Holden’s Hunting Hat

Holden’s red hunting hat is a symbol that represents a conflict in his desire; although Holden feels isolated from the world, he is ultimately seeking companionship, and these opposing traits can be examined in his wearing of the hat.

Holden never discloses the hat’s significance, other than that it is out of the ordinary and unusual in its appearance. There is uniqueness about the hat, and this gives him a sense of individuality. Holden is constantly trying to separate himself from the ‘phony’ world that surrounds him, and in wearing the hat, he feels unique in the same way it is.

The hat also represents Holden’s desire to self-protect; when wearing it, he signals to the external world of his otherness, and in doing so establishes a safe distance between himself and the world around him. The book is fundamentally concerned with bridging the gulf between internal and external worlds.

It is interesting to observe that Holden rarely wears the hat when he is around people that he already knows. He always mentions when he is wearing it, which gives rise to a sense of self-consciousness that is at odds with his desire to be comfortable as an individual.

The red hunting hat that Holden wears has become an enduring symbol of twentieth century American literature, and is arguably the most important symbol in the text.

Where Do The Ducks Go?

Throughout the novel, Holden is struggling to come to terms with growing up and losing some of the pure self-containment of youth. His unwavering curiosity about where the ducks in the Central Park Lagoon disappear to in winter reveals the youthful side of his personality, and the recurrent question he poses to those he meets indicates his unwillingness to relinquish the naivety of youth. This is obviously directly at odds with the very adult emotions he is susceptible to.

Just as Holden finds himself in the transition from childhood to adulthood, so the lake is in transition between being frozen and unfrozen. This also represents the world he exists in, which sits in a fixed yet malleable state. After his brother Allie’s death, Holden becomes transfixed by the notion of disappearance and terrified by the idea of change. The cyclical nature of the duck’s migration shows Holden that not all change is permanent. The permanent change in his life brought about by Allie’s death conflicts with Holden’s developing understanding that not all change is concrete. The ducks will return in spring.

The Natural History Museum

The museum exhibits and displays hold a symbolic value for Holden; he finds the permanence of the displays very appealing, especially in contrast to a world that is ever changing.

Holden tells us that whenever he visits the museum, he struggles to accept the fact that it is him that is the changeable factor – the museum exhibits remain the same, but each time he visits, he is forced to confront the fact that he is growing up. Holden wishes he could live in a world of permanence, and the museum displays are just that.

Holden is a character that hates conflict and he fears meeting new people. The unwavering museum display is infinite – and he understands this, it never changes, and he craves the same security in his own life.