The Red Hunting hat Analysis

He had been expelled from school for the fourth time. Salinger incorporates symbolism to explain the personality of Holden, express his thoughts and feelings. Salinger has employed symbolism too in order to enable readers to understand him better because he is a minor and is not capable of expressing himself good enough. Holden is going a very difficult moment, for instance, he undergoes depression and this is well expressed in his feelings and things he undergoes in his life. We also get to understand the important issues that matter to him. Normally the red hat is worn by people during hunting but Holden wears for purposes of differentiating himself from the rest of the people. Holden describes most people as phonies because they do some things that they don’t actually like but just to fit the expectations of the majority.

In most cases, he wears the hat when alone since it gives him some sense of comfort and constantly reminds him that he is unique from the others. Despite the fact that Holden wants to look different, it is not all the time. Sometimes after school when he doesn’t feel like going home, he goes to Edmonton hotel based in Newyork but doesn’t enter with the hat in the head. I put it on, and turned the old peak around to the back, the way I like it, and then I went over and took a look at my stupid face in the mirror. " (Salinger,pp 45). This clearly indicates that Holden had to put the red hunting hat before checking his face in the mirror.