If you really want to hear about it, there is alot of symbolism in Catcher in the Rye. This novel, written by J.D. Salinger, utilizes symbols to portray different themes. Of thesesymbols there are three that are strongly related to Holden. The operation, being amadman, and stepping of a curb all play a vital role in the novel by J.D. Salinger.Holden is a very disturbed individual. Every since the death of his little brother,Allie, he has been going crazy. Holden even describes himself as a madman. Holdentalked about being a madman while he was talking to the cab driver. Holden asked wherethe ducks went when the weather got cold. The cab driver thought this was a strangequestion and turned around to look at Holden like he was a madman (60). The cabbythought that it was an absurd question because everyone knew that the ducks went southfor the winter. That is why the cab drive turned around to look at Holden like he wascrazy. Another instance where Holden mentioned the madman was while talking toSunny, the prostitute. Sunny came to Holdens place because he wanted to have sex withher. Instead, Holden didnt want to have sex, but he wanted to talk. Sunny thought thatthis was very odd of Holden to want to talk to a prostitute, rather than have sex, so shelooked at him as if he were a madman (95). Going along with the madman theme is the operation that Holden talks about. Theoperation he is always talking about is a brain operation. He speaks of it while on the trainwith Mrs. Morrow. She asked Holden to visit her and her son during the break. However, Holden didnt want to so he told her that he had to have this operation (58). Another time that Holden mentions the operation is with Sunny. While they are talkingHolden tells her he had an operation (96). He tells Sunny about having an operation because she wonders why he does not want to have sex with her. In both cases, there issomething wrong with Holden, and he knows it. ...
