Symbols in The Catcher in the Rye

One of the most important symbols found in The Catcher in the Rye is the actual catcher in the rye. It is the source of the books title, and makes its first appearance towards the middle of the novel. Holden is singing the Robert Burns song 'Comin' Thro' the Rye' and is walking in the street instead of on the sidewalk. A kid walking by admires Holden for this, because he is quirky and being an individual. The symbol appears again several chapters later when Phoebe asks Holden what he would like to do with the rest of his life. Holden responds with what he believes the song is about, saying that he pictures a rye field on top of a big cliff with children playing in it, and that he wants to keep the children from falling over the cliff and dying, because he thinks the lyric is 'if a body catch a body comin' through the rye' when the real lyric reads 'if a body meet a body, comin' through a rye'. Despite his misinterpretation, this is a symbol that Holden really does want to help people, and that he has compassion although he does not often show it. It is also a symbol of how Holden does not understand a lot of the world around him.

One other symbol found in the book is Holden's distinct red hunting cap. The unique cap represents Holden himself- it is one of a kind and individual, just like he is. Holden wishes to be different from all of the people around him, and is quirky hat is one way of expressing that wish and making it come true. But the hat is also a source of discomfort of Holden. He does wear it when he knows he will come across people he knows, and always make a point to mention that hat when he is wearing it. This hat is also a symbol for Holden's internal conflict, the need for isolation vs. the need for companionship and interaction with others.

Main Themes

There are many themes in the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, and they all vary from each other. Throughout the novel the main character, Holden Caulfield, goes through many different situations, and the themes from these situations are carried on throughout the rest of the story to feed the conflicts and altercations.

One of the themes in the novel is alienation. Holden seems isolated from the rest of the world, and he tells Mr. Spencer that he feels 'trapped on the other side' and that he is trying to find his place in a world where he just does not belong. Later on in the novel, it seems that Holden alienates himself so that he can protect himself. Other people seem to not understand anything about Holden, so they treat him differently. And because of this, Holden tries to isolate himself and avoid any confrontation or unwanted interactions. This kind of separation causes Holden pain at times, but while his isolation often seems like a bad thing, but really it is a form of stability for Holden. It becomes familiar and comforting, and eventually it becomes his way of life.

Another theme in the novel is the very idea of growing up. The Catcher and the Rye is a coming of age novel, but Holden is trying to avoid maturing and growing up. He believes that adulthood is an awful fate, and that adults are phony and fake. Because of this, Holden continues to try and cling to his childhood, which is one of the reasons he wants to run away. However, instead of admitting that the very idea of adulthood scares him, Holden just keeps trying to ignore it and run away from the idea of growing up, which is really unavoidable. Tying in with this theme is the idea of phoniness. Along with being afraid of growing up, Holden thinks that adults are entirely phony, and he wants to avoid that at all costs. Towards the end of the novel it becomes clear that Holden's ideas and perceptions are all extremely shallow, and that he is not a very reliable narrator because of this.

Analysis of Holden Caulfield

Holden Caulfield is the narrator and protagonist of the novel The Catcher in the Rye. Holden is troubled and a somewhat unreliable narrator, because although he can read other people very well, he often does not fully understand certain elements of others, whether it be their personalities, feelings, motives, or their entire character. Holden himself is an extremely judgmental character, setting nearly impossible standards that not even he can live up to. Holden ridicules the insecurities that people have, and says that they are boring and superficial. He sees adults in particular as truly bad people, and is convinced that nearly all adults are complete 'phonies'- fake and impossible for anyone to trust.

In Holden's opinion, adults are everything wrong with the world; symbolizing phoniness and distrust. While he sees the worst in adults, his opinion of children is completely the opposite. Holden views children and youth in general as symbols of pureness and innocence, and desperately wants to inhabit a world where he can forever have the simple life of a child. However, Holden does start to grow up, no matter how hard he tries to fight it off.

However unsettling Holden's outlook on life may be, there must have been factors in his life that influenced this. There are obvious signs that Holden is a troubled person- he fails out of several schools, he does not care about his future, and he is unable to connect with other people. There were two serious traumatizing events in Holden's past, the death of his brother Allie and the suicide of one of his classmates. While Holden tries to isolate himself away from contact, he is trying to protect himself. But really, he is only hurting himself more by pulling away and refusing to really try and connect with the other people that are present in his life.

It is obvious throughout the novel that Holden wants nothing more than to hold on to his childhood- which will eventually be his downfall in life. He dreads growing up, thinking that he too will become a phony, and because of this, he tries to regress. This ultimately leads to Holden's stay in a mental institution.

Catcher in the Rye Summary

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger takes place in the 1950's, and is narrated by the main character and protagonist, Holden Caulfield. The novel is about coming to terms with the past, and is told when Holden is in a psychiatric institute and looking back on his experiences. Throughout the story Holden focuses on things that he does not fully understand, such as adult life. He views growing up and maturing as a horrible fate, and does everything he can to avoid it.

As Holden inevitably does start to grow up, he becomes extremely unhappy with himself and his life in general, and also starts to become more and more desperate as time goes on. Holden tells of his experiences being expelled from three schools, the latest of them a school called Pencey Prep, and of what he did after leaving the school. Holden snuck away a few days before the Christmas Break, and stays at a cheap hotel. While residing there, Holden goes to clubs and interacts with people, but fails to really connect with them. Later on, he tries to reconnect with his old girlfriend, but when he suggests they run away together, she angrily leaves and Holden starts to feel depressed. During this time he tries to communicate with his brother Allie, who is deceased. Holden then realizes the only person he can really connect with is his sister Phoebe, so he sneaks into their parents home and tells Phoebe about his dream of 'the Catcher and the Rye', and how he wants to run away.

Holden leaves again, and encounters a former teacher of his. After the teacher, Mr. Antolini, startles Holden, he departs and runs off again. After spending a night in the train station and running around the town, Holden meets back up with his sister Phoebe, who tells him that they should both run away. Holden then see himself in his sister, and finally changes his mind about running away. He goes back to his parents, and the reader can assume that he is then sent to a mental hospital at the end of the book.