The Mysteries of Holden Caulfield In The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger there are many insights about Holden Caulfield revealed by symbols, which would otherwise remain unclear. School, the checkerboard, the museum, and cigarettes and alcohol are all symbolic of Holden. These symbols tell us things about Holden that he doesn't tell us straight out. This essay will discuss many symbols in the book and what they tell us about Holden. The …showed first 75 words of 848 total…

…showed last 75 words of 848 total…Allie had died. When Stradlater read the paper about the mitt, he criticized Holden and the paper. Holden got uncomfortable and tore up the paper. This event made him very cautious about going into his past again. The museum shows us about Holden's cautious side. He always does whatever he feels like. He fails school, drinks, smokes, and gets in fights, but he just can't relive his past. It is one of his largest obstacles.