When things go south, do the ducks go too?

    I think that the question about where the ducks go in winter could be a metaphor for Holden wondering, where does one go when one’s not happy with the world around them. More specifically, I think winter may represent growing up and how grown up life seems to Holden. I think he wonders, when all the good things are covered in snow and the world looks the same, and the other animals are nowhere to be found, where do the ones with the means to go, go? Do they fly away to somewhere warmer, forever running from change. Do they hibernate, close their eyes to the world around them, and keep their heads down, pretending to be apart of a world where they do not feel they belong. I think that Holden relates to the ducks. I think that he is caught up in a world where he does not feel he belongs. Just like the ducks always wanting to be where it is spring, Holden wants to remain immature. He runs from one school to the next,  just like ducks from the winter, his serial kicking-outs  shown by him saying “‘This is the fourth school I’ve gone too ”(Salinger,13) when talking to Mr. Spencer.  In addition, the winter is shown to be growing up and phoniness when Holden explains “One of the biggest reasons I left Elkton hills was because I was surrounded by phonies (19)”  which I believe shows that he seems to be running from the lies and the phonies. In addition during the time when Mr. Spencer is giving Holden the talk about Holden applying himself and asks Holden about what Holden would have done in his place, Holden starts thinking about the ducks (17-18).I think it makes sense as, just when he is in an uncomfortable position not wanting change, he thinks of another creature having to deal with unwanted change. Furthermore, on his way to Mr. Spencer’s house, Holden mentions the cold and the snow, saying “I don’t even know what I was running for… It was kind of a crazy afternoon, terrifically cold, and no sun out or anything and you felt like you were disappearing every time you crossed a road (Salinger 8). I believe this could subtly indicate that, just like with the duck, it's Holdens time to fly. The conditions are right for him to want to leave, and the conditions are right for Holden to want to leave.

    Later, Holden asks a Taxi driver about his thoughts on where the ducks go in winter(107). The Taxi driver mentions the fish. After saying what a silly question Holden asked, he says “The fish don’t go no where. They stay right where they are, the fish.(107)” which I think is his way of saying that some people don’t have the means to ease into change. The ducks can fly away, the fish have to sit there and deal with winter. Later, He mentions how it is harder for the fish, and how they “...can’t just ignore the ice”(108) which I believe continues the thread of winter being adulthood, by saying that those without the means can’t just ignore the coming of adulthood. I think the most telling part of the conversation is when the Taxi driver says, “They get frozen right in one position the whole winter” (108).which could indicate that when those with out means grow up, (winter catches up with them), they may get stuck in some job (or position) for a large portion of their adult life, like fish stuck in ice. 

Finally, the book also mentions Holden's red hunters hat multiple times in the book and although, I think this could symbolize many things, I think one thing it symbolizes is Holden’s attempt to find out what to do as an adult. To be honest when I first heard the question and the mention of the hunters hat, I thought he might end up trying to hunt ducks. Now, I think that metaphorically, that was what was going on. He was trying to catch his duck in winter. He was trying to find someone or some way which would let him know his place or how to exists in a world he does not feel he belongs. He gives the hunters hat to Phoebe when he plans to run away(233). I think this could symbolize that he thinks he found his duck. He was going to exist on the ranch. However, later Phoebe gives him back the hat which I believe indicates his journey is not over, as in, he is still hunting for his duck( his answer to how to belong).I believe this is further shown by the fact that at the end of the book, he says he is going to school again and he still does not seem to enthusiastic(276) which I think indicates that his journey to find where he belongs isn’t over. In addition, I believe that his indecision in where he belongs with respect to adulthood and childhood is further represented by him sitting in the rain between the adults huddled under their tent and the kids happily enjoying their merry go round(275)However, he is happy seeing Phoebe ride the carousel, as shown by him saying “I felt so damn happy all of the sudden, the way old Phoebe kept going around and around.(275)”. So, perhaps he found his duck in winter, in that he can be satisfied with the world around, if Phoebe is happy. Perhaps he does not need to run from the trouble, or growing up, or the rain, or the winter, as long as he can see Phoebe happy.