Quotes

There are several quotes in The Catcher in the Rye that help to set the theme of the novel. One, for instance, was from the character of Holden Caulfield, who is the narrator:

"Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody's around- nobody big, I mean- except me. And I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. 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'd just be the catcher in the rye and all." - J.D. Salinger, page 173

This quote, which also gives the novel its title and is probably the most famous quote from the book, reveals Holden's fantasy of idealistic and innocent childhood and a role of protector for himself. This quote also proves more of Holden's disillusions about childhood and adulthood. He sees adulthood and responsibility and maturity as a threat, and thinks that childhood and innocence is everything that is good in life. Holden very much prefers this fantasy to true life, and when he realizes that this idea may be a little 'crazy' he still has trouble seeing the world in any other way, and can come up with no other pragmatic ideas.

"If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all the David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth." (Holden Caulfield) -J.D. Salinger, page 1

In this quote, Holden immediately reveals how little tolerance he actually has. Later on, he is revealed to be very much a hypocrite. He builds nearly impossible standards for people, even when they are standards that he himself cannot live up to.