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.
One of the most noticeable symbols in the story is the red hunting hat. The hat symbolizes Holden 's uniqueness and his desire to be the one who stands out from the crowd. He also uses the hat as a method to avoid people. "What I did was, I pulled the old peak of my hunting hat around to the front, then pulled it way down over my eyes. That way I couldn 't see a thing." (Salinger, 21) The way the hat looks, makes Holden different from the people around him, making him a lonely person, which brings a bigger issue, Holden 's desire …show more content…
Holden always wondered where the ducks went during the winter and he would ask people and no one seemed to know what he was talking about or at least be concerned. " 'You know those ducks in that lagoon right near Central Park South? That little lake? By any chance, do happen to know where they go, the ducks, when it gets all frozen over? Do you happen to know by any chance? '" (60) Holden 's desire to know where the ducks went would give him insight to his own life and where to go and what do to do when things around him got a little rough. The racing skates also have a symbolic meaning, the racing skates Holden wanted may be perceived as a way to get away from life and start from scratch one more …show more content…
Allie 's baseball glove reminds Holden of his deceased younger brother who died of leukemia. The idea that his brother died often torments Holden and when he thinks about it, his prospect on life changes. Holden feels a lot worse about Allie 's death because he was one of the few people Holden thought was not a phony in a place where everyone around him was. Also, the Museum of Natural History is important to Holden. Every time he went, there would be something different about him but the place would remain intact, nothing would change, everything was in the exact same place where it was the last time he was there. This place is symbolic because it reflects Holden 's desire for things to stay the same way they are, whether they are in a crystal case or on the floor. In addition to that, Holden wishes things would be less complex and maybe he would be able to solve the problems in his
One of the most noticeable symbols in the story is the red hunting hat. The hat symbolizes Holden 's uniqueness and his desire to be the one who stands out from the crowd. He also uses the hat as a method to avoid people. "What I did was, I pulled the old peak of my hunting hat around to the front, then pulled it way down over my eyes. That way I couldn 't see a thing." (Salinger, 21) The way the hat looks, makes Holden different from the people around him, making him a lonely person, which brings a bigger issue, Holden 's desire …show more content…
Holden always wondered where the ducks went during the winter and he would ask people and no one seemed to know what he was talking about or at least be concerned. " 'You know those ducks in that lagoon right near Central Park South? That little lake? By any chance, do happen to know where they go, the ducks, when it gets all frozen over? Do you happen to know by any chance? '" (60) Holden 's desire to know where the ducks went would give him insight to his own life and where to go and what do to do when things around him got a little rough. The racing skates also have a symbolic meaning, the racing skates Holden wanted may be perceived as a way to get away from life and start from scratch one more …show more content…
Allie 's baseball glove reminds Holden of his deceased younger brother who died of leukemia. The idea that his brother died often torments Holden and when he thinks about it, his prospect on life changes. Holden feels a lot worse about Allie 's death because he was one of the few people Holden thought was not a phony in a place where everyone around him was. Also, the Museum of Natural History is important to Holden. Every time he went, there would be something different about him but the place would remain intact, nothing would change, everything was in the exact same place where it was the last time he was there. This place is symbolic because it reflects Holden 's desire for things to stay the same way they are, whether they are in a crystal case or on the floor. In addition to that, Holden wishes things would be less complex and maybe he would be able to solve the problems in his