The Catcher in the Rye - Symbol

Symbols, which stand for something beyond themselves, are everywhere around us. Red octagon signs along the street, flag with a maple leaf, and skeleton on a chemical container; we all know what they mean. In the book The Catcher in the Rye, there are symbols that represent some of the important ideas and they lead the readers to figure out the hidden meaning behind their representations. Three of the most significant symbols in the book are Holden’s red hunting hat, the Museum of Natural History and the ducks in the Central Park Lagoon.

One of the most significant symbols throughout the story is Holden’s red hunting hat. This catchy, long-peaked hat demonstrates the symbol of uniqueness, innocence and Holden’s need of security. Holden bought it when he was in New York, after he lost the equipment of the fencing team. Since the early part of the story, Holden has said that he hates phonies and there are phonies all around the places. He puts his red hunting hat on, staying unique to express he is not one of them. The hat is important to him because its red colour makes him feel connected with his dead brother Allie and his younger sister Phoebe, who are always innocent in his mind, since both of them have red hair. Innocence is what Holden always looks for. Putting this hat on, he can at least feel a little bit of innocent as this is what Allie and Phoebe mean to him. Also, the hat acts as an insulator which gives him sense of security. When Holden wants to escape from the world or suppress his emotions, “he put [his] red hunting on, and turned the peak around to the back, the way [he] liked it.” (catcher 52) The hat makes him stay calm when he feels frustrated or angry. He always wears it at important moments, such as writing a composition about Allie’s baseball mitt, after fighting with Stradlater, leaving school and yelling “Sleep tight, ya morons!” (Catcher 52) However, it is worth noting that he only wears it in private. When he leaves Pency, he mentioned...