Catcher In The Rye Symbolism Essay

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In The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger uses many symbols in the novel, such as Holden’s hunting hat and Allie’s field glove, but however, the title itself displays a huge significance in the work entirely. When reading this novel at first, we wonder about how the Catcher in the Rye ties into the novel and the events that has been taken place. The Catcher in the Rye symbolizes innocence and how Holden wants to protect himself from the adult world. The whole novel is tied around the concept of Holden struggling to grow up and how he wishes to stay a kid his whole life. It is clear throughout the novel that Holden wishes that he could stay young forever. We first hear about The Catcher in the Rye in chapter sixteen, when Holden hears a little …show more content…

Holden’s thoughts about the ducks at the central lagoon, for example, symbolizes Holden struggling to adapt to the changes from an adolescent to an adult. In chapter two, Holden starts to tone out and thinks about what happens to ducks during the winter time. This indicates that Holden has a mindset of a child. The thought of ducks may seem inappropriate for his age to one individual, but it indicates that for time to time, Holden has trouble trying to adapt to growing up. He hopes to just stop time and enjoy being a teenager. The catcher running in the field of Rye and the ducks at the central lagoon both symbolizes hope for Holden to stay young forever, even though it is not humanly …show more content…

They’re very significant whereas it protects him from the thought of adulthood. The hunting hat is a symbol of alienation and Holden’s attachment to his childhood. The hunting hat looks like a goofy hat only a kid would wear. It alienates him from society and it makes him unique. Holden putting on his “people hunting hat” is also an act of defiance and shields him from protection. Towards the end when Phoebe gives Holden his hunting hat back, she forces him to protect. This is Phoebe’s way of trying to get Holden to just accept reality and accept that he can never re live his

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