Catcher in the Rye Outline

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Maeve McMenomey English II Per. 5 Thesis: Salinger uses Holden's red hunting hat so demonstrate his evolving character from an immature teenager to one willing to grow up. I. First, Holden's hat shows that he is playful and childish, and that he feels to the need to be unique or different. A. "Sometimes I horse horse around quite a lot, just to keep from getting bored. What I did was, I pulled the old peak of my hunting hat to the front, then pulled it way down over my eyes." (21) B. " The way I wore it, I swung the old peak way around to the back-very corny, I'll admit, but I liked it that way ". (18) II. Secondly the red hat symbolizes Holden's need for protection from a phony world. A. "It was cold as hell…my ears were nice and warm, though. That hat I bought had earlaps on it, and I out them on-I didn’t give a damn about how I looked." (53) B. "I was sort of crying. I don't know why. I put my red hunting hat on, and turned the peak around to the back, the way I liked it, and then yelled at the top of my voice "Sleep tight, ya morons!"" (52) III. Because Holden was willing to give away the red hat, he shows that he is ready to grow up and doesn’t need to be protected any longer. A. "Then I took my hunting hat out of my coat pocket and gave it to her She liked those kind of crazy hats. She didn’t want to take it but I made her." (180) B. "I got pretty soaking wet, especially my neck and my pants. My hunting hat really gave me quite a lot of protection, in a way, but I got soaked anyway."

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