Phoebe's Record

Holden bought Phoebe, his little sister, a record while he was in New York. The record was "Little Shirley Beans," which is a record intended for children. This is an example of how Holden wanted to make sure that Phoebe's innocence was maintained and she was not made an adult too soon. However, he dropped it and the record shattered. This is symbolic of the shattering of innocence, a recurrent motif. When Phoebe found out that he was going to give her a record she still wanted it and asked him to give her the pieces. This was a very symbolic gesture as Holden's mental ability appears to be "shattering" and Phoebe is there to "pick up the pieces." Throughout the novel it was suggested that Phoebe was Holden's favorite person. This can be seen by his constant desire to call her on the phone and tell her about his current predicament. With this record and the resulting circumstances, Phoebe appears as Holden's guardian, another recurring idea in the novel.