The ducks, the red hat, and Allie are used as symbols in The Catcher in the Rye. Another frequent topic in The Catcher in the Rye is Holden's younger brother Allie. Holden adores Allie and is very distressed about his premature death. It is easy to say that Allie's death was the beginning of a downward spiral in Holden's life. According to Holden, Allie was one of the most lovable people ever. "You'd have liked …showed first 75 words of 845 total…

…showed last 75 words of 845 total…starts to lose his mental need for the red hat. His sister Phoebe changes him dramatically when they meet and Holden gives the hat to her {180}. The turning point was scene at the carrousel when Holden is soaking in the rain and he doesn't have a care in the world {212}. Holden lets the world come down on him and he accepts it. Holden now believes that he should stay at home and face his responsibilities.