The Catcher in the Rye: Chapter 16

Journal Entry
#23
October 12, 2007
Chapter 16
Page 115 Paragraph 2
Quote:
"He was singing that song, 'If a body catch a body coming through the rye.' He had a pretty little voice too. He was just singing for the hell of it, you could tell. The cars zoomed by, the brakes screeched all over the place, his parents paid no attention to him, and he kept on walking next to the kerb and singing 'If a body catch a body coming through the rye.' It made me feel better. It made me feel not so depressed anymore."

Holden doesn't feel depressed after hearing the song about the rye field. I think that he isn't as depressed because the kid doesn't care that everyone is watching him or not watching. Holden is envious of the kid because the kid is able to do stuff, and nobody acts like their paying attention to him. Holden says that he likes to do stuff, but he doesn't like people watching him while he is doing it. This kid is of significance to the book because the title is named after the song, or words in the song.