Growing Up In Catcher In The Rye

Growing up in Catcher in The Rye

The inevitable change from childhood to adolescence in one’s life is a time of confusion and stress, and can often lead to an empty feeling of helplessness. This idea is heavily discussed upon in J.D Salinger's novel, The Catcher in The Rye, which is primarily focused on the theme that growing up in the twentieth century can be frightening due to the explicit exposure to the adult world, and can result in one becoming introverted as a method of self protection. The author develops his perspective of this through various symbols within the novel. The three main symbols used for this purpose are the museum of history, the catcher in the rye, and the carousel.

The museum of history that Holden Caulfield, …show more content…
The title heavily impacts the importance of the theme that Salinger creates. The sentence “Catcher in the Rye” appears towards the end of the novel, when the theme unravels. Holden encounters a young boy on the street singing to the tune of “If a body catch a body coming through the rye”. This action may have little significance to the reader at a first glance, however it made Holden “...feel better. It made me not so depressed anymore” (p. 115). The theme of depression and suicide is mentioned more than once throughout the novel, yet a little boy who is a stranger to Holden makes his day. It made him content for the sake of the fact that the little boy was careless and free, which he wishes he was again. The lyrics have a greater meaning than one would imagine at first. Holden misinterprets them, thinking they are “If a body catch a body comin’ thro the rye”, however his younger sister Phoebe corrects him, informing him that they are in fact “If a body meet a body comin thro the rye” (p. 173). Holden then proceeds to inform the readers on his perspective of the song.

“Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some games in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody’s around-nobody big, I mean-- except me. And I’m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over …show more content…
Using the stillness of the museum that preserved the innocence of children, the catcher in the rye who is there to save the children from falling out of their happiness and freedom, and the carousel in which Holden comes to terms with growing up and how it can be shaky, Sallinger leaves a mark on the reader with each new chapter. He expresses the idea that growing up in the twentieth century can be frightening due to the explicit exposure to the adult world, and can result in one becoming introverted as a method of self protection, which can reach out to many readers who might be going through a similar situation as Holden. One of the scariest things in the world can be growing out of the character whom you have always been, but change and adulthood are inevitable, and one must learn to overcome obstacles thrown at them in order to come out

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