Symbolism in Catcher in the Rye

All significant novels have important symbols and meanings implicitly woven into their storyline. Within each successful book is a delicately introduced thematic idea of which the author has intentionally created for his audience. It is the readers' obligation to recognize these underlying messages and analyze them based on their connections to the surrounding text. Within Salinger's literary journey, The Catcher in the Rye, many important symbols can be found in the text as they pertain to the main character, Holden Caulfield's, life. Many figurative elements in the story can be found throughout the words spoken to the narrator, by those who are close to him. These quotations may seem one-sided at first, yet after close examination and a sufficient understanding of Caulfield's journey, the author's true literary intentions begin to emerge.

Perhaps the first important quotation included by Salinger to provide insight to the reader occurs in chapter two when Holden is speaking to a former teacher just before leaving his high school. Spencer, Caulfield's teacher, is lecturing Holden on the importance of succeeding in life when he states, "Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules." Holden replies by saying, "Yes, sir. I know it is. I know it." Consequently, Holden thinks to himself, "Game, my ass. Some game. If you get on the side where all the hot-shots are, then it's a game, all right--I'll admit that. But if you get on the other side, where there aren't any hot-shots, then what's a game about it? Nothing. No game." This first interaction with an adult instantly gives us an insight into an aspect of Holden's personality. We see the way he reacts to ridicule, although constructive, as well as a hint of disdain toward adults, apparent through his silent aggression that is blanketed with an acquiescent surface and nodding head. The symbolism of this manner is later applicable when he begins speaking in more detail about his parents. He appears to be very bitter early on in the book and we are slowly given pieces of information that could be contributing to his chronic sullenness.

Another significant symbol pertaining to Holden's life is a short passage that can be found in chapter three, where he is talking to his roommate, Ackley, on his last night in the dorms. Although brief, this passage is substantially significant due to the subject pertaining to Holden's new hat; an important symbol that reoccurs numerous times throughout the story. As Caulfield is aimlessly chatting with Ackley, he decides to show him the purchase he made earlier that day. Upon presenting the cap, Ackley states, "Up home we wear a hat like that to shoot deer in, for Chrissake. "That's a deer shooting hat." Holden replies, "Like hell it is." He then adds, "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," Holden says. "I shoot people in this hat." The headwear is important symbolically as it represents his longing for independence. We also become aware of his simultaneous feeling of alienation. Although exaggerating when he states his intent to shoot people while wearing the hat, we find that he tends to "shoot" them mentally by belittling them in a condescending manner as he thinks to himself. His desire for independence, therefore, is fueled by the feeling that the world is corrupt and uncongenial; merely deserving of derision.

Subsequently, we are later given an insight toward one of Holden's significant insecurities that is not explicitly spoken of in the text. When Caulfield returns to a childhood relic, the natural history museum, he begins stating things that please him. Although this is rather uncharacteristic of the individual we have been reading about for the past sixteen chapters, we are able to gain important information about one of the very few things that make him happy. When describing the museum he states, "The best thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was. Nobody'd move. . . . Nobody'd be different. The only thing that would be different would be you." Caulfield