What is the poem Comin Thro'the Rye about?
Robert Burns' Poem. The poem "Comin Thro' the Rye" by Scottish writer Robert Burns (1759–1796), is probably best known because of Holden Caulfield's misinterpretation of it in J.D. Salinger's novel "The Catcher in the Rye .". Instead of "meeting" a body in the rye, he remembers it as "catching" a body.
Why is Comin’ Thro’ the Rye so popular?
It is one of the best poems written by Robert Burns so much so that he is often associated and remembered by the same. Comin’ Thro’ the Rye has gained almost all its audience and readership maybe because of Holden Caulfield’s misinterpretation in the novel – The Catcher in the Rye.
What is the setting of Comin Thro’ the Rye?
Comin’ Thro’ the Rye Summary. The geographical setting of the poem “Comin’ thro’ the Rye’ describes the crossing of a ford through the Rye water at Drakemyre towards the northern part of the town, downstream from Ryefield House and is near from the congruence of the Rye with the river Garnock.
What is the theme of the catcher in the Rye?
Themes in Catcher in the Rye 1 Self-alienating for the purpose of self-protection. 2 Growing pains and loss of innocence. 3 Maintaining appearances and performing happiness. Self-alienating for the purpose of self-protection – Holden clearly... More ...
What is the meaning of Comin thro the Rye?
The lines about Jenny's body being wet and her coming through the rye has a sexual connotation as well. Another meaning of the poem hence could be that the poet is making love to Jenny and she is having an orgasm, and her body being wet could be the sweating from the act.
How does Comin thro the rye relate to Holden?
It is at this time that Holden describes to his sister his fantasy of being “the catcher in the rye,” which was inspired by a song he heard a little boy singing: “If a body catch a body comin' through the rye.” Phoebe tells him that the words are “If a body meet a body coming through the rye,” from a poem by Robert ...
What is the poem Catcher in the Rye about?
The Catcher in the Rye Holden Caulfield, the protagonist, misremembers the line of the poem as "if a body catch a body" rather than "if a body meet a body". He keeps picturing children playing in a field of rye near the edge of a cliff, and him catching them when they start to fall off.
How does Holden's misinterpretation of the poem Comin thro the rye play a role in his mental breakdown?
It is ironic, then, given how conflicted about sex Holden is, that he misinterprets the poem as a call to protect children from the loss of innocence and specifically from too-early knowledge about sex. It is why he wishes he could rub out all the obscene graffiti, a task he admits is "hopeless."
What does the line if a body catch a body coming through the rye mean?
Although he thinks that the song (which is based on a poem by the 18th-century poet Robert Burns) goes, “If a body catch a body coming through the rye,” it actually reads, “If a body meet a body coming through the rye.” To that end, the lyrics are ironically about promiscuous sexual encounters, as Burns is writing ...
What does the line if a body catch a body coming through the rye mean why do you think hearing the kid singing it makes Holden feel better?
The first mention we get of this mysterious catcher in this mysterious rye is in chapter 16 when Holden overhears a little kid singing, "If a body catch a body coming through the rye." For just a second, it makes him feel not so depressed, in part because Holden is a fan of little children, and we can all agree that ...
What does the last line of The Catcher in the Rye mean?
From that, Holden is in the hospital. The last line of the book says, "Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody." From what I remember, this means that Holden made up all of those stories.
Why is it called Catcher in the Rye?
The book's title stems from a scene in Chapter 16 when Holden observes a young boy who, ignored by his parents, walks in the street while singing “If a body catch a body coming through the rye.” Holden interprets this scene as a perfect expression of the innocence of youth.
What is ironic about the poem?
Irony is generally used to create a comedic situation. One common form of irony in poetry is verbal irony, in which a poet manipulates the tone to say the opposite of what the poem actually says.
What lessons does Holden learn in Catcher in the Rye?
Try to listen to yourself, have a break, when in need of one. Holden gives a great example of courage when he is not stopping and backing off. Do not let sadness and anxiety get to you, face the challenges and you'll get over them. The Catcher in the Rye is not only a beautiful piece of writing.
What is the significance of Holden wanting to be The Catcher in the Rye?
