One of the many symbols in “The Catcher in the Rye” is the eminent Red Hunting Hat. Holden first tells us about it when he returned from the New York Fencing Tournament where he had lost all of the equipment and became flustered on the subway. The Hat symbol is in his own way to try to make himself unique and not conform to the society that we live in or trying to not grow up partially because of his fear of adulthood and the next journey that will determine his be the majority of his life. He is scared of growing up and so he puts this hat on to try to distance himself from those who have or are about to grow into adulthood. The symbol changes while still keeping the previous symbol, it morphs into his own isolation trying to stop himself
