How Does Holden Grow

707 Words2 Pages

All throughout the novel The Catcher in the Rye, the author J.D Salinger employs to define and identify the main character Holden Caulfield. One of the most recurring symbols is the ducks and fish in the Central Park lagoon. Holden is constantly wondering about where the ducks go in the winter, ignorant to the fact that all birds fly south to avoid cold temperatures. Holden brings up this question to his first taxi driver after leaving Pencey and again to the driver called Horwitz. Both drivers did not really answer his question; however, Horowitz told Holden to worry about the fish instead of the ducks. Horwitz tells Holden that the fish are frozen in the ice, and that Mother Nature takes care of them. The fish are stuck in the ice just like …show more content…

Before Holden’s younger brother, Allie’s death his older brother D.B. would write stories for his younger siblings. However, after Allie died, D.B. went to Hollywood to write movie scripts. Furthermore, Allie’s death was D.B.’s winter. D.B. is like the ducks flying away from the lagoon to escape winter. However, in the eyes of Holden, D.B is “out in Hollywood, D.B, being a prostitute.” (Page 2) Holden does not realize that D.B is also dealing with Allie’s death. Moreover, the ducks and the fish represent Holden and D.B along with Allie’s death being the winter. The ducks are able to leave the pond in Central Park during the winter. The fish cannot leave because, according to Horwitz, the fish “get frozen right in one position for the whole winter.” (Page 82) Holden the fish cannot let go of Allie’s death, so he is always trapped in his own winter--frozen in the ice of his …show more content…

Holden buys Phoebe a vinyl record called Little Shirley Beans. This record breaks while Holden is drunkenly walking throughout New York City. This record is representative of childhood and innocence. The song itself is about “a little kid that wouldn’t go out of the house because two of her front teeth were out and she was ashamed to.” (Page 114) The little girl in the song is afraid of the changes, like losing teeth, that accompany getting older and more mature, just like how Holden does not want to get older. The record itself was five dollars, which is worth around fifty dollars in 2018. The whole record is symbolic down to the price. Holden is willing to pay anything to avoid the harsh reality that is getting older. Finally, the record “breaks into about fifty pieces.” (Page 154) When the record breaks, it represents Holden’s loss of innocence. All Holden wanted was to protect his childhood and not cross into adulthood. Holden protected the record, “in a big envelope and all.” (Page 154) Despite the fact that the record broke, Holden still decided to give it to Phoebe. Phoebe, took the pieces, “right out of [Holden’s] hand and then she put them in the drawer of the night table.” (Page 164) When Phoebe did this, it is symbolic of Phoebe holding onto the memory of Holden’s childhood and innocence. Phoebe takes the pieces of Holden’s innocence and keeps them close to her. So although Holden will be

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