Trapped between states, with his innocence in jeopardy, Holden wants to be a “catcher in the rye,” a savior of the innocence missing in the world around him, a world that has let him fall over the cliff into adulthood alone. Read more about the symbolism of the “catcher” in the rye.
Who is Holden telling the story to besides the reader?
ESSAY 3: The whole novel is Holden's narration of this long story. Who is he telling this story to (besides the reader) and what can we conclude about Holden's fate? Besides the reader, Holden is telling his story to his therapist.
What is the rye poem?
An alternative suggestion is that "the rye" was a long narrow cobblestone -paved lane, prone to puddles of water. While the original poem is already full of sexual imagery, an alternative version makes this more explicit.
Who is the protagonist in Catcher in the Rye?
The Catcher in the Rye. The title of the novel The Catcher in the Rye (1951) by J. D. Salinger comes from the poem's name. Holden Caulfield, the protagonist, misremembers the line of the poem as "if a body catch a body" rather than "if a body meet a body".
Where is the ford across the rye water?
The ford across the Rye Water in Drakemyre, Dalry. G. W. Napier, in an 1876 Notes and Queries, wrote: The original words of "Comin' thro' the rye" cannot be satisfactorily traced. There are many different versions of the song.
Is rye a field?
When this story appeared in the Glasgow Herald in 1867, it was soon disputed with the assertion that everyone understood the rye to be a field of rye, wet with dew, which also fits better with other stanzas that substitute "wheat" and "grain" for "rye".
What is the chorus to "Comin Thro the Rye"?
Comin thro' the rye. Chorus: O, Jenny's a' weet, poor body, Jenny's seldom dry; She draigl't a' her petticoattie. Comin thro' the rye. Gin a body meet a body. Comin thro' the rye, Gin a body kiss a body—.
What does Holden remember in the poem?
Instead of "meeting" a body in the rye, he remembers it as "catching" a body. Discussing the poem with his sister, Phoebe, Holden tells her a fantasy that he is a rescuer of children playing in a field of rye, and he is catching them before they fall off a cliff.
What are the themes of the book Holden?
Motifs such as loneliness, intimacy issues, and deception speak to issues that Holden has as he navigates how to gracefully exist as an adult, having lost his childhood innocence.
Where does Catcher in the Rye take place?
Main Theme of Catcher in The Rye. The novel takes place most in New York City as the main character, Holden Caulfield, navigates growing up and leaving behind his childhood innocence. The story takes place in post-WWII American as the nation experienced great prosperity.
Why does Holden think about everything he does and everyone he interacts with as opponents to his happiness?
He thinks about everything he does and everyone he interacts with as opponents to his happiness because he psychologically cannot accept that there is darkness in the world and that human beings are often dark creatures. Holden desperately wishes that things could stay the same and that everything could be easily understood. This is reflected in his narrative about what museums mean to him and how unsettling it is that they can stay the same, but every time he goes back, he is a different person. Even though it is obvious to the readers that Holden is resisting his coming of age process, Holden cannot see that himself. Instead, he creates a fantasy that there is a world free of “phonies” but he just has not found it yet and instead is unfairly stuck in a cynical and dishonest world.
Why does Holden hate the people he interacts with throughout the course of the novel?
The people he interacts with throughout the course of the novel who have social status annoy Holden because he sees the darker side to their personalities which they , of course, do not show to the rest of the world . Holden hates this and describes it as “phony.”.
Why does Holden not want to grow up?
Self-alienating for the purpose of self-protection – Holden clearly does not want to grow up. In order to protect himself from the harsh realities of the world, he consistently sets up challenges for himself without realizing that he is the culprit of much of his own despair. This serves to create a rift between himself and world around him so that he can blame his unhappiness on unsatisfactory settings, companions, and life events rather than having to acknowledge that he himself is also a part of the problem he so desperately despises—adults hurt one another and often act hypocritically.
What does Holden's phoniness symbolize?
To Holden, the idea of “phoniness” symbolizes everything that is wrong with the world and everything he wishes that he could hide from.
What is Holden's view of the resulting lifestyles?
Holden interprets the resulting lifestyles as creating “phonies” and hypocrites. As he engages in several social activities, he is disappointed time and time again by the contrast between the prosperity of the late 1940s or early 1950s and the darker aspects of human nature. The novel has several motifs that speak to the novel’s broader themes.
