Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

Catcher in the Rye

 

            Many books use symbols underneath a basic story to give the reader a much deeper understanding. While the bedside reader may not notice them, when looked at carefully, they reveal a completely different side of the book.
             One of the most prominent symbols of the book is the red hunting hat. It symbolizes Holden's uniqueness and individuality. This shows that Holden has a desire to be different than everyone else around him. This also shows that while he wants to be unique, he sometimes takes it off when people he knows come in, showing his desire for companionship. The book says, "[Ackley] took another look at my hat "Up home we wear a hat like that to shoot deer in, for Chrissake," he said". "That's a deer shooting hat." "Like hell it is." I took it off and looked at it. I sort of closed one eye, like I was taking aim at it. "This is a people shooting hat," I said. "I shoot people in this hat." Holden does not really want to shoot people while wearing his hat, but nevertheless does "shoot people" in his own way - when he is in this cynical frame of mind; he expends all of his mental energy making fun of the people around him. This also shows that Holden uses the hat as a mark of individuality and independence against others. The red hunting hat is one of the most famous literary symbols from the twentieth century.
             The Natural History museum has a deeper meaning in Catcher in the Rye than what the words say. Holden says the symbolic meaning of the museum's displays - they appeal to him because they are frozen and unchanging. This shows that Holden is inevitably changing and he wants to stay the same like the museum. This also shows that he has a passion for things that are pure and stay the same like children. The museum represents the world Holden wishes he could live in - the world of his "catcher in the rye" fantasy. This shows that Holden wishes he could live in a world with no change.


Essays Related to Catcher in the Rye