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- Catcher In The Rye: Holden's Breif Happiness
- Abbreviated Happiness
-
- After Holden Caulfield returns to his native New York and rents a room in
- a sleezy hotel, he makes a date with Sally Hayes. Before this date, Holden
- finds himself wanderin the streets of the naked city. He is feeling
- depressed and finds himself on Broadway trying to purchase a record for his
- sister. After making this purchase, Holden notices a poor family walking
- in front of him. This unit is composed of a father, mother, and "little
- kid." Holden notices the child who is walking in a straight line in the
- street and humming a tune to himself. Holden approaches him to determine
- the tune he is singing. This tune is "If a Body Catch a Body Coming
- Through the Rye."
- Holden finds it amusing that the child is strutting quite literally on
- Broadway and is so care-free. He notices cars screeching and honking all
- over the place, and yet the child proceeds. The child's happy disposition
- seems encourage Holden's on vitality. It gripped Holden that the child was
- singing with "a pretty little voice...just for the hell of it" and
- brightened him up.
- A deeper interpertation of this scene would dictate that the child
- represents Holden's own personality and life. Holden is defenatley singing
- his own tune just for the hell of it and like the child, seems to have no
- regard for his own well-being. At this point, Holden may see a side in
- himself that is care-free and this lightens his depression.
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