Holden seems to feel a sense of admiration and affection for the boy. I know it's crazy. Holden Caufield’s character is one who observes society to an extreme degree. A terribly depressed, mixed-up teenager who is looking for someone to talk to. These words open the book, and as such they introduce the reader to Holden’s voice. Mr. Antolini explains to Holden that he is not alone in his feelings of disgust for human behavior, but many people have shared the same concerns about the honesty and integrity of the culture they live in. This, the passage in which Holden reveals the source of the book’s title, is perhaps the most famous in the book. The Catcher in the Rye is one of my favourite books, as you probably already know from my ‘Checking out the Classics’ post on the novel, but it also turns 65 this year. Who wants flowers when you’re dead? Salinger is set in the 1950s in which Holden tells his story of getting kicked out of Pencey Prep. nicolemaaberg GO. Instead he is a troubled protagonist, that really doesn’t have any answers for life. Test. People coming and putting a bunch of flowers on your stomach on Sunday, and all that crap. J.D. Written by JD Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye is known for exposing the flaws of society through the perspective of a young man. Nobody. In Chapter 24, Holden gives this explanation to Mr. Antolini, who wants to know why Holden likes digressions. PLAY. As Phoebe and Holden discuss his desire to be the “catcher in the rye,” Phoebe points out that Holden has misunderstood the line from the poem. Since he believes that all adults are phonies, children are the only people he can rely on. However, Holden's dream is unrealistic. In this last quote, one of the most famous from The Catcher in the Rye Holden describes a dream to his sister he’s always carried with him. Flashcards. The Catcher in the Rye. The main character is looking for who he is supposed to be, searching through all of the angst. He does not want to grow up, he likes children. If you do, you start missing everybody.” “I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. When he thinks too analytically about it, he finds the very idea of sex “crumby.” This confusion about sex and sexuality marks Holden’s immaturity. Mental Health in the Mid-Twentieth Century. … Salinger’s choice to write from a first-person narrative perspective guarantees the reader will receive some kind of insight, reliable or not, into how Holden perceives himself. Holden’s mistake—replacing the word “meet” with “catch”—only further highlights Holden’s mixed-up perspective and mental fragility: He’s inserted his deepest desires into the line of a poem and song. He got one off, which symbolizes cleaning partial of his innocence. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Holden clearly thinks about sex a lot, and his thoughts excite him and give him pleasure. This strategy allows him to feel superior to others and look down on them, making himself feel better. Here, he articulates his sense that digressions enable discovery in a way that linear stories do not. These virtues are seen in the main character, Holden, a misunderstood kid who is angry at the world. I know it's crazy, but that's the only thing I'd really like to be. Holden’s focus on being the “catcher in the rye” is not even based on truth and reality. Chapter 16. He wants to stand at the edge of the cliff and catch the children when they come too close to falling off—to be “the catcher in the rye.” Phoebe points out that Holden has misheard the words—the actual lyric, from the Robert Burns poem, “Coming Thro’ the Rye,” is “If a body meet a body coming … “I think that one of these days… you’re going to have to find out where you want to go. When he declares, “It’s awful,” Holden seems to be speaking frankly about an aspect of himself he deems bad. He wants to be the person who stands at the edge of the cliff ensuring that the children do not run blindly, or at all, over the side. So don your red hunting cap, because to celebrate its anniversary I’ve picked out my top 10 quotes from the famous coming-of-age classic. These words, from Chapter 12, refer to Lillian Simmons, a former girlfriend of D.B.’s that Holden runs into at Ernie’s piano bar. Get an answer for 'What can you say about Holden's relations with his friends in The Catcher in the Rye? Holden’s hyper-focus on being a protector of innocence demonstrates how deeply his younger brother’s death has impacted him. The catcher in the rye represents Holden himself. All you have to do is say something nobody understands and they’ll do practically anything you want them to. Spell. I know it's crazy, but that's the only thing I'd really like to be. The best quotes from The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger - organized by theme, including book location and character - with an explanation to help you understand! This quote depicts how Holden is attached to childhood. While watching and listening to the boy’s sweet singing voice, Holden’s anxiety and fear lessen. Since he believes that all adults are phonies, children are the only people he can rely on. The Catcher in the Rye Quotes Showing 1-30 of 654 “What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. I’m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. Write. This scenario encapsulates all Holden desires: to find control, strength, and the ability to protect innocence and youth. These Catcher in the Rye quotes capture the pessimism of the character Holden Caufield’s view of life as he moves through a transformative age of adolescence.. What can we learn from Holden Caufield’s pessimism? Chapter 2. This scene, which includes the lyrics mentioning the “catcher in the rye’s” role—to catch and save others coming through the rye—symbolizes Holden’s desire and intrinsic need to protect innocence and youthfulness. Here, he articulates his sense that digressions enable discovery in a way that linear stories do not. Holden sees maturity as inherently bad—growing up leads to corruption and phoniness, and finally death. The Catcher in the Rye Characters & Quotes. But the other half of that innocence can not be wiped away. Holden wants to be the "Catcher in the Rye" because he wants to enable children to stop growing up and having to face adult problems. STUDY. While walking toward Broadway to meet Sally, Holden observes a little boy singing “The Catcher in the Rye” while walking somewhat riskily in the street instead of on the sidewalk. When Phoebe asks Holden what he wants to be when he grows up, he answers, . It’s funny. Within Holden’s two-day journey, it becomes known very quick that Holden isn’t the typical perfect protagonist. I hope to hell when I do die somebody has sense enough to just dump me in the river or something. Finally Holden confesses to Phoebe that he would like to be a catcher in the rye: he pictures a lot of children playing in a big field of rye around the edge of a cliff. Out loud and to his face Holden agrees with Mr. Spencer, but in his head he curses him. It was originally intended for adults but is often read by adolescents for its themes of angst, alienation, and as a critique on superficiality in society. In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden is deeply traumatized by the death of his younger brother, Allie. Just watching the boy makes Holden feel he’s playing the role of protector, as if he knows he can step in and save the child, or “catch a body coming through the rye,” if a car comes along. The ambiguity is, in itself, characteristic of Holden, and it reflects his contradictory nature. Chapter 16. The Catcher in the Rye is set around the 1950s and is narrated by a young man named Holden Caulfield who became an icon for teenage rebellion. It occurs in Chapter 22, after Holden has slipped quietly back into his apartment and is speaking with Phoebe. Nobody.” ― J.D. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. quotes from a revolutionary roman. As Holden observes the little boy walking along the street and singing in New York City, he notes that the boy’s parents ignore their son and fail to notice the danger of his walking in the street. But Holden’s rejection of the Dickens novel as “crap” signals that Holden’s role as a narrator will reject the trappings of the traditional coming-of-age story. a list of the most important caracters in the famous book the catcher in the rye. Exchange between Holden and his history teacher Mr. Spencer who talks to him about playing the game of life by the rules. Mental Health in the Mid-Twentieth Century. He’d like to, he states, stands in a field and saves all the children who are on their way to adulthood. But whenever one of the children tries to go over the cliff, Holden would catch them and prevent them from doing so. It’s going to happen and there’s nothing you can do about it. Chapter 3 opens with these sentences, and their tone is ambiguous. The Catcher in the Rye is written by JD Salinger and is one of the most iconic pieces of literature of its time. The Catcher in the Rye. While visiting his sister, Phoebe, in New York City, Holden divulges to her that all he really wants to be in life is the “catcher in the rye.” He later clarifies his statement by explaining what he thinks the song means, what he thinks the catcher in the rye really does: protects the young and innocent from harm.