue his quest for purpose and friendship. It is important to note that these symbols and motifs arise purely because of Holden’s eccentric personality. For example, it is perfectly normal for a character like Holden to attach himself to mental images and pictures in a way in which

It is immediately obvious that Holden is a peculiar boy with an irregular thought-process. He seeks companionship, yet avoids those places where he may find it, such as the football game at Pencey Prep; “… I remember around three o’clock that afternoon I was standing way the hell up on top of Thomsen Hill. You could see the whole field from there, and you could see the two teams bashing each other all over the place…You could hear them all yelling.” From this we see that Holden is an observer of interactions rather than a partaker in any form. Yet this self-imposed isolation can be pitied as we see time and time again that Holden craves companionship for any kind. We see that he often jumps into situations in the hopes of having some kind of interaction, without actually thinking of the consequences; “The first thing I did when I got off at Penn Station, I went into this phone booth. I felt like giving somebody a buzz… but as soon as I was inside I couldn’t think of anybody to call up.” It is clear that Holden has alienated himself from those he considers “phony” and “crumby”. It is interesting to note that this sense of isolation and failed connections is countered by the manner in which Holden speaks. Holden speaks as though addressing an audience and ends the novel with a warning about telling a story to

The most fundamental form of lying used in The Catcher in the Rye, is that of self-deception or manipulation. Holden and many of the other characters lie to themselves and others about who or what they are. Holden repeatedly calls others out for their blatant lies; “You remember I said before that Ackley was a slob in his personal habits? Well, so was Stradlater, but in a different way. Stradlater was more of a secret slob.” Although Holden is constantly explaining the “phoniness” and hypocrisy of others, we don’t know if Holden follows his own rules, as he is exceptionally quick to lie to himself and others. He lies when lying is unnecessary, as if for enjoyment, such as when he meets a classmates’ mother and decides to suddenly change his name; “I didn’t feel like giving her my whole life history.” His lies pervade the entire story – he lies about his age (and fails constantly), lies about his name, and the biggest lie of all is a lie of omission as he hides the truth of leaving Pency Prep from his parents. The purpose of this motif, and the repetition of the phrase “phony”, is to further to theme of self-realization and actualization, as we watch Holden struggle to come to terms with who