Preview

"The mysteries of Holden Caulfield" is about the symbolism in "The Catcher in the Rye" and what this reveals about the character Holden. Could use a conclusion, we didnt have to put one.

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
843 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
"The mysteries of Holden Caulfield" is about the symbolism in "The Catcher in the Rye" and what this reveals about the character Holden. Could use a conclusion, we didnt have to put one.
In The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger there are many insights about Holden Caulfield revealed by symbols, which would otherwise remain unclear. School, the checkerboard, the museum, and cigarettes and alcohol are all symbolic of Holden. These symbols tell us things about Holden that he doesn't tell us straight out. This essay will discuss many symbols in the book and what they tell us about Holden.

The checkerboard is referred to a lot when Holden is thinking of his old friend Jane Gallagher. The checkerboard is symbolic of Holden's obsessiveness with Jane. Holden is always asking people and wondering if Jane still keeps her kings in the back row. In checkers, if you keep your kings in the back row, it's like a security. You can't lose if you play that way. This is why Holden is so curious about Jane and if she still keeps her kings in the back row. What he really wants to know is if Jane has lost her security and let someone besides Holden in. This is why when Stradlater returns from a date with Jane, Holden repeatedly asks Stradlater, "Did you ask her if she still keeps all her kings in the back row?" Holden is actually asking if Jane let down her guard and let go of her innocence to Stradlater. Holden ponders a lot about if Jane keeps her kings in the back row over the period of the book. This just shows that Holden is totally obsessed with Jane's innocence and if she still has any innocence left.

School is also a symbol that tells us about Holden. It actually tells us about what will probably happen to Holden in his life. School is a structured system with many steps that must be completed in order to pass. It is a lot like life where there are many obstacles and challenges one must overcome in order to succeed. Holden had already failed a number of schools before he failed Pencey. Holden doesn't even care if he fails school because his parents don't care. Holden tells people about how he failed so many schools like it's something to be proud of. He
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Character Analysis: Holden Caulfield
    • 122 Words
    • 1 Page

    Character Analysis: Holden Caulfield

    Holden Caulfield is J.D. Salinger’s main character in The Catcher in the Rye. We learn several interesting things about Holden, however, while learning the these we are not experiencing or seeing what Holden is. We learn about it through Holden’s perspective throughout the entire story like, for example, the death of his younger brother, Allie or the time James Castle committed suicide by jumping out of the school window. Most of these experiences have a significant meaning behind them and we find these out by reading the book. We get to know Holden in a personal way. While reading, comprehending, and understanding Holden’s emotions towards the encounters he has with the characters in this book, which makes it very interesting.…

    • 122 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Holden Caulfield Character Analysis Essay
    • 438 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Holden Caulfield Character Analysis Essay

    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…

    • 438 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Holden Caulfield's Symbols
    • 212 Words
    • 1 Page

    Holden Caulfield's Symbols

    Holden has been through many difficult times in his life, especially after he lost his little brother Allie Caulfield who had pneumonia, but there are these main symbols that describes Holden as a person, his past and most importantly these symbols gives special meaning to his life. In the Catcher of the Rye, J.D Salinger highlights Holden’s journey of growing up by showing the three symbols and they are the lake, Carossel and the red hunting hat.…

    • 212 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Character Analysis Of Catcher In The Rye By J. D. Salinger
    • 908 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Character Analysis Of Catcher In The Rye By J. D. Salinger

    His concern is symbolic of the fact that he cannot save all of the children in the world from danger. He sees that the phoniness around him and the faults within him are irremovable, and that he will just have to manage to live in the flawed society as it is. So the two sides of Holden are protection and violation of innocence. He tries to preserve innocence in others, and then to appreciate people’s independence in exploring the world. He says “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” (211). The quote means that people learn from experience. So he is saying maybe the only way people will learn is by facing the harsh truths of society. His realization is significant because Holden himself needs to face the harsh truths of…

    • 908 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Holden Caulfield Symbolism Essay
    • 1609 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Holden Caulfield Symbolism Essay

