"The Catcher in the Rye": Analogy

    In the classic novel, The Catcher and the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Holden Caulfield journeys through the streets of New York repeatedly asking his taxi cab drivers the question, " 'What happens to the ducks in the winter?' " (Salinger, 82).  Although this question riles the drivers up, one particular driver discusses the matter more so than others.  The driver eventually makes a statement about the fish living underneath the ducks and says, " 'If you was a fish, Mother Nature'd take care of you, wouldn't she? You don't think them fish just die when it gets to be winter, do ya?' " (Salinger, 83).  I reasoned that this statement could be making a comparison between Holden and the fish, frozen in the pond.  See, Holden feels like no progress is occurring in his life, after being thrown out of four schools.  The ducks on the pond symbolize all the people in Holden Caulfield's life.  Moreover, these people come and go, and Holden, always staying the same, never quite understands where exactly they go.  The icy winter that freezes the fish represents the depression and sadness that seems to consume Holden.  Like the fish, Holden is trapped in a world that keeps changing around him.  This driver, I believe, is foreshadowing that, in the end, Holden will overcome his obstacles and be alright.