English 9 Final Essay Tcitr
Jessica Welch
Ms. Skulnik
English I
November 16, 2014
Holden’s Symbols
Imagine being kicked out of many different schools after your brother passed away and all while not having many friends and being bullied. That is exactly what happened to Holden Caulfield, the main character in the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. Salinger uses many different symbols throughout the book to show Holden’s maturation and thoughts as he goes through a very stressful time in his life.
Holden is scared for his future. He is stuck on the bridge between being an adult and a child and does not know where he wants to go. He doesn’t know what he wants to do or be in the future. Throughout the book, Holden makes many references to the ducks that he saw a few times in Central Park. He says, “The ducks. Do you know, by any chance? I mean does somebody come around in a truck or something and take them away, or do they fly away by themselves- go south or something?”(Salinger 91). This could be a symbol for Holden and his life. Holden is wondering where the ducks will go, very much like he is wondering where he himself will go. Holden wonders if he will have to get up and go somewhere on his own, or if someone will come along and help him out before things get too difficult. Holden is thinking about where the ducks will go when it gets cold and hard for them to survive. He is also thinking about where he will go when life gets even more difficult and harder for him to survive on his own. Holden is also scared for the future of children. He has experienced firsthand what it is like to be extremely stressed and forced to grow up quickly. He does not like growing up and he just wants to be a child forever. Holden wants to save children from falling into the world of adulthood. He says, “Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody 's around - nobody big, I mean - except me. And I 'm standing
Ms. Skulnik
English I
November 16, 2014
Holden’s Symbols
Imagine being kicked out of many different schools after your brother passed away and all while not having many friends and being bullied. That is exactly what happened to Holden Caulfield, the main character in the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. Salinger uses many different symbols throughout the book to show Holden’s maturation and thoughts as he goes through a very stressful time in his life.
Holden is scared for his future. He is stuck on the bridge between being an adult and a child and does not know where he wants to go. He doesn’t know what he wants to do or be in the future. Throughout the book, Holden makes many references to the ducks that he saw a few times in Central Park. He says, “The ducks. Do you know, by any chance? I mean does somebody come around in a truck or something and take them away, or do they fly away by themselves- go south or something?”(Salinger 91). This could be a symbol for Holden and his life. Holden is wondering where the ducks will go, very much like he is wondering where he himself will go. Holden wonders if he will have to get up and go somewhere on his own, or if someone will come along and help him out before things get too difficult. Holden is thinking about where the ducks will go when it gets cold and hard for them to survive. He is also thinking about where he will go when life gets even more difficult and harder for him to survive on his own. Holden is also scared for the future of children. He has experienced firsthand what it is like to be extremely stressed and forced to grow up quickly. He does not like growing up and he just wants to be a child forever. Holden wants to save children from falling into the world of adulthood. He says, “Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody 's around - nobody big, I mean - except me. And I 'm standing
Cited: Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Little, Brown, 1951. Print.