I just finished the amazing book The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. In the book, there is a very prominent theme of the main character (Holden Caulfield) and his feelings about childhood, how he cherishes childhood, and detests all adults, calling them "phonies". Firstly, when Holden is discussing a song (it turns out to be poem) but the lyrics Holden believes them to be are "If a body catch a body comin' through the rye". When his sister Phoebe asks him what he wants to do with his life, he answers, "'You know what I would like to be? I mean if I had my goddam choice?... anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all...and I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start going off the cliff- I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out of somewhere and catch them. That's what I'd do all day". I think this represents Holden wanting the children to stay playing in the rye, and not have to fall off the cliff into adulthood. Another reason why I think Holden loves children and childhood is because when he goes to visit his little sister's elementary school and he sees "F**k you" written on the wall and he gets very upset. I believe this is because he sees the beginning of the corruption of children that sends them into adulthood. There are many other things that show how Holden loves childhood, but these two stood out to me.
First of all, I believe that Holden cherishes childhood and children because of how he quotes a song that he heard that turns out to be a poem that says "If a body catch a body comin' through the rye". Holden then expresses to his little sister that he wants someone catching little children all day before they fall off a cliff. I think falling off the cliff symbolizes going into adulthood. This shows how much Holden hates adulthood also. I think Holden wants the children to stay in their innocence forever, playing in the rye. I think it's interesting how Holden says that the children would fall off the cliff if they don't look where they're going. I think the author J.D. Salinger was saying that childhood to adulthood happens unknowingly. We have no idea as the responsibility of being an adult keeps piling and piling on our shoulders. Holden wants to prevent the children from falling, but the cliff will always be there for the children to sadly fall off of.
Another reason I think Holden loves childhood is because one day when he is visiting his little sister Phoebe he sees the words "F**k you" written on a wall. Holden immediately runs over to the wall and tries to wipe it off so the children won't see the profanity that was there. I think Holden acted the way he did because he wants to conceal all corruption from the children. Seeing those words on a wall for a child may be a little upsetting, but the child eventually gets over it. Yet Holden doesn't want to risk even that because any corruption makes them older and older. But soon Holden realizes that he couldn't erase all the "F**k you"s in the world and he's going to have to accept adulthood. This made me think about corruption makes us so much older. We could be only 6 years old for example, but we could have seen so much despair and wrong in the world, we could really be looking through the eyes of an 10 year old. Holden wants to stop that, but he can't.
In conclusion, I believe Holden Caulfield wants childhood to last forever; he truly cherishes it. I know this because he fantasizes about saving children from falling off a cliff and watching them play in the rye forever. The rye, I believe, is the wonderful world of childhood. Falling off the cliff represents falling into the world of adulthood, which you are stuck in for the rest of your life. Another reason I think Holden loves children is because when he sees the words "F**k you" on a wall at an elementary school, he tries to erase it so the children don't have to see. The character of Holden Caulfield made me think about how corruption can make us grow older without time and how children must go into adulthood no matter what. Sadly, we cannot do anything to stop time. Holden Caulfield is a truly amazing character who understands the importance of time and being a child.
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