Catcher In The Rye Symbolism

J.D Salinger uses the catcher in the rye as a main symbol because he wants teenagers to relate to his book by understanding that teenagers normally have the same hardships as Holden. To be the catcher in the rye means to save other people from depression, “‘ If a body catch a body comin through the rye’ It made me feel better. It made me feel not so depressed any more” (115). Holden felt depressed when he was at Pencey because he couldn’t figure out how to fit in and make friends. Instead of spending time at school events like football games, he would visit his teacher, Spencer, because he found it easier to talk to Spencer rather than people his age. If someone was Holden’s catcher in the rye, he probably would not have flunked out of school because he would have enjoyed
When Allie died, Holden’s savior would have needed to show him how to grieve and remember his brother in a way that would not evoke violence. Finally, Holden had trouble with relationships. He did not know how to treat women. He thought that relationships were more about lust than love and that in order to be successful in relationships, he needed to learn how to handle a woman’s body much like how someone would handle a violin. Holden’s catcher in the rye would teach him that relationships should not be out of lust, but out of personal feelings toward another person. If he had someone to teach him how to be in a relationship, he would not be depressed when Stradlater goes on a date with Jane or Sally denies going to Vermont with him. After spending a couple days in New York, Holden felt obligated to save other people from depression, “What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff - I mean if they’re running and they don’t look where they’re going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That’s all I’d do all day. I’ll just be the catcher in the rye and all”