Holden and Phoebe: The Carousel
This picture represents the finale of The Catcher in the Rye quite well, and portrays one of the most important themes the book has to offer. By the end of the novel, Holden as more or less given up on his idealized view of childhood innocence and the foolish notion that he can protect from corruption, and nothing illustrates that better than this scene.
When Phoebe asks him to come on the carousel with her, Holden refuses, saying that he's too old. This conveys that Holden feels disconnected from Phoebe and the spirit of youth that she represents; he is no longer a part of that innocence, as he has been corrupted by the adult world, and he no longer feels that he has the authority to protect her from that corruption, either. This is what he means when he talks about the children on the carousel reaching for the golden ring at the top of the carousel. They obviously can't reach it, but he tells the reader to let them try anyway; "If they fall off, they fall off, but it's bad if you say anything to them" (211). In other words, he has to let children reach for their own ideals and dreams, and he should not interfere. He should let them grow up.
What this means is that Holden has finally accepted that growing up is necessary, and that he can't successfully cling to the past. But more importantly, he needs to let children chase their own ideals, and even if they fail, that's okay. Failing is acceptable so long as you don't, "say anything to them"; so long as you don't show them the path they are supposed to take.
When Phoebe asks him to come on the carousel with her, Holden refuses, saying that he's too old. This conveys that Holden feels disconnected from Phoebe and the spirit of youth that she represents; he is no longer a part of that innocence, as he has been corrupted by the adult world, and he no longer feels that he has the authority to protect her from that corruption, either. This is what he means when he talks about the children on the carousel reaching for the golden ring at the top of the carousel. They obviously can't reach it, but he tells the reader to let them try anyway; "If they fall off, they fall off, but it's bad if you say anything to them" (211). In other words, he has to let children reach for their own ideals and dreams, and he should not interfere. He should let them grow up.
What this means is that Holden has finally accepted that growing up is necessary, and that he can't successfully cling to the past. But more importantly, he needs to let children chase their own ideals, and even if they fail, that's okay. Failing is acceptable so long as you don't, "say anything to them"; so long as you don't show them the path they are supposed to take.