The Catcher in the Rye Characters and Symbols

Flashcards for The Catcher in the Rye unit test study guide, focusing on key characters and symbols.

Ackley

Holden's slovenly, annoying roommate neighbor at Pencey Prep. Represents the social awkwardness and hygiene issues that Holden finds repulsive, yet mirrors Holden's own social difficulties.

Stradlater

Holden's handsome, popular roommate at Pencey Prep. Represents everything Holden despises about 'phoniness'.

Allie

Holden's younger brother who died of leukemia. Represents pure innocence and goodness in Holden's mind.

Jane Gallagher

A girl from Holden's past whom he had a close, innocent relationship with. Represents Holden's idealized vision of innocence and authenticity.

Phoebe

Holden's 10-year-old sister who serves as his emotional anchor and the embodiment of childhood innocence.

Sally Hayes

A girl Holden dates in New York who represents the superficial, privileged world he despises.

Sunny

The young prostitute Holden encounters at the Edmont Hotel. Represents the corruption of innocence that Holden fears most.

D.B.

Holden's older brother who is a Hollywood screenwriter. Represents the compromise of artistic integrity for commercial success.

Carl Luce

Holden's former student advisor, represents intellectual pretension and adult sophistication that Holden both envies and despises.

The Red Hunting Cap

Represents Holden's uniqueness and desire to stand out while simultaneously hiding from the world. Symbol of protection and comfort.

The Ducks in Central Park

Represent Holden's anxiety about change and his search for stability in an unpredictable world.

The Museum of Natural History

Symbolizes Holden's desire for things to remain unchanged and his fear of growing up.

The 'Catcher in the Rye'

Represents Holden's fantasy of protecting children's innocence from the corruption of the adult world.

The Carousel

Symbolizes the cyclical nature of childhood and Holden's acceptance that growing up is natural and inevitable.

Red Hunting Cap Key Moment

 Holden buys it after losing the fencing equipment; he wears it while writing Stradlater's composition; he puts it on Phoebe during their final scene together.

Ducks in Central Park Key Moment

 Holden repeatedly asks taxi drivers about the ducks; he visits the pond himself late at night, finding it partially frozen but not completely.

Museum Key Moment

Holden's detailed memories of childhood visits; his plan to meet Phoebe there; his discovery of profanity written on the walls.

Catcher In The Rye Key Moment

 Holden explains his dream to Phoebe; Phoebe corrects his misquotation of the poem; the title's significance becomes clear as Holden's central motivation.

The Carousel Key Moment

 Holden watches Phoebe ride the carousel in the rain; he realizes he must let her take her own risks; this moment marks his emotional breakthrough.