How Does Holden Grow Up In Catcher In The Rye

It takes a lot of courage to grow up. At a young age, adolescence seems like it is full of endless opportunities. In reality, growing up is much different than what childhood implies. Taking on new responsibilities and facing new challenges are all part of transitioning from being a child to an adult. As Peter Pan once mentioned, “I’ll never grow up, I’ll never grow up!” Set on the same mindset as this children’s character, Holden also fears growing up and facing reality. He is threatened by taking on new responsibilities and is not ready to face new hardships ahead. Holden is fixated on the idea that childhood lasts forever, and is wedged between staying a child and being an adult. In Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger uses symbolism in order

to show Holden’s desire to not grow up. Holden references the ducks in Central Park Lagoon, the Museum of Natural History, and the edge of a cliff as symbols to show his desire to staying a child forever.
Holden holds a strong curiosity about the ducks during the winter and the spring, and he reveals the youthful side of his character.

Late one Saturday night, Holden drives a cab around New York City. Holden has just returned from a visit to Ernie’s Bar and is feeling even more lonely and depressed. Holden asks the cab driver if he knows anything about “the ducks that swim around” (Salinger 81) in the pond near Central Park Lagoon. He wonders where they reside to “in the springtime” and “where they go in the wintertime” (Salinger 81) as well. The ducks are symbolic to show change, one of Holden’s many fears in life. Just like the ducks leave every winter and come back every spring, Holden is terrified of this idea of change and transitioning from one point to another. The pond itself is used as a metaphor and is “partly frozen and partly not frozen” (Salinger 154). The pond transitions from one state to another, just as Holden transitions between childhood and adolescence. Holden is curious about change and references the ducks to show his own transition as

well.
The Museum of Natural History holds many of Holden’s memories of his childhood that he is afraid to let go of, and he decides to walk over to the museum before his date with Sally. Upon his visit, he remembers old class trips to the museum with his friends and teachers. When Holden reached the museum, he recalled how “everything always stayed right where it was” (Salinger 121). Holden thought about each visit, and how “Nobody’d move… Nobody’d be different. The only thing that would be different would be you” (Salinger 121). Holden demonstrates that he fears the future, and conflicts and change are ideas that he cannot easily comprehend. Holden views the museum as if it did not change, it says still and silent. He stresses the word ‘you’ instead of ‘me’ because he is terrified on the idealist views on what life will bring him, and he tries to distance himself from future change.
Holden looks at the adult world as a big ‘phony,’ while childhood is filled with innocence and honesty.

He has decided to return home to his family and younger sister after being kicked out of Pencey School. He sneaks into his old apartment late at night to visit his sister, Phoebe, while his parents are out. Holden mentioned to Phoebe that he was “standing on the edge of some crazy cliff” (Salinger 173). He told her how he had to “catch everybody if they start to fall off the cliff” (Salinger 173). Holden thought he was crazy, but he knew he had to “catch them” (Salinger 173). He called himself “The Catcher in the Rye” (Salinger 173). Not only is the title of the novel revealed in this section, but he reveals that he has a side of innocence. Holden views himself as someone who protects childhood. He discusses how he would prefer living in his old world rather than facing the real one. Holden shows that a lot of life is imaginary, focusing mainly on the innocence of childhood and never growing

up.
Throughout the novel, The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger uses symbolism in order to show Holden’s desire to not grow up. Holden shares an interest about the ducks in Central Park Lagoon, and how they represent transition and change. Holden discusses his childhood memories at the Museum of Natural History, and brings up older memories on how everything was always still, and nothing every changed. Lastly, Holden also mentions falling off a cliff’s edge, and he reveals his side of childhood innocence. Holden’s character avoids adulthood at all times, and he leaves readers with the impression that adolescence is full of ‘phonies.’ His ambition is wondering where life will take him and what will guide him in this direction. It seems that whatever Holden does, he can’t seem to save himself from fearing change and growing up, just like any child would say to their parents at a young age. But, part of growing up is learning to face these challenges and move on. Whatever it is, Holden will always view himself as “The Catcher in the Rye and all” (Salinger 173).