What do Holden's ice skates symbolize?

In chapter seven, Holden begins packing his belongings before he leaves Pencey Prep for good after flunking out, and he feels bad that his mother had recently bought him a new pair of skates. Although Holden feels bad that his mother bought him a gift and he is repaying her by flunking out, he proceeds to mention that his mother bought him the wrong kind of skates. Holden asked for racing skates, but his mother purchased hockey skates instead.
Holden's skates can symbolically represent his isolation and distance from his parents. The fact that Holden's mother buys him the wrong skates highlights their distance, which emphasizes Holden's isolation. It is also significant that Holden wants racing skates instead of hockey skates. Hockey is a team sport, and the skates his mother purchases could represent integration into society, while Holden desires to skate by himself in racing skates. The racing skates Holden wants represent his desire to flee and escape from society.