Calvin Hurlbert

RWW 9, Class 8
Ms. Bartz
March 2, 2016
Ease Through an Item
Comfort and stress have always existed and people have always been trying to
ease their worries with someone or something. J.D. Salinger shows this in The Catcher
in the Rye with Holden and his hunting cap. Often, hell put his hunting cap on when
hes worried and he uses it to comfort himself and take his mind off his troubles.
Holdens red hunting cap is a way for him to take his mind off of his stress.
When Holden is up in his room and thinking about when he left all the foils for the
Pencey fencing team on the subway earlier that day when he swung the old peak way
around to the back - very corny, [Hell] admit, but [He] likes it that way" (24). He does
this because hes trying to take his mind off of the stress leaving the foils on the subway.
When Holden is up in his room reading and Ackley comes in, he pulled the old peak of
[his] hunting hat around to the front, then pulled it way down over [his] eyes. That way,
[He] couldn't see a goddam thing." (29). Holden always hates how Ackley is always
coming in and out of his room, invading his personal space and moving his stuff around
Holdens room without asking. Because Ackley is in his room, he pulls his hat down over
his eyes because hes trying to avoid Ackley. In turn, when Holdens stressed, his goes
to his red hunting cap.
People will always continue to have stress throughout their lives, and nothing can
change that, but what people can do is try to cope with it. The Catcher in the Rye shows

this through Holden and his hunting cap and is saying that people can ease their stress
with something of value to them. People using some item to ease their stress will lead to
feeling like life isnt pressing down on them as much as before.