    J.D Salinger has a written a novel called catcher in the rye, about a teenage boy named Holden Caulfield who lives in New York City. Holden is not an ordinary teenage boy. His way of viewing life is different its extraordinary Holden is confused, lost, and depressed. His character is very complex to understand through the book Holden tries to reach out to a lot of people and he tries to build a relation but something is not letting Holden to do so, the fact that Holden wants to remain a child is keeping him away from growing up and becoming more understandable to himself and the people around him. He has no stable relation with his parents which has affected him to do poorly academically. Through the book J.D Salinger have used symbolism that shows Holden’s mental anguish. The symbolism explains everything that’s is going on with Holden…

    • 1609 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Is Holden Caulfield An Honest Liar
    • 674 Words
    • 3 Pages

    How Is Holden Caulfield An Honest Liar

    The story of The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is given from the perspective of the main character, Holden Caulfield. Although the story goes into a considerable amount of detail the reader is not led to believe every part of the story because Holden presents himself as a self-avowed liar, and therefore he cannot be trusted. This greatly hinders the reader's ability to gather valid information and put together their own perspective of Holden's story.…

    • 674 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    What Does Holden's Hat Symbolize
    • 710 Words
    • 3 Pages

    What Does Holden's Hat Symbolize

    "The Catcher in the Rye" has a lot of important symbols and meanings. Each symbol seems to represent a part of Holden 's personality, whether it is, an idea in particular, or a thing that is part of his surroundings.…

    • 710 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Holden Caulfield In The Catcher In The Rye
    • 554 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Holden Caulfield In The Catcher In The Rye

    Holden Caulfield, the novel’s protagonist, is a pivotal character in The Catcher in the Rye. Holden is characterized as an innocent, apathetic, naive teen who is seeking knowledge of life and the meaning of becoming an adult. Holden’s struggle with seeing the genuine nature of people is something that acts as a barrier for him throughout the novel. Holden is troubled and burdened throughout the story, which causes him to have a warped view on an array of subjects. Holden passes strict judgement on everyone, as he struggles to transition from adolescence to adulthood. Holden appears to be stunned when he sees how different the life of an adult is comparison to that of children. His views on topics such as, life, his future, and sex. Holden approaches each of these subjects with strict views, and feels dejected when he realizes there are more multiple perspectives to these topics.…

    • 554 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Examples Of Struggles In Catcher In The Rye
    • 754 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Examples Of Struggles In Catcher In The Rye

    He was also sort of a nasty guy. I wasn't too crazy about him, to tell you the truth.” Holden most likely hung out with people he did not like so that if he got kicked out of school he would not miss anyone he would leave behind. Throughout the book Holden also stated many times how he wanted to go out West and live in a cabin in the woods. The details in his fantasy of living in the West were constantly changing since he sometimes wanted to live in a cabin with Sally but other times he wanted to live as a deaf mute showing how he is not able to even commit to an imaginary future. At the end of the book Holden is walking in the street and can barely make it to each side of the road while he thinks about his dead brother Allie. This symbolizes Holden’s life since he only focuses on the present and struggles to make it through day-to-day life since he cannot commit to a future. Holden’s little concern for his future makes it more apparent that he cannot devote himself to a certain life style and even had a hard time maintaining a certain attitude due to the fact that he constantly reassured himself and said things like: “really” or “for…

    • 754 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Holden as a Teenager
    • 1025 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Holden as a Teenager

    The first and most obvious characteristic found in most teens, including Holden, would be the desire for independence. Throughout the novel, Holden is not once found wishing to have his parents help in any way. He has practically lived his entire life in dorms at prestigious schools, and has learned quite well how to be on his own. This tendency of teenagers took place in even in ancient history, where the freshly developed teen opts to leave the cave and hunt for is own food. Every teenager tries, in his or her own way, to be independent. Instead of admitting to ones parents of a wrongful deed, the teen tries covering up the mistake or avoiding it in hopes that they won't get in any trouble. They feel that they have enough intelligence to think through a problem without going to their parents for assistance. When Holden hears the news that he has been expelled from Pency, he concludes that his parents would not know of this for a few days. Therefore, he would wait from Saturday all the way to Wednesday, let his parents "get it and thoroughly digest it", and then face the consequences, which will more than likely be less severe after…

    • 1025 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Rhetorical Analysis Of The Catcher In The Rye
    • 1112 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Rhetorical Analysis Of The Catcher In The Rye

