Little Shirley Beans

After leaving Pencey Prep Holden makes his way New York before going back to his parents house. While in the Big Apple Holden thinks of his younger sister Phoebe frequently. While in the city he buys her a record, "The Little Shirley Beans." He regards this as a kids record while at the same time regarding Phoebe as a woman for her intelligence. This is way of recognizing that she contains much innocence. Though, he does become annoyed whenever she criticizes him as an adult would do. Shortly after the purchase of the record Holden drops it while drunk and it shatters on the ground, a symbolism for the loss of innocence. Phoebe is an important to Holden as she is very much the female version of Allie. Holden wants to protect her from the evil in the world and not lose her like he lost Allie.


"All the kids kept trying to grab for the gold ring, and so was old Phoebe, and I was sort of afraid she'd fall off the goddam horse, but I didn't say anything or do anything. The thing with kids is, if they want to grab for the gold ring, you have to let them do it, and not say anything. If they fall off, they fall off, but it's bad if you say anything to them."