According to Dictionary.com, a symbol is something used for, or regarded as, representing something else; a material object representing something, often something immaterial; emblem, token, or sign. In the book The Catcher in the Rye, a novel by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield has multiple things that the reader can tell represents something else . The major symbols in Catcher in the Rye are Holden's red hunting hat, the graffiti on the wall in the school, and the ducks in the lagoon. One of the most important symbols in the book is Holden’s red hunting hat.
Holden has a hat, it is very unique and it represents his individuality and the want to be different. It is also red and that's the color of Phoebes and Allies hair, and he puts them a pedestal. “People with red hair are supposed to get mad very easily, but Allie never did, and he had very red hair(Salinger pg 43).” Holden is telling the reader that Allie has read hair and that he never got mad. Holden is putting Allie again on a pedestal it is very unlikely that a child didn't get mad at something, even if it was a small temper tantrum. “But it was freezing cold, and I took my red hunting hat out of my pocket and put it …show more content…
This bugs Holden more than anything because this place is where he is comfortable and happy. This is a major symbol for how the world is corrupt and vulgar for Holden. “I saw something that drove me crazy(Salinger pg 221).” He tells the reader that he is very mad about something that was written on the walls. “You can’t ever find a place that’s nice and peaceful, because there isn’t any(Salinger pgs 224).” Know that he sees that a lot of his favorite places have bad words on them he sort of matures in the fact that there isn't a perfect place. Even though he might have had a little bit of a wake up call it doesn't mean he won't stop obsessing over the ducks from the