The Catcher in the Rye - SymbolismIn Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger uses different examples of symbolism throughout the novel to let the reader into Holden Caulfield's thoughts . examples of its symbolism are the ducks at the frozen pond, Jane Gallagher and the Natural History Museum. Salinger uses these three symbols to represent the thoughts of the central character, Holden Caulfield. As Holden Caulfield walks around New York City, he asks many people what happens to the ducks when the pond freezes. The repetition of this question symbolizes what Holden is truly asking for himself. He's not trying to find out what's going to happen to the ducks, he's actually discovering himself by using the ducks symbolically. He wants to know what will happen to him when the weather becomes extremely cold. He debates whether or not he should go home, which he is cleverly afraid to do, or stay outside and freeze. The other two symbols in the novel, Jane Gallagher and the Natural History Museum, both represent Holden's past. Jane Gallagher was an old friend of Holden's who he talks about quite often throughout the novel. He mentions several times that he will call her, but he never has the courage to do so. As SNBehrman said in his New Yorker review, "Jane Gallagher represents his eternal symbol of goodness." She is an important part of his past that he misses very much and that he wants to find. The Natural History Museum represents a different aspect of Holden's past. While Jane Gallagher makes Holden want to return to his past, the museum changes its mind. He remembers that he went there all the time and the wax figures were always the same, but from day to day he was the only thing that changed. This is illustrated in a review by FrankKermode of the Speculator. Frank says: “Then he heads to the natural history museum, which he loved as a child; it seemed to him “the only pleasant and comfortable place in the world”. Nothing has changed among the stuffed Indians and Eskimos, except you, every time you entered them..