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The Catcher in the Rye
other people. “ The world is not as simple as I’d like-and needs- to be,”(Salinger, p.122) says Holden.
“The Catcher in the Rye”, the novel’s title, is the most important symbol. This means, “close examination”. It first appears in Chapter 16, when a child Holden admires for walking down the street rather then on the sidewalk like most children that age do singing the song” Comin Thro the Rye”. The song “Comin Thro the Rye” asks if it is wrong for two people to have a romantic encounter, away from the public eye, even if they don’t plan to have a commitment in the future. “…I’m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. 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. That’s all I’d do all day. I’d just be the catcher in the rye and all.”(Salinger, p.175) The phrase “The Catcher in the Rye” symbolizes Holden wanting to catch children before they fall out of the innocence into knowledge of the adult world, including knowledge of sex.
“Holden’s red hunting hat” is symbolism of Holden’s uniqueness and individuality. The hat is outlandish, and it shows that Holden wants to be different from everyone around him. At the same time, he is very self-conscious about the hat. He always mentions when he’s wearing the hat, he’s going to be around people he knows. “This is a people shooting hat, I said. I shoot people in this hat.”(Salinger, p.66) Holden stats. The presence of the hat reflects Holden’s need for isolation verses his need for companionship.
“The Museum of Natural History”, Holden tells the symbolic meaning of the museum’s displays: they appeal to him because they are frozen and unchanging. In Chapter 16
Holden explains, “The best thing, though, in the museum was that everything always stayed right where it was. Nobody’d move…Nobody’d be different. The only thing that would be different would be you.” Holden also mention he wishes he could live in: “the catcher in the rye” fantasy, a world where nothing ever changes, where things are simple and understanding. Holden’s character hates challenges and conflict. He is confused by Allie’s meaningless death, and he fears interaction with people around him.
In conclusion, this sums up the novel The Catcher in the Rye. “ This unusual book may shock you, will make you laugh, and may break your heart-but you will never forget it.” (Harper’s Story, page 132). There are both positive and negative that critics say. The positive outweighs the negative by far. It’s a great book.