    In this novel, Holden Caulfield gets kicked out of his school and stays in New York for a couple of days before returning home. During his travels Holden does not maintain any relationships and he associates most adults with being phony. He is constantly trying to protect himself and his sister Phoebe from being exposed to the harsh adult world. In The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger uses rhetorical devices to explain Holden’s struggles and establish the theme of preserving his own innocence and the innocence of those around him.…

    • 1112 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Holden Caulfield Symbolism
    • 1743 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Holden Caulfield Symbolism

    In the novel The Catcher in the Rye, the author, J.D. Salinger, takes the reader through Holden Caulfield’s struggles with adolescence as he makes his way through New York City in the 1940’s. Salinger shows how Holden attempts to go on an unrealistic quest to save children from a sudden loss of innocence. Holden’s wake-up call comes in the form of his little sister, Phoebe, who unintentionally illustrates to her big brother that reaching for the gold ring isn’t always a scary thing, but a part of life that everyone must go through. The author uses symbolism to create Holden’s idea of becoming “The Catcher in the Rye,” a way of preventing others from the abrupt loss of innocence. Holden’s idea is challenged by his interactions,…

    • 1743 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    What Does The Red Hunting Hat Symbolize In Catcher In The Rye
    • 796 Words
    • 4 Pages

    What Does The Red Hunting Hat Symbolize In Catcher In The Rye

    Catcher in the Rye written by Jerome David Salinger, is about Holden and his journey of trying to be accepted in the adult world. A memorable technique is symbolism to show the idea’s the ducks, red hunting hat and The Museum of Natural History. These symbols show the theme how alienation is a form of protection and how Holden likes to alienate himself from the world. By Holden wearing his red hunting hat when he feels like he doesn’t belong. The ducks run away from their problems. The Museum of Natural History is Holden’s favorite place to go ever since he was a kid.…

    • 796 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Holden Caulfield Adulthood
    • 1573 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Holden Caulfield Adulthood

    The symbol The Catcher in the Rye shows that Holden wants to keep people from becoming mature and falling off the cliff. The cliff is when children are about to fall into adulthood and when people do they end up falling off the cliff. In this quote it shows why he wants to keep people young and immature, “[T]housands of little kids and nobody is around. Nobody big, I mean except me and I am standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch them…I’d just be the Catcher in the Rye and all” (173). This quote determines that Holden does not want children to lose their pureness and innocence. Holden thinks that if he can try to save every girl and boy from wanting to have sex and becoming an adult he can be the Catcher in the Rye. The mummies in the museum help Holden express that he does not like change and rather them stay exactly the same. When Holden goes to the museum he enjoys it because nothing ever changes there. Holden showing he does not like things changing is shown in the quote, “[T]hey wrapped their faces up in these cloths that they treated with chemicals, that way the mummies could be buried in their tombs for thousands of years and their faces would not rot or anything” (203). This shows that Holden is not mature enough to lose his innocence because you change completely. Holden does not agree with children wanting to become an adult and lose their…

    • 1573 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Catcher In The Rye Analysis
    • 1463 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Catcher In The Rye Analysis

    Holden Caulfield’s uncompleted calls with the people he says he is going to call may symbolize his uncompleted education and his seemingly incapability of completing anything. Holden’s numerous failed calls seems to be an accurate description of his education and his inability to follow through on his words. He decides to call many people throughout the novel, and fails to do so, especially in trying to call Jane Gallagher. Again to after the piano bar: “Finally what I felt like, I felt like giving old Jane a buzz . . .But when I got inside the phone booth, I wasn’t much in the mood anymore” (195). When asked about education by old Spencer, Holden says that “[Pencey] is about the fourth school [he’s] gone to” (13). Holden decides to call many people and doesn’t follow through on many occasions, just like his education, dropping out of four different schools. Holden also cannot focus during lectures, though he claims that the class is interesting which leads to his failure in Mr. Spencer’s class. Not only does his education seem to be incomplete, Holden also cannot finish anything else. Throughout the whole novel, Holden says that he will do something, but he often does not follow through. One of these examples was when the prostitute came into his hotel room. Holden says to the prostitute, “I don’t feel very much like myself tonight. . . but do you mind very much if we don’t do it” (125). Holden could not even complete his request for a prostitute. He asks for a…

    • 1463 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More

Related Topics