Holden's Hat Symbolism

Eva Zenk
Ms. Weaver
Honors World Literature
3-16-16

The Cather in the Rye Literary Analysis Essay
Introduction:
In the following pages of this essay, background information about culture and feelings of the time in which the novel took place will be provided along with a brief summary of the life of the author of The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger. This essay will then provide the reader with a short summary of the novel The Catcher in the Rye. In conclusion, this essay will analyze Holden’s struggle of putting away his disillusionments and facing the fact that innocence cannot be protected forever to suggest that growing up is an inescapable part of life. J. D. Salinger portrays growing up and losing one’s innocence as a pain in the
The color of the hat is bright red, and Holden mentions many times throughout the story that his younger brother Allie whom had died of leukemia had bright red hair. Through Holden wearing this bright red hat, it is as if he is trying to mimic his deceased brother Allie much like a child mimics their parents because they want to be like them. Therefore, the hat can be interpreted as a symbol that embodies Holden’s respect and adoration for Allie. It is also mentioned that when Holden wears this hat that he usually wears it backwards. One can say that from Holden wearing his hat backwards that he is passively rebelling against the expectations of society. Instead of conforming to “the normal standards” that society sets, Holden does his own thing by wearing the hat backwards. Also by wearing the hat backwards, one can say that this symbolically a sign of regression; therefore, wearing the hat backwards represents Holden’s longing to go backwards to childhood instead of going forward into adulthood. Likewise, by wearing his hat backwards, Holden would appear to look like a baseball catcher. The fact that baseball catchers usually wear their hats backwards can be connected to Holden’s wanting to be the “catcher” in the rye. Towards the end of the novel, Holden gives the hunting hat, which is something dear to him, to
She likes those kind of crazy hats. She didn't want to take it, but I made her. I'll bet she slept with it on. She really likes those kind of hats. Then I told her again I'd give her a buzz if I got a chance, and then I left. (Salinger 198-199)
By giving the hat to Phoebe, one can say that that is when Holden starts to give up on the rebellion against adulthood and he therefore realizes that the idea of being the catcher in the rye is not completely realist. Throughout the use of symbolism with the red hunting hat, J. D. Salinger is able to reaffirm and support the fact that Holden sees growing up as a struggle and that Holden is not willing to conform to “the normal standards” that society sets until the end of the novel. During The Catcher in the Rye, Holden visits his younger sister Phoebe at school and sees graffiti that has profane language. This infuriates