What Does Holden's Hat Symbolize

1) Page 16: Holden explains that his hat represents his individuality. Even though his hat looks “very corny” turned around, he likes that it looks different from the way anyone else would wear

Reaching the very end of the novel there are several events that lead up to the conclusion that Holden evolves as a dynamic character. The last few contributions include Holden sitting in the rain while Phoebe goes on the carousel, and finally when readers learn Holden must have entered some sort of a mental institution. While waiting for Phoebe he sits on a bench as it starts raining and thinks to himself, “My hunting hat really gave me quite a lot of protection, in a way, but I got soaked anyway. I didn’t care, though.”(Salinger 213). One of the symbolic objects Holden keeps throughout the novel is the hat because it is comforting and gives him the feeling of protection. In this particular part of the novel it is clear that the hat can no longer protect him from entering the adult world. An English novelist Malcolm Bradbury expresses his opinion when writing, “Some seem to suggest a role for Holden in relation to childhood—he can be a catcher in the rye, the adult who is the protector of childish innocence. Over these episodes, Holden obviously develops and his attitudes change. He is hunting for his own

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

Furthermore, both Salinger and Shelley display an effective use of motifs which also assist in demonstrating the theme of innocence and corruption. The most recognized motif used by Salinger is without a doubt Holden’s red hunting hat. Salinger suggests that the hat is a symbol of Holden’s uniqueness and individuality. The hat is a bit strange, which shows Holden’s desire to be different from everyone else, thus isolating himself from others. It is worth noticing that the colour of the hat, red, is the same as that of Allie and Phoebe’s hair. Perhaps Holden associates his hat with the

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” (8). Holden does not understand Spencer’s metaphor. Holden believes that life can only be a game if people are given advantages. From his point of view, he is one of the unlucky ones, but in reality he is on the side with the hot-shots, because he is given many advantages that others are not. Salinger emphasizes Holden’s immaturity in a very subtle way by having Holden’s authority figures always calling him “boy”. Both Mr. Spencer and Mr. Antolini call Holden “boy”. Of Spencer, Holden says, “I wished to hell he’d stop calling me ‘boy’ all the time” (12) and then later on, Antolini tells Holden, “You’re a very, very strange boy” (193). Both Mr. Spencer and Mr. Antolini recognize and acknowledge Holden’s immature behaviour in calling him “boy”. This only stresses the fact that Holden cannot seem to realize he is acting more like a child than a teenager. Holden’s red hunting hat is a very important symbol in The Catcher in the Rye. Holden uses this hat as a way to hide from society. He says, “That hat I bought had earlaps in it, and I put them on–I didn’t give a damn how I looked. Nobody was around anyway” (53). Holden thinks that wearing his red hunting hat makes him an individual, but in reality, he will only wear it when no one is around to judge him. It is his immaturity that makes him believe that he is being unique,

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.

Can a hat really provide a person with emotion, or for that matter, can a hat ever protect a person from their own emotions? In the book The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger the image of the main character’s red hunting hat comes up many times. Holden, the main character buys a hat while he is in New York with his school fencing team. Holden has just been kicked out of his school because for academic reasons, he decides to leave his school before the winter break starts, so he goes to New York. Steering clear from his family, except for his sister, he stays there for about three days on his own. During this time a lot happens to Holden, causing him to grow up. Holden’s hat is a metaphor for Holden’s growing up; in the beginning

Ackley asks about his hat and describes it as a ‘deer shooting’ hat. Holden agrees, but not in a literal sense. He doesn’t actually shoot people while wearing the hat, but he does denigrate people mentally. Holden seems to have a derision for the norms, thus believing the world’s an ugly place. Accordingly, he chooses to be independent. This individuality leads him to a sort of alienation, eventually leading to bitterness, thus the “I shoot people in this hat” quote. Holden’s hat is a symbol of his independence and

There is also a sense of self-consciousness that surrounds the hat as well. Holden never fails to mention when he is going to wear the hat and even removes the hat when he is going to be around people he knows, because "it was corny" but he "liked it that way." His self-consciousness of his hat therefore introduces a new component to the theme: Holden's want for isolation versus his desire for companionship.

Phoebe is the only one left that truly cares about Holden. Aside from her, he is completely alone. Holden isolates himself as a way to cope with reality despite his need for human connection. His red hunting hat serves as a symbol of how he deals with uncomfortable situations. When talking to other people he will have his hat on, pretending to be someone he’s not. When he is by himself, his hat is off and his true thoughts are exposed. A good example is when he awakes to Mr. Antolini stroking his hair, causing Holden to remember bad experiences

The red hunting is seen as a symbol of protection towards Holden.’’I was sort of crying. I don’t know why. I put on my red hunting hat on and turned the peak around the back, the way I liked it, and then I yelled at the top my goddamn lungs,’’ is a quote from chapter seven and it shows how the hat protects him from the darkness and phonies of the real-life world. Holden feels as if the hat is a sort of armor and he becomes indomitable when he wears it. People today have a special item that makes them feel strong and invulnerable so that is how many people will feel a connection towards Holden.

In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, Holden, the main character, buys a red hunting hat in New York City the morning he left his team’s fencing equipment on the subway. Holden “…swung the old peak way around to the back- very corny” (Salinger 18). Holden is embarrassed to wear his hat in public places, but not when he is in private. Holden bought the hat to be unique and to show his individuality. Walking back to the hotel, Holden put his red hunting hat on. He didn’t care “…how [he] looked. [He] even put the earlaps down” (Salinger 88). Holden’s hat becomes an important symbol because it shows how Holden wants to see himself. He can be as tough and as unique as he wants when he is wearing his hat. While Phoebe is riding the

Holden is outspoken about his anger and frustrations, but Holden is also a confused teen that is apprehensive about people's view of him. When describing his hat, Holden subtly divulges his insecurities when he says, "It only cost me a buck. The way I wore it, I swung the old peak around to the back-very corny, I"ll admit, but I liked it that way"(18). Holden expresses that he has a particular style of wearing the red hunting hat; he has his own unique and individual identity. However, Holden knows that his "corny" and bizarre way of wearing his hat is unfashionable under societal norms. Therefore, Holden is pressured into doubt and suppressed of his definitive character by the superficiality and phoniness of adult society. Again, the red hunting hat manifests Holden's ambivalence about his individuality and character as Holden puts on his red hunting hat after he "knew [he] wouldn't meet anybody that knew [him]..."(122). Holden conveys a worrying consciousness about encountering a person he knows when he his donning his red hunting hat as he fears judgement and criticism about his unusual sense of style and character. Internally, Holden is insecure and doubtful about who he is in society so he is cautious in showing his red hunting hat to people. In a metaphorical sense, Holden

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.

One of the literary devices in this novel is symbolism. Holden’s red hunting hat is the symbolic feature that alienates him from society. Ackley tells Holden “Up home we wear a hat like that to shoot deer in, for Chrissake… That’s a deer shooting hat” (Salinger 30), meaning Holden’s hat is only worn while hunting. Holden does not seem to care much for Ackley’s opinion and he wears it anyways. This shows Holden’s individuality and his uncommon desire compared