Although now considered an antiquated form of entertainment, the carousel has always represented times of joy and jubilation to the young children who have experienced the delight of riding the rotating animals. However, to Holden, the protagonist of J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, the carousel from his childhood days now symbolizes Holden’s impractical desire to preserve the innocence of children. During his visit to the carousel with Phoebe, his little sister, he contemplates the cyclic nature of carousels, saying,“It played the same song about fifty years ago when I was a little kid. That’s one nice thing about carousels, they always play the same songs.” (210). Unable to tolerate the adult world’s constant turmoil, Holden is comforted
