The Carousel In The Catcher In The Rye

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We have all been on a carousel at least once as a child, for those who haven’t a carousel is a revolving machine with model horses or other animals in which children ride for amusement. In the Catcher in the Rye, the carousel is a symbol of Holden’s acceptance of his loss of innocence and his realization that he will not be able save other children from growing up. In the novel, Holden said that his dream job would to be the catcher in the rye; he thinks that all the children’s parents are ruining their innocence.
Rather than recognizing that adulthood terrifies and disorients him, Holden creates a dream that adulthood is a universe of unimportance and "phoniness", while youth is a universe of innocence, interest, curiosity, and genuineness. Nothing uncovers his picture of these two …show more content…
He can be a profoundly clever storyteller, and he is well aware of shallow and fake conduct in people around him. All through the novel he experiences many characters that appear to be influenced, vainglorious, or “phony”—Sally Hayes, Carl Luce, and even Mr. Spencer. Sally is a very beautiful young girl who Holden has known and dated for a while. Though Sally is well read, Holden claims that she is “stupid,” although it is difficult to tell whether this judgment is based in reality or purely in Holden’s doubt about being sexually attracted to her. She is certainly more predictable than Holden in her likings and manners. Holden say’s “ I wasn’t too crazy about her I’ve just known her for years”. “No one loses their innocence. It is either taken or given away willingly.” All in all, the novel The Catcher in the Rye is centered on Holden’s desperate attempts to preserve the innocence that is slowly being stripped away from him and those around him. His struggle demonstrates not only the beauty and preciousness of innocence but also the harsh reality that the loss of innocence is
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