Catcher In The Rye Holden's Journey

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J.D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye, focuses on a character, Holden Caulfield, a teenager expelled from multiple boarding schools due to his behavior. Holden struggles with family issues, having little to no communication with his parents, and has a dead brother, named Allie whom he grieves over. As the book progresses, Holden embarks on a journey through New York City. As Holden reaches New York, he asks his cab driver about the ducks in the Central Park Lagoon, wondering where they go during winter. This question is so out of the blue, that even the cab driver doesn’t take Holden seriously. The ducks in Central Park serve as a symbolic representation of Holden’s own struggles, portraying his own journey and desperate search for …show more content…

J.D. Salinger focuses on the recurring theme of ducks in Central Park to symbolize Holden’s search for a sense of safety in the world, reflecting on his desperate search for comfort despite feelings of isolation. This is shown through Holden’s interactions with his sister, Phoebe, and Mr. Antolini. Holden Caulfield's encounter with his former English teacher, Mr. Antolini, becomes a crucial moment where he lacks safety. Holden, in search of comfort, turns to Mr. Antolini with feelings of vulnerability. At first, Holden felt relief from the visit, feeling reassured by the familiar setting and someone he once admired. But as the night goes on, Holden wakes up to Mr. Antolini performing perverted actions. These actions, including patting Holden’s head and calling him a “very, very strange boy,” (Salinger 250), make Holden feel uncomfortable. Holden immediately reacts, leaving Mr. Antolini’s apartment in the middle of the night and heads back to the hotel where he had stored his luggage. Even though the purpose of these actions by Mr. Antolini is unknown, he completely disrupted Holden’s comfort and was a major contributor to the loss of Holden’s

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