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Irony
Definition of Metaphor
A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two different things by saying that one thing is the other. The comparison in a metaphor can be stated explicitly, as... read full definition
A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two different things by saying that one thing is the other. The comparison in a metaphor... read full definition
A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two different things by saying that one thing is the other... read full definition
Key Examples in The Catcher in the Rye
Chapter 1
Explanation and Analysis—Got The Ax:
Holden uses an idiom that’s also a metaphor to describe his expulsion from Pencey Prep. He tells the reader that, despite his efforts, he “got the ax”:
They gave me frequent warning to start applying myself—especially around mid-terms, when my parents came up for a conference with old Thurmer—but I didn’t do it. So I got the ax. They give guys the ax quite frequently at Pencey.
Related Themes:
Chapter 2
Explanation and Analysis—A Game:
Holden and Mr. Spencer have an exchange filled with dramatic irony and metaphor as Spencer advises Holden on the ways of the world. As Holden tells Spencer that he has to leave Pencey, they have the following back-and-forth:
Unlock with LitCharts A+"Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules."
"Yes, sir. I know it is. I know it."
Game, my ass. Some game. If you get on the side where all the hot-shots are, then it’s a game, all right—I’ll admit that. But if you get on the other side, where there aren’t any hot-shots, then what’s a game about it? Nothing. No game.
Related Themes:
Chapter 11
Explanation and Analysis—Goddam Icicle:
When he’s describing his affection for Jane Gallagher, Holden uses a metaphor to reassure the reader that she’s not emotionally distant despite their lack of sexual activity:
Unlock with LitCharts A+I don’t want you to get the idea she was a goddam icicle or something, just because we never necked or horsed around much. She wasn’t. I held hands with her all the time, for instance. That doesn’t sound like much, I realize, but she was terrific to hold hands with.
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Explanation and Analysis—Dead Hands:
In this passage, Holden employs a metaphor to express his frustration with holding hands with most of the girls his age he knows:
Unlock with LitCharts A+Most girls if you hold hands with them, their goddam hand dies on you, or else they think they have to keep moving their hand all the time, as if they were afraid they’d bore you or something.
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