The migrant ducks of New York City's Central Park in J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye are the cause of a brief change in attitude for Holden Caulfield. He suddenly becomes less morose and lethargic, for he can momentarily transform into a young boy fascinated by life's mysteries. The ducks are one of few ideas that he can still identify with, observing their determination to survive in a daunting environment. At the same time, the ducks provide Holden comfort, proving that change is not always permanent. Holden's obsession with the birds, while seeming like merely one of countless crazy thoughts that emerge from his nervous breakdown, is actually one of the factors that may bring Holden out of this dark period in his life.

Throughout The Catcher in the Rye, it becomes evident that Holden has a deep connection with children, his own childhood in particular...