1. The Catcher in the Rye

2. Themes/Topics Phonies/Social Pressures “phony” implies snobbery
Watch for these themes during your reading of the novel. You will be expected to pull examples of each theme out of the novel.
Phonies/Social Pressures
“phony” implies snobbery
Holden hates phonies

3. Themes 2. Growing up/ Loss of Innocence/Identity Formation
Holden is at the in between stage of life, in between a child and an adult.
Holden wants to be accepted by children and adults, however, he doesn’t fit into either category.

4. Themes 3. Conformity vs. Resistance
How does Holden conform to his environment? What is society asking from teenagers?
4. Perception of Truth/ Is it ok to lie?
Holden considers himself an honest person but is he really?
5. Alienation/ Isolation/Depression

5. Symbolism “Catcher in the Rye”
By: JD Salinger

6. Symbols
Symbols are objects, characters, figures, and colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.

7. SYMBOLS 1. the ducks 2. the carousel 3. the museum of natural science
4. Allie’s baseball mitt
5. the red hunting hat
6. Phoebe’s notebooks
7. the catcher in the rye

8. DUCKS IN THE POND Childhood Innocence
Holden sees it, because it is “partly frozen and partly not frozen.” The pond is in transition between two states, just as Holden is in transition between childhood and adulthood

9. THE CAROUSEL Life at its best possibilities Innocence, childhood
Happiness

10. THE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
Everything stays the same
Unchanging
Simple
Predictable
                                     Jurassaic

11. Allie’s Baseball Mitt Reminds him of his brother.
Allie’s authentic uniqueness
Privacy (has shown it to only Jane outside his family)

12. RED HUNTING HAT Uniqueness Symbol of his alienation
Attachment to childhood
Protection/comfort
Reminds him of Phoebe and Allie.

13.                                                                                                                            
PHOEBE’S NOTEBOOK
Not phony, authentic
Childlike
Innocence

14. CATCHER IN THE RYE Holden’s dream Holden’s job/purpose
Protector of innocence
In Chapter 22, when Phoebe asks Holden what he wants to do with his life, he replies with his image, from the song, of a “catcher in the rye.” Holden imagines a field of rye perched high on a cliff, full of children romping and playing. He says he would like to protect the children from falling off the edge of the cliff by “catching” them if they were on the verge of tumbling over.