The Catcher in the Rye- Catcher in the Rye

This blog will be explaining the book title and what it could mean.

Phoebe was asking Holden what he wants to be. Holden was explaining a poem that described it, but Phoebe corrected him since he was saying "catch" instead of "meet". Holden was not aware it said "meet." I think that the fact that he always that it was catch says a lot about him. He doesn't want to just meet someone for a second, and then never see them again, he wants to catch them, have a strong connection. I think everyone has had something like a lyric in a song that they always thought was a certain word, but found out it was a different word, and half the time they like their word better. Maybe it's because it fits their situation more or they think it rhymes better, but it still can show a lot about a personality, kind of like ink blots. The things people see in those ink blots can show a lot about them; their personality, thoughts, hopes, past, and present.

Holden then describes why he wants to be the catcher in the rye. That there will be little children playing around and if they almost fall off a cliff he would catch and save them. He would be the only adult around when there are thousands of kids playing, and come out of nowhere to help them. I think that part of the reason he likes this is because he's able to see kids having fun and having a good life in a field of rye. Another reason is because he is their protector. He looks after them and makes sure nothing will harm them and that they will all be safe. He would have the joy of being able to save a nurture lives, but also have the joy of watching those lives be happy and healthy.

Phoebe didn't say anything for a while after this, and when she did it wasn't really relevant to what Holden had said. She wanted a more precise answer like doctor, lawyer, or fireman. Though this wasn't the answer she wanted, it still made her think a lot, and even if she wouldn't admit it, it was a great answer.


Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown, 2001. Print.