Chapter Notes On Holden 's Life

Holden's constantly telling that he is different from everyone else, who he defines as "phonies", wearing his hunting cap to make him standout in society, and inability to make a social contact with a Jane Gallagher, who he constantly brings up, are just a few lucid examples of his self-alienation of society. Holden feels and uses this alienation to protect himself from the harshness of society is this constant defense mechanism eventually leads to his

While Holden was in New York for a fencing competition, he purchased a red hunting hat and this hat has come up numerous times during important parts of the story. For example, when Holden was writing about Allie’s baseball mitt and after he left Pencey. Holden wears his hat as a way to show who he really is, even though he is not comfortable wearing it in public , “I put my red hunting hat on, and turned the peak around to the back, the way I liked it,”(Salinger 68). Although Holden feels embarrassed when he wears his hat out in public it is a way for him to feel more confident in his own skin rather than being depressed all the time. The red hunting hat is a symbol shown again and again about who Holden really is as a person. It shows that he likes and enjoys doing unusual things, but at the same time is cautious about where he wears his favorite

Holden has very noble goals, he wants to protect children’s innocence. He says to his little sister “‘Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody’s around-nobody big, I mean-except me. And I’m standing on the edge of

“It was a red hunting hat, with one of these very, very long peaks… It only cost me a buck. The way I wore it, I swung the old peak way around to the back- very corny. I’ll admit, but I liked it that way. I looked good in it that way.” (Salinger, 21)

Throughout the novel, Holden attempts to find the true from of himself as he struggles with the social interactions around him. Due to the struggle and confusion that arouses from it,

Holden’s red hunting hat is one of the main symbols in the book, The Catcher in the Rye. The hat represents individuality and uniqueness. It symbolizes the confidence, self esteem, and comfort in who someone is. Holden is only willing to express himself when he is alone, with no one around. He looks for approval. Holden does not want to be seen negatively in any way. The hat is a symbol that Holden uses to tell Phoebe that she should always stay the same. Also, to tell her that she should be confident in whom she is, but, as Holden knows, Confidence and self-esteem can be easily broken. In The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger uses Holden’s red hunting hat to symbolize Holden’s uniqueness and a sense security and comfort.

This quote is from Holden’s conversation with Mr. Spencer. Mr. Spencer is his former history teacher, who has asked Holden to meet and discuss about the latter’s situation at Pencey. Mr. Spencer tries to understand Holden and is probably one of the few people who tries to point Holden in the right direction. This conversation is significant because Holden is lectured about the importance of playing by the rules. Likewise, through this talk, Holden shows his isolation and victimization. He identifies himself as the victim on the ‘other’ side of the game where everyone is against him. At this point, Holden shouldn’t have any grudges because he’s from a good family, and he’s a bright guy when he applies himself. His bitterness is also understandable as he’s only trying to protect himself from the perplexing games of the world.

The goal that that Holden has to try so hard to fulfil is symbolic of his need to differentiate himself from the "phonies" around him. Holden’s image of people is pretty bad because he believes no one acts how they truly feel. Growing up scares Holden because it leads to adulthood. In his eyes once he hits adulthood, it'll eventually lead into the same phoniness as the rest of the adults. His constant avoidance and dodging of people and situations causes him to become more and more distant from normal society and social stability.

Many times throughout the book Holden starts having strong feelings for a particular person for no reason at all. It is very confusing for

Holden's hunting hat also shows symbolism of different moods and feelings he may be experiencing. First, the fact that it was a "hunting hat" symbolizes that he is searching for himself. And second, there is a pattern as to the way he wears he hat. When he is in a lost and depressed mood he would "turn peak around to the back" (Salinger 45), when he was in a good mood he would "pull the peak…around to the front" (Salinger 34). There is no specific sequence in these changes, his hat turns with his mood. It is as if the hat is directing him and comforting him in his quest to find himself.

Holden felt a need to isolate himself, he also had a need to love.  He

The speaker of this quotation is Mr. Spencer and he is addressing it to Holden they are in Mr. Spencer's room. The significance is that life is unfair and life is a game and you have to play by the rules

Spencer, Mr. Spencer told him that life was a game, “’Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules.’ ‘Yes, sir. I know it is. I know it.’ Game, my ass,” (8), this shows that Holden is lying about how he really feels about Mr. Spencer’s advice to avoid having to explain himself. Holden does not want anyone to think he disagrees with them, and for that he is a phony.

When Holden speaks to Mr. Spencer, Mr. Spencer describes life as a game that has to be played by the rules. Holden responds with a polite retort, but then, to the readers, explains, “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” (Salinger, 12-13). Holden feels that he has been left out of this game and convinces himself that it would

The people and places around influence us and make us who we are. Holden view on the world was made from the people and places around him. This view makes him very bitter towards the world, and sets his morals, values, and attitude. During a conversation Holden has with his teacher Spencer, Spencer says,“‘Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules.’” to which Holden thinks: “Game, my a**. 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