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Catcher In The Rye Carousel Analysis

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Catcher In The Rye Carousel Analysis
In the novel, The Catcher in the Rye, the main character, Holden Caulfield goes through some serious emotions as depression and confusion. J.D. Salinger uses the symbol of a carousel to suggest that innocene and life of a child can’t be held on forever and maturing is part of life. Salinger introduces the carousel at the end of the novel. In chapter 25, Holden has just left Mr.Antolini’s house going to the train station to sleep on a bench at the waiting area. He then goes trolling around New York all day and night. Holden takes a note to Phoebe's school to meet him up to say goodbye. Eventually they meet up at the museum of art and Phoebe has a suitcase with her saying she wants to go with Holden. Phoebe gets

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    Right next to the carousel is a golden ring that all the children try to grab as they go around and around. Phoebe is no exception to this and prompts Holden in to thinking: “I was sort of afraid she’d fall off the goddam horse, but I didn’t say anything or do anything. The thing with kids is, if they want to grab the gold ring, you have to let them do it, and not say anything. If they fall off, they fall off, but it’s bad if you say anything to them.”(232) This could be seen as a way for Holden to realize that there is no real need for a catcher in the rye, if they run off the plain of childhood and off the cliff into adult hood this doesn’t mean they are lost forever. Instead it is just something they have to do, it would be bad to say anything to them. Holden sees this moment as a way to coup with the inedibility of growing up. Then after the ride finishes it starts to rain and Phoebe, being the awesome sister she is places Holden’s red hunting cap on his…

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