Catcher in the Rye Analysis

In the novel The Catcher in the Rye, Holden's red hunting hat serves the purpose of his need to be different and signs of his vulnerability. In the beginning of the book, while running to Mr. Spencer's house, Holden describes the night as "terrifically cold", his situation being "I was really frozen. My ears were hurting..."(5) Despite being the perfect night for the hat, Holden is without it. However, shortly after he gets jostled up by Mr. Spencer concerning his future and less-then-excellence history paper, Holden returns home to his heated and "cozy" room and sports the red hunting hat.

"And then I put on this hat that I'd bought in New York that morning. I saw it in the window of this sports store when we got out of the subway, just after I noticed I'd lost all the goddam foils." (17)

Holden had angered his team earlier by leaving the fencing equipment on the subway, a situation that could cause any teenager to feel alone or vulnerable. Later on, we notice the hat appearing in important and personal scenes: the writing composition about Allie's baseball mitt, examining himself in the mirror after his big fight with Stradlater, and leaving Pencey.

So far, Holden's use of this odd accessary is done in private, commonly taken off in typical public places. Therefore, while enjoying the way the hat looks on him, its "corny" persona could be an embarrassment to a young boy and could possibly damage the way people perceive him.

Now, Holden comes off as someone who could care less about what people have to say considering his dislike for most of them he meets. However, the few people he does tolerate coincidentally ties back to the hat at one point. Upon a night of drinking, Holden shows his hat to a hat-check girl, who liked it and made him wear it before he went outside. This seemingly unimportant character is referred to as "nice" and "all right"; pretty interesting vocabulary for a boy who refers to most as "phonies". In a sense, the hat check girl is admiring Holden's differences and insisting upon them.

Near the end, Holden ends up giving the hat to his little sister Phoebe, who he's incredibly close to. "She really likes those kind of hats" (180) which is basically like saying: she really likes Holden. Later on, Holden meets up with his sister again and probably wouldn't have found her if it wasn't for one special accessory.

"The reason I saw her, she has my crazy hunting hat on-you could see that hat about ten miles away." (205).

This puts all Holden's insecurities about being different into perspective because the hat makes you stand out, it picks you from a crowd, it helps you see clearly.

In the novel, Catcher in the Rye, Phoebe is the only person that Holden seems "himself" around because, unlike the "phonies" (adults) he deals with on a regular basis, she is still a young child who has yet to be hit with the corruption of life. Her innocence makes her "somebody with sense" and Holden feels like he can really connect with her.

"I mean if you tell old Phoebe something, she knows exactly what the hell you're talking about. I mean you can take her anywhere with you." (67)

The ability to understand exactly what he means is what Holden admires in little sister; she shares his mind set and understands his opinions and character. Therefore, Holden doesn't find the need to constantly explain himself like he usually does. Overall, the connection with his little sister provides Holden with a safe place to land because he constantly struggles on seeing eye-to-eye with others.

Another interesting fact that we see recurring is Holden associating the term "old" with Phoebe's name, similar to the novel The Great Gatsby when Gatsby calls Nick "Old sport". This is simply a term of endearment and, in relation with the time period, it's a sign that they are good friends who enjoy and admire each other. Despite being only 10, Phoebe is donned this "nickname" because she serves the greatest purpose in Holden's troubled life.

"Old" Phoebe becomes a rarity in the story because it touches down on what it's like before you grow up. Holden cherishes that time in someone's life because he cannot stand the phonies.

In the novel Catcher in the Rye, Holden gives two nuns 10 dollars while eating his breakfast. He starts off by observing their cheap suitcases and bland breakfast of toast and coffee, stating: "I hate it when somebody has cheap suitcases" (108) and "That depressed me" (110). Despite his bitter and seemingly cold reaction to something so harmless, Holden still gives an incredibly generous amount of money to them. However, he eventually comes to regret his decision, realizing he needed money for his date with Sally Hayes.

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