Duck Collage

Ducks are a large symbol in Catcher in the Rye, as Holden wonders frequently about the ducks in the Central Park lagoon. He is very worried as to how they survive during the winter. He explains, "I live in New York , and I was thinking about the lagoon in Central Park... I was wondering if it would be frozen over when I got home, and if it was, where did the ducks go. I was wondering where the ducks went when the lagoon got all icy and frozen over. I wondered if some guy came in a truck and took them away to a zoo or something. Or if they just flew away" (13). In thoughts like these, Holden's adolescent curiosity reveals a caring side of his personality. This is usually not seen throughout Catcher in the Rye, as Holden frequently tries to make himself seem older, like when he tries to order alcoholic drinks at restaurants. The ducks not only remind the reader that Holden is only 16, but also reinforce the fact that Holden really does have many sides to him.