English Essay
Vanessa Reyes
Mrs.Kelley
Pre-IB English, pd.6
5/28/12
Catcher in the Rye Essay In the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger there are many symbols that are used to represents Holden’s real feelings. The author uses these symbols to portray the characteristics of Holden. They show how Holden is really feeling but they just mix it into symbols so that the reader can think about it and analyze the symbol in their own way. In the book there are 3 most common symbols that are used. One is the red hunting hat Holden wears that he got in New York, the museum of natural history, and the ducks in central park. Each one of them has a different meaning behind them. One thing Holden uses to make himself stand out from the crowd is his red hunting hat he bought on his trip to New York. Holden wears it in his prep school so that he can stand out in a bunch of phony people that supposedly goes there. Holden always tends to want to stand out of the coward and not be like everyone else. He believes everyone is phonies. After Holden comes back from talking to old Spencer he says, “I put on this hat that I’d bought in New York that morning. It was this red hunting hat.” (pg.17). When Holden came back to his room he took off all his uniform off and put on the red hunting hat then he just lies on his bed to read a book. Holden even describes how he likes to wear the hat, he says, “The way I wore it, I swung the old peak way around to the back-very corny, I’ll admit, but I liked it that way.” (pg.18). Even though Holden knew that the way he was wearing it was weird he still liked it that way because it made it unique. Being unique was important most of the time. In modern day a symbol for Holden’s red hunting hat would most likely be a tattoo. Most people in society today get tattoos to symbolize something important in their lives and it’s something unique, just like the hunting hat. Everyone gets different designs on their tattoo that makes it different from any
Mrs.Kelley
Pre-IB English, pd.6
5/28/12
Catcher in the Rye Essay In the book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger there are many symbols that are used to represents Holden’s real feelings. The author uses these symbols to portray the characteristics of Holden. They show how Holden is really feeling but they just mix it into symbols so that the reader can think about it and analyze the symbol in their own way. In the book there are 3 most common symbols that are used. One is the red hunting hat Holden wears that he got in New York, the museum of natural history, and the ducks in central park. Each one of them has a different meaning behind them. One thing Holden uses to make himself stand out from the crowd is his red hunting hat he bought on his trip to New York. Holden wears it in his prep school so that he can stand out in a bunch of phony people that supposedly goes there. Holden always tends to want to stand out of the coward and not be like everyone else. He believes everyone is phonies. After Holden comes back from talking to old Spencer he says, “I put on this hat that I’d bought in New York that morning. It was this red hunting hat.” (pg.17). When Holden came back to his room he took off all his uniform off and put on the red hunting hat then he just lies on his bed to read a book. Holden even describes how he likes to wear the hat, he says, “The way I wore it, I swung the old peak way around to the back-very corny, I’ll admit, but I liked it that way.” (pg.18). Even though Holden knew that the way he was wearing it was weird he still liked it that way because it made it unique. Being unique was important most of the time. In modern day a symbol for Holden’s red hunting hat would most likely be a tattoo. Most people in society today get tattoos to symbolize something important in their lives and it’s something unique, just like the hunting hat. Everyone gets different designs on their tattoo that makes it different from any