The Catcher in the Rye Questions on Metaphor
The Catcher in the Rye
What is the metaphor behind Jane "keeping all her kings in the back row" in The Catcher in the Rye?
In The Catcher in the Rye, Jane's habit of "keeping all her kings in the back row" during checkers serves as a metaphor for her reserved and cautious demeanor. It reflects her reluctance to risk what...
The Catcher in the Rye
How does Holden use the term "yellow" in chapters 7-13 of The Catcher in the Rye? Is he "yellow"?
Holden uses the term "yellow" chapters 7–13 of The Catcher in the Rye to mean "cowardly." Specifically, he means the kind of "cowardice" that avoids physically fighting other guys over small issues....
The Catcher in the Rye
What does the phrase, “Boy, was she lousy with rocks” mean in "The Catcher in the Rye"?
The phrase “Boy, was she lousy with rocks” means that Mrs. Morrow was wearing a lot of expensive jewelry. Holden uses the slang term "lousy," which typically implies an abundance, to describe her...
The Catcher in the Rye
Which parts of The Catcher in the Rye depict Holden in denial?
Holden is in denial about his inexperience with women, his loneliness, and his fear of adulthood in The Catcher in the Rye. He claims to understand women and repeatedly avoids reaching out to genuine...
The Catcher in the Rye
How does misunderstanding a word create the central metaphor in The Catcher in the Rye?
In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield's misunderstanding of a Robert Burns poem creates the central metaphor. He misinterprets "if a body meet a body" as "if a body catch a body," envisioning...
The Catcher in the Rye
Is Holden's desire to be "the catcher in the rye" a metaphor or a symbol?
Holden's desire to be "the catcher in the rye" can be interpreted as both a metaphor and a symbol. As a metaphor, it represents Holden's aspiration to protect others, comparing himself to a guardian....