The novel follows Holden Caufield's life as he first deals with getting kicked out of Pencey Prep, a private boarding school. Then, after having an argument with his roommate, Stradlater, he decided to leave Pencey two days earlier than he wanted to. He then goes to New York and explores the city. Before returning back home, Holden interacts with an old friend, nuns, teachers and his sister. J.D. Salinger uses symbol and diction to characterize Holden.
There was a couple of great symbols used in the novel. One of the main symbols was Holden's red hunting hat. Holden often talks about his hat throughout the novel. He wears it in different ways such as "with the peak around to the back and all" (Salinger 27) or "pulled the peak of my hunting hat around to the front and all" (Salinger 34) depending on how he feels about the situation he is in. When he was leaving the museum, he decided to take his, "old hunting hat out of my pocket while I walked in and put it on. I knew I wouldn't meet anybody that knew me, and it was still pretty damp out" (Salinger 122). This shows that Holden is insecure of himself. He finds comfort when he is wearing his hat whether that is to protect him from someone or something. …show more content…
Holden enjoys going to the museum. He decided to go there to hopefully meet up with Phoebe, his little sister. However, when he gets there he decided not to go inside because he's scared that something might have changed. He explains that, "Nobody'd move... Nobody'd be different. The only thing that would be different would be you... I mean you'd be different in some way—I can't explain what I mean" (Salinger 121-122).This shows that Holden is afraid. He's afraid of growing up. He doesn't like the idea of change, like how Phoebe would be different whenever she went to the museum. He doesn't want those he loves to grow up and become phonies, which is how he feels most adults
There was a couple of great symbols used in the novel. One of the main symbols was Holden's red hunting hat. Holden often talks about his hat throughout the novel. He wears it in different ways such as "with the peak around to the back and all" (Salinger 27) or "pulled the peak of my hunting hat around to the front and all" (Salinger 34) depending on how he feels about the situation he is in. When he was leaving the museum, he decided to take his, "old hunting hat out of my pocket while I walked in and put it on. I knew I wouldn't meet anybody that knew me, and it was still pretty damp out" (Salinger 122). This shows that Holden is insecure of himself. He finds comfort when he is wearing his hat whether that is to protect him from someone or something. …show more content…
Holden enjoys going to the museum. He decided to go there to hopefully meet up with Phoebe, his little sister. However, when he gets there he decided not to go inside because he's scared that something might have changed. He explains that, "Nobody'd move... Nobody'd be different. The only thing that would be different would be you... I mean you'd be different in some way—I can't explain what I mean" (Salinger 121-122).This shows that Holden is afraid. He's afraid of growing up. He doesn't like the idea of change, like how Phoebe would be different whenever she went to the museum. He doesn't want those he loves to grow up and become phonies, which is how he feels most adults