Catcher in the Rye- Symbols (2)

The author of the book Catcher in the Rye, uses a lot of symbols to enhance this book. The author used so many symbols it is going to take me two whole blogs to discuss them all. Another symbol the author uses in this book is the symbol of the Indians and the Eskimos at the Museum of Natural History. Holden loves the statues of the Indians that are weaving a blanket and the Eskimos that are canoeing for one reason, because they never change. Holden reveals early on in this book that he is afraid of maturing and growing into an adult, and that is why he likes these statues so much. Every time you come to see them, they are exactly the same. They do not change or grow up, the only one that has changed is you. I think this is a really cool symbol used by the author because it is so true. The museum is a great representation of the world that Holden wishes he could be a part of, a world where people do not change and where people are predictable. Holden is puzzled by the fact that every time he has come to see them, he has changed and they have remained exactly the same. Finally, the last symbol used by the author in this book is the symbol of the ducks in the pond. The ducks in the pond symbolize many things, so to start off they symbolize that all changes are not permanent. The ducks leave every winter, but they never fail to come back in in the spring. This symbolizes that just because something is different for a little while does not mean it will be like that forever. Secondly, the pond represents the transition that Holden is going through in his life right now. The pond is transitioning from being a liquid to a solid, and Holden is transitioning from a child to an adult. I think the symbols used in this book really make the book a lot more interesting.

Bibliography

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print.