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In The Catcher in the Rye, what do "the cliff" and "the catcher in the rye" symbolize in Holden's dream?
Quick answer:
"The cliff" that children can fall from is a metaphor for the dangers an innocent child can encounter. "The catcher in the rye" is the job Holden would like to pursue as an adult. He wishes to save vulnerable and unsuspecting children from falling off the edge of a cliff. This speaks to his desire to protect the innocent in a way he could not protect Allie.
Robert Burns's lyric "Coming Thro' the Rye" is the inspiration behind the title, and key theme, of Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. The song is mentioned in chapter 16 of the novel, when a child walking with his parents rephrases the lyrics of the song, from:
If a body meets a body coming through the rye,
to
If a body catch a body coming through the rye.
Holden hears this and takes it as further proof of the accuracy of his views about the importance of preserving innocence. He gives this opinion of the child he was just listening to:
He had a pretty little voice, too. He was just singing for the hell of it, you could tell ... his parents paid no attention to him, and he kept on walking next to the curb and singing ... It made me feel better. It made...
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me feel not so depressed any more.
Later, in chapter 22, we see how this episode in chapter 16 further influences Holden's views of life, as he discusses them with his sister, Phoebe. In this chapter, Holden sneaks into his parents' apartment and has a deep conversation with Phoebe during which he confides to her his vision of himself as a protector of those who may fall between the cracks, or better yet, "go over the cliff."
"The cliff" would signify the societal delimitations, or outer bounds, that some people accidentally cross when they do not know any better or when they have been misguided, or misled, to cross them. Such delimitations include variables like poverty, crime, becoming victims of criminals, alcoholism, drug addiction, and similar situations that may lure someone with not enough malice to understand the dangers.
"The catcher in the rye" is the interpretation that Holden gives to his role in society. He tells Phoebe that perhaps what is needed is someone to watch out for the innocents who end up going over that cliff of despair and tragedy, and catch them before they get lost forever. This is what he concludes from hearing the song and from his oversimplified opinions of life and people.
References
In chapter 22 of The Catcher in the Rye, Holden tells Phoebe that he does not want to be a lawyer or a scientist. Holden responds that he would not be a good scientist because he is no good at science. He declines the prospect of being a lawyer because all lawyers do is play golf, drink martinis, and make money. Obviously, neither of these careers suit Holden. Instead, Holden tells Phoebe what he would really like to do.
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. I know it's crazy, but that's the only thing I'd really like to be.
The cliff, for Holden, would represent mistakes children make in their lives (whether simplistic or one where the chance becoming a phony (something Holden hates)). The catcher in the rye represents Holden himself. He wants to be the person who stands at the edge of the cliff ensuring that the children do not run blindly, or at all, over the side. Essentially, Holden wants to be able to protect those younger than them, for it seems he still has hope for those like Phoebe. The reference to the catcher is used because it refers to the catcher's mitt (Allie's). Holden has always looked up to Allie and this reference shows the depth of his admiration.