Symbols can mean many different things depending on how you look at them. In J.D Salinger’s novel “The Catcher in the Rye”, Holden Caulfield uses many different symbols to show his thoughts and feelings on life, change, being unique and growing up. He has a very negative view on life and the symbols help to show that. Some of the symbols he uses are the ducks in Central Park, his red hunting hat, and his dream job of becoming a “Catcher in the Rye”.
The first symbol in the novel “The Catcher in the Rye” is the ducks in Central Park. The ducks symbolize Holden’s fear of change and he mentions them quite a bit throughout the book, wondering where they go in the winter and how they get there. At one point, Holden asks a cab driver, “ By any …show more content…
In the novel, Holden says, “That's all I'd do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all” (Salinger). Throughout the course of the novel, Holden expresses his hatred towards growing out of childhood and heading into adulthood. Holden hates the idea of innocent children growing up to become “phonies” and having knowledge of sex and adulthood. To prevent this, he intends on symbolically catching children as they fall off the cliff of childhood. Holden thinks to himself, “ What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff--I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them” (Salinger). Holden realizes that adulthood means much more responsibility and individuality. Holden’s younger brother Allie, did not experience childhood for long, so Holden feels like it is his duty to live it for him. Holden shows that he likes children more than adults when the novel says, “You take adults, they look lousy when they're asleep and they have their mouths way open, but kids don't. Kids look all right. They can even have spit all over the pillow and they still look alright” (Salinger). Holden despises adults because he thinks they are all the same, and he is stuck in a childish stage. Overall, Holden’s dream job of being the “Catcher in the Rye” is symbolic of Holden trying to protect
The first symbol in the novel “The Catcher in the Rye” is the ducks in Central Park. The ducks symbolize Holden’s fear of change and he mentions them quite a bit throughout the book, wondering where they go in the winter and how they get there. At one point, Holden asks a cab driver, “ By any …show more content…
In the novel, Holden says, “That's all I'd do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all” (Salinger). Throughout the course of the novel, Holden expresses his hatred towards growing out of childhood and heading into adulthood. Holden hates the idea of innocent children growing up to become “phonies” and having knowledge of sex and adulthood. To prevent this, he intends on symbolically catching children as they fall off the cliff of childhood. Holden thinks to himself, “ What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff--I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them” (Salinger). Holden realizes that adulthood means much more responsibility and individuality. Holden’s younger brother Allie, did not experience childhood for long, so Holden feels like it is his duty to live it for him. Holden shows that he likes children more than adults when the novel says, “You take adults, they look lousy when they're asleep and they have their mouths way open, but kids don't. Kids look all right. They can even have spit all over the pillow and they still look alright” (Salinger). Holden despises adults because he thinks they are all the same, and he is stuck in a childish stage. Overall, Holden’s dream job of being the “Catcher in the Rye” is symbolic of Holden trying to protect