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This blog is set up for students in Ms. Beebe's Grade 12 English - Comprehensive Focus - classes at MMC. All students must use the blog to share and show their learning as we read this great "coming of age" novel, THE CATCHER IN THE RYE, by J.D. Salinger. Post regularly and post often.
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Seems to me there may be a lot of things in this novel that are symbols. So far, I'm thinking about the red hunting hat. What might it represent? Keep your eyes open for other possible symbols and don't be afraid to discuss them in your posts.
ReplyDeleteThe red hunting hat is a symbol of Holdens uniqueness and individuality. The hat is very bright and stands out. It shows that Holden wants to be different from everyone else. But as well Holden doesn't wear the hat around people he know, so it might be that he is self-conscious.
ReplyDeleteThe red hair on Allie also could be a symbol linking to the red hat. Maybe Holden is trying to be like his brother was, the perfect child.
ReplyDeleteAnother symbol in this book is when Stradleater beats up Holden. This symbolizes how life itself has beaten up Holden and how he just takes it and does nothing, seemingly uncaring about anything that matters in his life. For example, he has gotten kicked out of numerous schools. His younger brother, Allie died and he broke his hand out of frustration, partially crippling it. His older brother, D.B. "sold out" and became a Hollywood writer. Up to this point in the novel there has been nothing that we know about that has really gone right in Holden's life and the scene where he gets beaten is the pinnacle of that.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sofia. I think he might want to be like his brother Allie, but it might also be a way for him to feel like he's still connected to his brother.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Adam says, everything in Holden life has been a disaster from what we hear. The only ray of hope, or anything that makes him happy seems to be this girl, Jane.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sofia. I think that maybe Jane will be that thing that will turn Holden from the tough guy that he is now, to a sweet and caring guy. Keep our fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteI think that the red hunting hat isn't just a symbol in colour, but in the way he wears it. He always has it on his head backwards, & I think this may represent how he is a little 'rebellious', for one. Also, that he's not afraid to show he's a little odd, because he even admits that it's kind of corny. That, & more importantly, that even he may be a little bit 'backwards'. Obviously, Holden has some issues, & it's made him a little bit off his rocker.
ReplyDeleteAlso, at the end of chapter seven, he goes on about how one time his mom bought him the wrong kind of ice skates. He also claims that almost every time someone gives him a present, it makes him sad. I think this is a symbol for people who have tried to help him, or make his life better, but it was never really good enough for him. Possibly because he's too stubborn to be positive, or because no one has ever really understood what he really means & really needs for help.
ReplyDeleteWell i also noticed that Holden wore the hat when people could see him, like in his room with Stradlater, or when ackley was in his room, or anywhere really, where someone could see him. Yet when he had his other hat, the one with the ear flaps that he had walking to the train station, he wore it because nobody was around to see him.
ReplyDeleteI wonder why Holden feels the need to compulsively lie to people? He seems so confident and coy yet by lying does it show us that he is really ashamed?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Jasmine about him being ashamed of himself, but i also think that he is trying to change himself so that he can get attention. It seems to me like all his other siblings get more attention then he does, which would really make sense because his borther died and that makes a huge impact on the family and the fact that his little brother was so smart, it seems like he wants to be like him and get that attention and the same attention that his older brother gets from being a writer.
ReplyDeleteI agree also, I think Holden is ashamed that he can't live up to his siblings accomplishments so he acts out and lies to people to seem cooler or to get away from things when he gets scared or nervous.
ReplyDeleteHolden has his head wrapped around Jane, who at the moment is unattainable. Allie is the same, but unnatainable in a differant way. It seems as though Holden is at the bottom of an iced up hill and can never seem to scramble to the top where his wants and dreams are. He's always chasing after things he can not get, as if he is on some kind of proverbial treadmill... Could be why he's always running from school to school, place to place.
ReplyDeleteJasmine, I think that you're right. I do agree that Holden is ashamed of something, I think it might be that he can't succeed in the things he does, as in being kicked out of numerous schools. Yet, he wants to try to prove himself to strangers, and even friends, making himself seem high and mighty, compared to what is really happening in his life.
ReplyDeleteI don't really think he is ashamed. I think he is more insecure with people due to the fact of his loss he can't open up with people anymore and has to hide behind made up names and lies to keep from people to really know him that or because he doesn't want to get close and end-up getting hurt. i don't think he is ashamed and even if he was I don't think he really cares.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sofia that Allie's bright red hair has a link to the red hat. That was my first thought when I was reading the book. But I disagree the he's trying to be like his brother or ashamed that he couldn't live up to his brother's accomplishments. Like, that makes sense, but to me, that doesn't seem like the reasoning behind the hat. If Holden has anything to be ashamed about, it's letting his brother's death get the best of him. I more so think Holden just really misses his brother and wearing the hat maybe makes him feel like his brother is with him. When his brother died, he smashed all the windows in the garage and in chapter 8 he becomes really lonely. When he's on the train he tucks the hat into his pocket, keeping it with him at all times, so I think Holden just really wants his brother back. The red hat might be more like a security blanket to him.
ReplyDeleteAnother symbol will be left-handed baseball mitt. Holden kept that mitt with him, because it was his brother's mitt and it means alot to him. His brother Allie passed away and the baseball mitt was the symbol of the great admiration that Holden had for his younger brother. It brought comfort to him.
ReplyDeletewhy did Holden do Stradlater's homework for him..?
ReplyDelete