ipl-logo

Catcher In The Rye Chapter 17 Analysis

579 Words3 Pages

In the final chapters of The Catcher In The Rye things start to slow down for Holden. There are no more angry outbursts, or picking fights with others. He spends most of his final time in the flashbacks visiting his little sister. Before he gives us his farewell passage that doesn’t sound like the Holden the readers have been learning about. Chapter 21 begins with Holden breaking into his own home too see his little sister, Phoebe. His obsession with innocence growing clear when he admits his dream profession is not a scientist or lawyer, but just a fantasy he created after hearing a poem. “If a body catch a body comin’ through the rye.” Holden says that he pictures a huge field of rye on a cliff full of children playing. He wants to stand at the edge of the cliff and catch the children when they come too close to falling of to be “the catcher in the rye.” Phoebe tells Holden has misheard the words the actual lyrics from the Robert Burns poem, “Coming Thro’ the Rye,” is “If a body meet a body coming through the rye.” Holden wants to be the savior of the children, keeping them from the same mistakes he made. In the field they would never have to grow up, the cliff the only descendant into reality. …show more content…

Pushing him to find one thing he actually likes. Telling Holden their father is going to kill him when he finds out he got kicked out of Pency Prep. Although not true, she understands he’s going have to face dire consequences because of all his past failings. Something no one has yet to tell

Open Document