Catcher in the Rye ducks in the pond Symbolism Essay Essay

In The Catcher in the Rye J.D Salinger uses Holdens recurring mentions of the ducks in Central park to reveal the child bid queerness and genuine side to Holdens regularly blunt and overwhelmingly distrustful character. During his first of several taxi rides in the city, Holden, bothered by the aspect of constant replace yet intrigued by the thought of how others cope with change begins to ask his cab driver the whereabouts of the ducks in Central Park when the lake freezes over. hence I thought of something, all of a sudden. Hey, listen, I said. You know those ducks in that lagoon right near Central Park South?That teentsy lake? By any chance, do you happen to know where they go, the ducks, when it gets all rimy over? Do you happen to know, by any chance? I established it was entirely one chance in a million. He turned around and looked at me like I was a madman. Whatre ya tryna do, bud? he said. Kid me? NoI was just interested, thats all. (60). As exemplified by many attr ibutes throughout the book such as the wax museum, Holden finds solace and comfort in things that are constant and gaint change. Holdens interactions are sabotaged by his resentment of phoniness and his prominent and overly judgmental side, constantly overwhelming and undermining the genuine and caring side seen only when Holden feels comforted and welcomed by his environment. His red hunting cap is a nonher symbol of protection for Holden. Ackley took another look at my hat . . .Up headquarters we wear a hat like that to shoot deer in, for Chrissake, he said. Thats a deer injure hat. Like hell it is. I took it off and looked at it. I sort of closed one eye, like I was taking aim at it. This is a people shooting hat, I said. I shoot people in this hat. (22). When Holden says I realized it was only one chance in a million. (60), as he poses his question about the ducks to the cab driver, is his way of people shooting as demonstrated by his cap, a way of making the distinction mi ngled with someone who would answer his question honestly, or someone in his disposition phony, or disingenuous, clouded by the cruel realities of maturity and the bighearted world. This one in a million chance is Holden referring to his realization that the odds of a complete stranger answering his question seriously, are as good as none. Moreover, the continuous change and constant moving in Holdens life, both of which he utterly resents are symbolic of the ducks.Holdens changing from school to school is almost cyclical, as is the migration and the return of the ducks when the syndicate returns to its original allege. Ultimately, Holden finds himself trapped in a state of longing for his childhood, his support use of alcohol and cigarettes and sense of maturity, all a faade, masking his enthusiastic for a life of innocence and honesty. It was partly rigid and partly not frozen. But I didnt see any ducks around. (154). Finally, Holdens state of being is defined by the lago on, not frozen, not unfrozen. He is merely that, in a transition between childhood and adulthood, half frozen and half not, the ducks in the pond being an everlasting symbol for the hesitance he shows to transition to adulthood, and his futile attempts to slow the inevitable process of maturity.