The Museum of Natural History and its Symbolism
Hola, This is Clara! Today I am going to discuss the Museum of Natural History and its role in The Catcher in the Rye. At several points in The Catcher in the Rye, Holden reminisces on his time at the Museum of Natural History. He recounts his memories of the exhibits from when he visited frequently as a young boy–-the mummies, the historical people, and the firm but kind security guards. Holden retells his time at the museum fondly, and he frames it as a highly nostalgic and romanticized motif of his early life. However, the museum plays an even larger and symbolic role in the novel, as it clearly represents Holden’s values. Holden loves the unchanged nature of the Natural History Museum in his visits. Regardless of how many times he came with his school, how old he was, or what the weather was like outside, the exhibits would remain exactly where he last saw them. Though he could not control the ever-dynamic nature of his life and the world around him, the museum represented a pl