Frozen in Time: Holden Caulfield's Struggle to Preserve Innocence
In The Catcher in the Rye , J.D. Salinger crafts a story about a young man caught between the safety of childhood and the discomfort of adulthood. Holden Caulfield, the novel’s restless narrator, is plagued by a deep fear of growing up and the inevitable changes that come with it. One of the most telling symbols of his wish for stasis is his attachment to the Museum of Natural History, a place where, as Holden himself says, "everything always stayed right where it was" (Salinger 157). This quote envelops Holden’s internal conflict: his desire for a world that remains the same. Holden’s fascination with the museum reflects his longing for a sense of permanence in a world that feels unpredictable and chaotic. In Chapter 16, he describes the exhibits as a frozen snapshot of reality: “You could go there a hundred thousand times, and that Eskimo would still be just finished catching those two fish, the birds would still be on their way south, the deers would still be drinking ou...