Symbolism in "The Catcher in the Rye" by Holden

One of the most significant themes in Catcher in the Rye is Holden's loss of innocence. Holden, as the novel progresses, shows a lack of innocence and an introduction to the "real world". Holden attempts to grasp back at his previous innocence as a base for his emotions. There are various symbols and events throughout the novel that discuss Holden's loss of innocence.
One of the most significant of these is the glove belonging to Holden's deceased brother, Allie. This glove reminds Holden of his youthful fruitfulness and his unending love as a child. As Holden matures and enters adolescence he begins to lose this sense of love. The fact that he went to a boarding school may have contributed to this loss of love due to the fact that he was surrounded by phonies.…