The Catcher in the Rye Comin Thro the Rye
The Catcher in the Rye - Comin Thro the RyeThesis: The “poor body,” Jenny, mentioned in Robert Burns’ poem, “Comin Thro the Rye,” is Holden.
Where does the title come from in the novel by J.D Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye ? The title comes from Holden’s explanation to his sister, Phoebe, on his preferred profession. Thus the profession he describes is related to a poem by Robert Burns’ “Comin Thro’ the Rye.” Holden makes an error when quoting from the song, which makes it questionable whether Burn’s poem has a direct link with The Catcher in the Rye. Through out the poem, Jenny, is used by Burns as the main character. The “poor body,” Jenny, mentioned in Robert Burns’ poem, “Comin Thro the Rye,” is Holden.
Salinger’s uses Burn’s poem by changing one single word from” meet” to “catch” to make his novel’s title. and what does its impacts to Holden, the main character of the nove?
“coming through the rye, poor body, coming through the rye”
When a child is singing Robert Burns’ song, Holden, the main character in Salinger’s novel, must have put himself into the image that the poem describes, a poor body, coming through the rye. He must think the poor body is tired, lonely, lost, and confused. It has been such a hardship for Holden. He was kicked out of three schools, runs away from school, has difficulties in school, cannot communication with anybody, and cannot relate to his peers. Nobody understands what he’s trying to say. Adults won’t listen to him. His father is going to kill him. The dishonest, unfair, ugly relationship that he see in people, elevator boy, tax driver and etc. disturb him, he is getting drunk at 16. He lies and is perpetually lonely throughout the entire novel. He even hired a prostitute whom he doesn’t know and get beat up. He is as miserable as that poor body in the poem.
“She draigled her petticaotie”
It is heavy, wet, gloomy and depressing. The sentence sense exactly how Holden felt about himself and people around himself. He is depressed and cannot barely walk through the ryn (real world).
“Oh Jenny’s seldom dry”
Holden never be able to be popular in school, get the good grade in school (except English) or go to Hollywood as his brother does. “seldom dry” mean that he cannot be like them and Holden feel his unfit in the real world.
“if a body meet a body, coming through the rye ”
Holden change “meet” to “catch” and picture himself standing the edge of the cliff and cache thousands of children running in the rye field. This is what Holden like to do when his sister asked him to choose one thing he like to do. He likes to save the children who get lost in the real world. When he is answering the question, his mind is going though the death...
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