The Catcher in the Rye-final

As “The Catcher in the Rye” concludes, Holden has temporarily found his place in the world at home. Through the entirety of the novel, we are only brought on about two or three days of Holden’s journey after being kicked out of Pencey for failing too many classes. Although throughout the novel, I really hated the slow pace of happenings, I finally understand why J.D. Salinger wrote the novel in such a style. Because the events of the novel were drawn out over a short time period, Salinger was able to create the sense of feeling lost and hopeless. Throughout the novel, Holden is not sure where he belongs in life because he feels that no one truly needs him. When Holden finally decides to sneak home and visit Phoebe, he tells her that he wants to be a “catcher in the rye,” so that he can catch young children before they fall off of a cliff and save their life. This image is significant in Holden’s journey because he needs someone in his life to catch him before he completely falls, emotionally. In the last chapter, Phoebe and Holden are at the museum, and Phoebe wraps her arms around Holden and gives him a kiss before placing a hat on his head. During this moment, Holden was able to feel through Phoebe’s affection that he was needed by someone, his younger sister. Ultimately, Phoebe ended up being the “catcher in the rye” for Holden, saving him from giving up completely.