The Catcher in the Rye - Reading Response

Metathesiophobia - the fear of change. Throughout the novel, The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield goes on a journey that forces him to face his fears, especially his fear of change. After fleeing his school, Pencey, he decides to stay in New York City until the term is over so he doesn’t have to face his parents. During this trip, Holden has certain experiences that change is world. These experiences along with the setting of New York City really impact the story. Specifically, certain landmarks and objects are very symbolic of Holden’s fear of change.

For instance, the famous carousel Holden visits with his sister is symbolic of his fear of change. Towards the end of the book, Holden and his sister visit Central Park, they conclude their walk at a carousel which Holden has visited before. “It played the same song about fifty years ago when I was a little kid. That’s one nice thing about carousels, they always play the same songs.” Here we can see how Holden appreciates the carousel. It is a constant, something that has never changed and he felt comforted by it. His sister being present is also an important aspect of the scene. Holden pictures his sister as a perfect little child who is the one person that he can trust and care for. He wants his sister to stay the same, like the carousel. His appreciation for the carousel being aged, but never quite changed stretches to what he wants his sister to be. He wants his sister to stay the way she is. His fear of change is evident in his comfort of sameness.

Furthermore, the Natural History Museum, which Holden frequently visits is another example of his fear of change. Holden frequently visited the museum in Grade school. His frequent visitations were usually the same. “It always smelled like it was raining outside, even if it wasn’t, and you were in the only nice, dry, cozy place in the world. I loved that damn museum.” This is a place of comfort for him. He enjoys the museum and his fond memories of it. This is connected to when he looks back on the place when he is older. When he looks back on his experiences, he has an epiphany. “The best thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was. Nobody’d move…Nobody’d be different. The only thing that would be different would be you. Not that you’d be much older or anything. It wouldn’t be that exactly. You’d just be different, that’s all.” Her we can see how Holden feels about the museum. He feels slightly unsettled by it all. He’d rather be like the museum. He doesn’t want to change, he prefers the comfort of being the same. 

Finally, the lake in Central Park and especially the ducks that lived there. When Holden first gets back into New York from Pencey, he wonders about what happens to the ducks in Central Park. “The ducks. Do you know by chance? I mean does somebody come around in a truck or something and take them away, or do they fly away by themselves - go south or something?” Here we see Holden’s childlike curiosity. He wants to find out about the ducks. He worries about them. Though it seems silly, Holden is legitimately concerned, because throughout the book he questions others about the whereabouts of the ducks. Later on, when Holden is drunk, he searches out the ducks in Central Park. “I walked around the whole damn lake - I mean I damn near fell in once, in fact - but I didn’t see a single duck. I thought maybe if there were any around, they might be asleep or something near the edge of the water, near the grass and all. That’s how I nearly fell in. But I couldn’t find any.” It is evident here how Holden fears the lack of ducks. He would like them where they always are, and  is surprised when they aren’t where they usually are.

This text shows how simple objects like a carousel can symbolize something as complex as someone’s fear. Everyone, including myself, has some kind of fear of change. We all are more comfortable in what we are used to. However, most people face changes in their lives. People do what they have to do. Some people, like Holden, resist it. They fear change at all costs and are prepared to do whatever it takes to avoid it. And that can only end badly.