Allie's Glove

Allie was Holden's younger brother who died of Leukemia. Holden still has Allie's old baseball glove and cherishes it deeply. He holds on to this glove to help himself remember the kind of person his brother was, which was innocent. Also, it represents Holden's emotions. This is due to the fact that he hides the glove just like he does his emotions. One of the very few things Holden enjoys in life is the memories of his brother and this is realized through the reader's observance of his obsession with the glove. On the glove are poems that Allie had written so that he would have something to read while standing in the outfield during a baseball game. Holden still has a deep love for Allie. This can be seen by the constant regret of his not letting Allie come and play with him all the time. This glove is a symbol of Holden's continued attachment to his childhood and his relationship with his brother that is getting harder to hold on to, which is a main theme in the novel.