Catcher in the Rye Essay: Levels of Meaning -- Catcher Rye Essays

Levels of Meaning in The Catcher in the rye whis signalize   Protected by a cocoon of naivet, Holden Caulfield, the principal character in the novel, The Catcher in the Rye, therapeutically relates his lonely 24 hour taking into custody in downtown New York urban center, experiencing the phony adult world sequence dealing with the death of his innocent younger brother.  Through this well-developed teenage character, JD Salinger, uses naive language and dialogue to outline many of the complex underlying problems lasting adolescents.  With a unique beginning and ending, and an original aspect at our sassy society, The Catcher in the Rye is understood and appreciated on seven-fold levels of comprehension. The book provides new insights and a fresh view of the world in which adolescents live. One way for readers to measure their level of comprehension in this story, is to search the meaning of the title, its effect on the books theme and how it provides a deep look into Holdens character. Being an attention demanding tool, the title also can provide a mystery to which the reader can understand by pulling in concert the clues, hidden in the text. To an experienced reader, who may be familiar with the book, vision of a whatchamacallumer in the rye is app argonnt throughout the story. However, for a new reader the journey begins past the middle of the book. While analyzing the city around him, Holden run throughs a kid walking in the street interpret and humming. As Holden nears he realizes the child is signing that song, If a consistency catch a body coming through the rye in a very pretty voice, making traffic come to a shriek halt, and making Holden feel non so depressed.(116) So far, the titles words are just a catchy song, though their repetition, at a key mo... ...ginal tune, by Robert Burns, has the line If a body meet a body comin thro the rye, not If a body catch a body comin thro the rye. This is not the first time Holden has distorted something, though this lie has meaning. The original verse form talks of the love of two people meeting each other, term Holdens image is that of falling children being caught. Love is replaced by Holden protecting children, who are facing a death-like situation, a change showing how much of an blow Allies death made on Holdens life. One might also see that Holden himself is falling out of innocence and needs a Catcher in the Rye himself, the books central paradox. In the end any reader could offer that The Catcher in the Rye is Holden Caulfield, though this title opens up a door into understanding his deep personality, the books theme, while exploring the central paradox.