Symbolism In Catcher In The Rye

Themes in stories can be developed through many different means. It can be openly stated or just simply implied. Throughout history symbolism has been used to develop stories. Even in the bible there are multiple symbols that can be found. J.D. Salinger uses symbols to help readers understand the overall message and theme of his book The Catcher in the Rye. From Holden’s red hunting hat to Allie’s baseball mitt, symbols are constantly being thrown into the story. One other symbol that I think is highly significant is the ducks in Central Park. Ducks? How can ducks be a symbol? As odd as it may sound, ducks are a major theme in The Catcher and the Rye. They have extreme importance to Holden. We first learn of Holden’s worry for the ducks in chapter nine. In this chapter Holden is in a cab on his way to Edmont Hotel.
Again, Holden asked this cab driver if he knew where the ducks go during the winter. Holden was so worried that they would freeze and he couldn’t stop thinking about them. As we look at the symbolism, we have to compare Holden to one of the ducks. He has gone through his own “harsh winters” that he struggles to get through. A major struggle for him was losing his brother, Allie. Holden loved Allie and admired him for his kindness. It was hard for Holden to lose that goodness in his life, especially as a child. After leaving Pencey, Holden is going through another “harsh winter”. He’s still dealing with grief, is worried about what his parents think about getting kicked out of school, is worried about all of the phonies of the world, and struggles with letting kids grow up. As the cab driver drops Holden off, he says something that I think profoundly impacts Holden. He says, “If you was a fish, Mother Nature’d take care of you, wouldn’t she? Right? You don’t think the fish just die when it gets cold, do ya?” This is the concept that Holden struggled