CITR Post #4

As the story came to a close, I wandered to myself why the book had so much writing about things that happened in only a few days. I have seen books of equal length that were set in a whole years worth of information, like “When Broken Glass Floats.”

As Sasha has said, I was also confused by the title of the book and why it was titled this way. I found it surprising that J.D. Salinger would name this whole book off of a poem that Holden had said incorrectly. I think that it makes sense because this book is mostly about how Holden is sad and lonely and then Holden talks about a Robert Burns’ Poem. This Poem actually says “If a body meet a Body,” but Holden has always thought that it was “If a body catch a body.” Holden states that the only way he would be happy is if he “Had to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff.” The only thing he wants to be is the “Catcher in the rye.” (173) Although it seemed weird to name a book after something that is only mentioned in one paragraph, I believe that it is a good name because it is the one thing that will make Holden happy. If I could name it differently I would name it, The One to Save, or something similar because it relates to this story of happiness. 

I hope that Holden keeps to his word when he says, “I’m going to apply myself when I go back to school next September.” (213) Although he says this he also says, “How do you know what your going to do until you get there” which implies that he probably won’t apply himself at the new school.

Sasha, I believe that Holden is someone Phoebe looks up too even though she knows he is a bad influence because he is her older brother. He set an example to her by saying that he would be running away, so she wanted to be like her brother and run away with him even thought she loves her parents. It is a more crazy Idea for Phoebe to run away because she is only ten.