Essay On Holden Caulfield

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There are many pieces that help with the readers understanding of Holden’s complex personality. He is often represented through things such as the museum he visited as a child, and his red hunting hat. There are also people that help with the reader’s greater understanding of Holden such as; his siblings Phoebe and Allie, also characters like Old Spencer. In The Cather in the Rye by S.D. Salinger there are certain symbols and characters that are very important to our understanding of our main character Holden Caulfield.
One symbol that stands out very clearly in the novel that helps with the readers understanding of Holden is the Museum of Natural History. Since his childhood visits, the museum has not changed at all. On a walk to the museum …show more content…
One that was very important is his deceased brother Allie. Holden and his brother were very close, and his passing made a grave mark on Holden’s life, and caused a large amount of damage emotionally. Allie is a key symbol of innocence, and can even be referred to as an eternal figure for innocence because he died during his childhood. Allie helps with the reader’s realization of Holden’s disgust with the transformation into adulthood. Another character that helps with the understanding of Holden’s personality is Old Spencer. Holden is afraid of growing up and adulthood, so when he visited Old Spencer he revealed many of the things he was disgusted by with elderly people. “…there were pills and medicine all over the place, and everything smelled like Vicks nose drops. It was pretty depressing...” (Salinger 7). Holden is very uncomfortable around Old Spencer, and it makes him realize how much he isn’t ready to grow old. He has a visual example of how he could look and it just makes Holden depressed and sickened to see Old Spencer in his pajamas, and sickly. Phoebe his sister is a living symbol of innocence, but she is growing up and Holden can see how his sister is changing, and being corrupted by the world. During an argument Holden realizes that it is unavoidable that she will grow up ““So shut up.” It was the first time she ever told me to shut up. It sounded terrible. God it sounded terrible”
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