The Catcher in the Rye

We were talking about this book, in Quest again, and I really don't like the character of Holden Caulfield. I did, on a better note, get some thoughts in my dome about this catcher in the rye idea.

If you are unfamiliar with the book, the main character, Holden, wants to be a catcher in a field of rye that prevents children from running off a cliff that mainly represents the problems, choices and difficulties of adulthood.

I began to think of it in different ways.

1. If the kids run to Holden, does he give them the choice of either continuing to be children and playing in the field without worry, or going off the ledge, OR does he just stop them without telling them what he is stopping them from.

2. If he doesn't tell the kids why he is stopping them I think it could have a variety of results.
a. The kids could rebel as kids do an be like, "shutup I wanna know" and then run off the cliff more eagerly.
b. The kids could go back to childhood, but always know that there is something else out there and wonder about it.
c. The kids could become scared of what Holden was protecting them from and fear it in all aspects of their life, in turn transforming Holden to God-like status as he is the protector against the unknown.

3. I began to think of similar metaphors for growing up.
a. It is like your parents and elders are spending your time in childhood arming you and padding you so that when you accidentally fly off the cliff, each branch on the way down doesn't hurt so bad.
b. It is less like a cliff and more like a slope of varying degree with surprise obstacles along the way. The people who survive best were able to dodge the obstacles or fight them. Either way, whether you hit every obstacle on the way down or dodge them all, you get to the end.


Either way Holden Caulfield is a bitch who just needs to realize that he isn't special and start dealing with problems rather than whining about them.

Side Note: I think it is interesting how a fictional person can get me so riled up.