One of the most significant themes in Catcher in the Rye is Holden's loss of innocence. Holden, as the novel progresses, shows a lack of innocence and introduction to the "real world". Holden attempts to recapture his previous innocence as the basis for his emotions. There are various symbols and events throughout the novel that speak to Holden's loss of innocence. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original EssayOne of the most important of these is the glove belonging to Holden's deceased brother, Allie. This glove reminds Holden of his youthful fertility and endless love as a child. As Holden matures and enters adolescence, he begins to lose this sense of love. The fact that he went to boarding school may have contributed to this loss of love due to the fact that he was surrounded by pretenses. He begins the novel by saying "If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, what my bad childhood was like, and how busy my parents were before having a child ". me, and all this David Copperfield bullshit, but I don't want to go into detail, if you want to know the truth. This statement was made while he was in a medical center, after the story took place. He doesn't want to discuss his happiness in love as a child, but rather his downfall in life. He acts as if he is afraid of his previous innocence and doesn't like to think about it. Another example of his innocence would be his interest in the ducks in the pond. He cares about these ducks and constantly asks people what happens to the ducks in winter. Although no one probably knows, he always asks them in hopes of finding an answer, even though he knows his question won't get him anywhere. Another important event would be the young boy singing "If a body meets a body coming from the rye". " This reminds Holden of his youth. The boy's position in the middle of the road symbolizes his innocence and lack of knowledge due to the danger of cars. Despite the fact that the boy is poor, he is still innocent and does not have to worrying about dressing or feeding This is done by the parents who hide him from the real world, like Holden at the beginning of his flashback When Holden heard this, he thought about his past in a way. depressed. He seems to have missed his past but no longer wants to return to it. Holden's growth and steady maturity also lead to the loss of his innocence. When Holden takes his sister Phoebe to the carousel, he chooses not to. not ride on the carousel He states that the carousel is for younger people This statement shows that Holden is out of the carousel He sits and watches his younger sister on the carousel. fails due to his maturity and loss of innocence. Holden remembered his young innocence and stress-free life as a child. Holden does not ride the carousel, which proves that he is afraid of returning to his childhood by failing to ride the carousel. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Holden's loss of innocence ultimately led to his downfall and final emotional collapse. Holden's speech in the very last chapter, however, shows a chance for Holden to once again regain control of his emotions and finally become firmly aware of his youthful innocence..