Overview
Cover versions
• The first recording of this song was made in 1906 by Ruth Vincent.
• The song was sung by Marcella Sembrich in 1912.
• The song was covered by Marian Anderson in 1944
• The song was covered by Bill Haley & His Comets in 1956 as "Rockin' Through The Rye". Bill Haley had updated the lyrics to a more 1950's hip slang (included the lyrics, "All the lassies rock with me when rockin' through the rye"). In Sept 1956, when the record was climbing the UK charts…
• The first recording of this song was made in 1906 by Ruth Vincent.
• The song was sung by Marcella Sembrich in 1912.
• The song was covered by Marian Anderson in 1944
• The song was covered by Bill Haley & His Comets in 1956 as "Rockin' Through The Rye". Bill Haley had updated the lyrics to a more 1950's hip slang (included the lyrics, "All the lassies rock with me when rockin' through the rye"). In Sept 1956, when the record was climbing the UK charts, the single was bann…
Origin and meaning
G. W. Napier, in an 1876 Notes and Queries, wrote:
The original words of "Comin' thro' the rye" cannot be satisfactorily traced. There are many different versions of the song. The version which is now to be found in the Works of Burns is the one given in Johnson's Museum, which passed through the hands of Burns; but the song itself, in some form or other, was kno…
Burns' lyrics
O, Jenny's a' weet, poor body, Jenny's seldom dry: She draigl't a' her petticoatie, Comin thro' the rye! Chorus: Comin thro' the rye, poor body, Comin thro' the rye, She draigl't a' her petticoatie, Comin thro' the rye! Gin a body meet a body Comin thro' the rye, Gin a body kiss a body, Need a body cry? (chorus) Gin a body meet a body Comin thro' the glen Gin a body kiss a body, Need the warl' ken? (chorus) Gin a body meet a body Comin thro' the grain; Gin a body kiss a body, The thing's a bod…
O, Jenny's a' weet, poor body, Jenny's seldom dry: She draigl't a' her petticoatie, Comin thro' the rye! Chorus: Comin thro' the rye, poor body, Comin thro' the rye, She draigl't a' her petticoatie, Comin thro' the rye! Gin a body meet a body Comin thro' the rye, Gin a body kiss a body, Need a body cry? (chorus) Gin a body meet a body Comin thro' the glen Gin a body kiss a body, Need the warl' ken? (chorus) Gin a body meet a body Comin thro' the grain; Gin a body kiss a body, The thing's a bod…
Lyrics usually sung ("Ilka lassie")
Even the "cleaner" version of the Burns lyrics is quite bawdy, and it is this one, or an "Anglized" version of it, that is most commonly "covered".
Gin a body meet a body Comin' thro' the rye Gin a body kiss a body Need a body cry? Chorus: Ilka lassie has her laddie Nane, they say, hae I Yet a' the lads they smile at me When comin' thro' the rye. Gin a body meet a body Comin' frae the town Gin a body kiss a body Need a body frown? (C…
Even the "cleaner" version of the Burns lyrics is quite bawdy, and it is this one, or an "Anglized" version of it, that is most commonly "covered".
Gin a body meet a body Comin' thro' the rye Gin a body kiss a body Need a body cry? Chorus: Ilka lassie has her laddie Nane, they say, hae I Yet a' the lads they smile at me When comin' thro' the rye. Gin a body meet a body Comin' frae the town Gin a body kiss a body Need a body frown? (C…
The Catcher in the Rye
The title of the novel The Catcher in the Rye (1951) by J. D. Salinger comes from the poem's name. Holden Caulfield, the protagonist, misremembers the line of the poem as "if a body catch a body" rather than "if a body meet a body". He keeps picturing children playing in a field of rye near the edge of a cliff, and him catching them when they start to fall off.
External links
• Digitised copy of Comin' thro' the rye in James Johnson's Scots Musical Museum pp. 430–431, "Written for this Work by Robert Burns", printed between 1787 and 1803. Published online by National Library of Scotland. JPEG, PDF, XML versions.
• Public domain recording (1914) by Alma Gluck