The Lost Shepherd

The title of a book can often illuminate the central idea of the book. In The Catcher in the Rye the meaning of the title becomes clear when Holden's sister asks him what he wants to be, and he says that all he wants to be is the "catcher in the rye" from a popular children's song. In this role he envisions himself as the lone guardian watching a group of children playing on a cliff; he alone can save them from plummeting into the abyss (Salinger 173). At this point it becomes apparent to the reader that the title The Catcher in the Rye reveals Holden's desire to protect the innocent, a desire which can be seen in his relationships with his family, children, Jane Gallagher, and other complete strangers and even in his observations of inhuman things.…