Symbolism “Catcher in the Rye”

Symbolism “Catcher in the Rye” By: JD Salinger

Symbols • Symbols are objects, characters, figures, and colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.

What does a flag symbolize?

What does a heart symbolize?

What does this object symbolize?

What does this picture symbolize?

What does this button symbolize and where would you find it?

SYMBOLS • 1. the ducks • 2. the carousel • 3. the gold ring • 4. the museum of natural science • 5. the fish in the pond • 6. the catcher in the rye • 7. the mummies • 8. Phoebe’s notebooks • 9. the red hunting hat

DUCKS IN THE POND • Childhood • Innocence • Holden sees it, because it is “partly frozen and partly not frozen.” The pond is in transition between two states, just as Holden is in transition between childhood and adulthood

THE CAROUSEL • Life at its best possibilities • Innocence, childhood • Happiness

THE GOLD RING • Independence • Growing up • Taking risks • Holden's thought that "the thing with kids is, if they want to grab for the gold ring, you have to let them do it, and not say anything. If they fall off, they fall off, but it's bad if you say anything to them."

THE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY • Everything stays the same • Unchanging • Simple • Predictable Jurassaic

FISH IN THE POND • Isolation • Trapped • Loneliness • Holden’s life

CATCHER IN THE RYE • Holden’s dream • Holden’s job/purpose • Protector of innocence • In Chapter 22, when Phoebe asks Holden what he wants to do with his life, he replies with his image, from the song, of a “catcher in the rye.” Holden imagines a field of rye perched high on a cliff, full of children romping and playing. He says he would like to protect the children from falling off the edge of the cliff by “catching” them if they were on the verge of tumbling over.

THE MUMMIES • Unchanging • Death • Last forever

PHOEBE’S NOTEBOOK • Not phony • Childlike • Innocence

RED HUNTING HAT • Uniqueness • Allie • Phoebe • Protection/comfort

SYMBOLISM

Symbolism “Catcher in the Rye”