Holden Caulfield Character Analysis Essay
Holden There are countless ways to interpret the character of Holden Caufield. I think the best word to describe him is protective. Which leads me to the first innermost circle, the name Holden in a case. Throughout the book, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger, Holden has tried to preserve innocence and the case around his name shows his protective personality. Located in the second circle are for me the two most important symbols about Holden in the book. The first item is Allie’s baseball glove; this shows him trying to catch the innocence in that of a young child. Also the glove is a memory of his brother Allie who he was close to and died. The second symbol is a museum; representing holding onto and preserving the innocence in
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a person. For example when Holden is waiting in the museum to pick up Phoebe from school. (p.202) He wants to prevent Phoebe from growing up.
In the third circle, you will find Holden’s red hunting hat located there. There are many instances where Holden puts on his red hunting hat because it makes him feel protected. Holden said to Phoebe, “Then I took my hunting hat out of my coat pocket and gave it to her.” He wants to protect Phoebe from being exposed to society resulting in her innocence leaving. Also in the third circle is a carrousel. I feel that the counterclockwise rotation of this is a very important and cool symbol. It is going back in time and for Holden it lets him stop the growth of an innocent adolescent. This carrousel can also show a cycle of innocence, for only little kids ride this. Located in the fourth and outermost circle there is a movie playing. Holden describes movies and the actors in them as phony. He says this because they are acting as someone else, not being their true self. For example, “In the first place, I hate actors. They never act like people.” (p.117) The last item to represent Holden on my circle is the picture of central park. The park can stand for youth and also innocence. At a park there aren’t older people playing around, you will find only little, young kids. Holden thinks of his little sister when he goes to
central park by himself. (p.118) Phoebe is an innocent young girl, so a park gives him that thought of her. As you can see there are many ways to describe the bold character of Holden Caufield. His main mission throughout the book, though, is to preserve the innocence in that of a young child.
a person. For example when Holden is waiting in the museum to pick up Phoebe from school. (p.202) He wants to prevent Phoebe from growing up.
In the third circle, you will find Holden’s red hunting hat located there. There are many instances where Holden puts on his red hunting hat because it makes him feel protected. Holden said to Phoebe, “Then I took my hunting hat out of my coat pocket and gave it to her.” He wants to protect Phoebe from being exposed to society resulting in her innocence leaving. Also in the third circle is a carrousel. I feel that the counterclockwise rotation of this is a very important and cool symbol. It is going back in time and for Holden it lets him stop the growth of an innocent adolescent. This carrousel can also show a cycle of innocence, for only little kids ride this. Located in the fourth and outermost circle there is a movie playing. Holden describes movies and the actors in them as phony. He says this because they are acting as someone else, not being their true self. For example, “In the first place, I hate actors. They never act like people.” (p.117) The last item to represent Holden on my circle is the picture of central park. The park can stand for youth and also innocence. At a park there aren’t older people playing around, you will find only little, young kids. Holden thinks of his little sister when he goes to
central park by himself. (p.118) Phoebe is an innocent young girl, so a park gives him that thought of her. As you can see there are many ways to describe the bold character of Holden Caufield. His main mission throughout the book, though, is to preserve the innocence in that of a young child.