Symbolism in The Catcher in the Rye Essay Example

How do symbols allow writers to effectively convey the theme of a novel to the reader? The theme of a book presents the novel’s purpose, or why the book should be important to the reader. However, without a way to introduce the reader to the theme, the novel’s intentions may not be grasped by the reader. J.D. Salinger consistently uses symbolism throughout The Catcher in The Rye to prove that the loss of innocence is not only inevitable, but also a natural part of life for humanity. In The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger uses symbols such as Jane, the broken record, and the profane messages that Holden encounters in order to suggest that the loss of innocence cannot be avoided. 

Jane Gallagher was a childhood friend of Holden, the novel’s narrator. He worries that Jane will not appear as her old self, as he knows her maturing is unavoidable. For example, when asked why he does not go to see her, Holden claims that he “is not in the mood” (Salinger 37). Holden makes excuses for not wanting to go see Jane, as he fears that she won’t be the same innocent child that he once used to be friends with. Since Holden understands how maturing is unpreventable, he is compelled to not ruin his perfect image of the Jane he knew with her grown-up self. Additionally, when Stradlater is about to go on a date with Jane, Holden tells Stradlater to “ask her if she still keeps all her kings in the back row” (Salinger 39). The checkers action Holden references represents how children can do what they want without worrying about rules or consequences. Holden wants to know if Jane stays true to her childish tendencies, or if she has matured. 

Holden purchases a music record as a present for his younger sister, Phoebe. Unfortunately, he drops the record and it breaks, and Holden claims that “they [arent] good for anything” (Salinger 170). The broken record symbolizes lost, or destroyed, childhood innocence, and how innocence holds no value once it is lost. Furthermore, the broken record demonstrates how lost innocence cannot be completely recovered.  However, Holden does not throw the broken pieces away. Instead, he “put them in [his] coat pocket”, since he “didn’t feel like just throwing them away” (Salinger 170). Holden’s decision to keep the broken record shows that although innocence cannot be fully restored once lost, it may still be kept as a memory. 

Profanity is commonly associated with young adults and mature individuals, rather than younger children. An increase in use of profane language can often be a sign of maturity in people, especially adolescents. While Holden walks through Phoebe’s school, he finds that “somebody’d written ‘F**k you’ on the wall” (Salinger 221). Although he wipes it off, he finds another of the same message on a different wall in the school. Holden realizes that he “couldn’t rub out even half the ‘F**k you’ signs in the world” (Salinger 222). Holden's realization relates that one can try to escape his or her entrance into the adult world, but maturing cannot be avoided. 

One of the main themes in The Catcher in the Rye is that the loss of innocence is inevitable, and that one’s childhood cannot be retained forever. J.D Salinger’s use of symbols such as the broken record, the profane messages, and Jane allows him to constructively communicate this idea to the reader. Using this theme, the reader has a better understanding of Holden’s thoughts and emotions throughout the book, and how they translate to the real world. Ergo, the audience is able to extract the true purpose and intentions behind the novel.