The Significance of the title in the Catcher in the Rye

In J. D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, there are many themes that are perceptible, however the most dominant theme was embedded in the title of the book. This is why in this essay I will address the significance of the title of this book. At the very outset, I will like to state what the title signified. The title established Holden Caulfield, the protagonist's obligations in life, as stated by himself. Holden wished to …

…were the innocent kids who did not know what the word 'fuck' meant so he tried to save them before they fell off the cliff and into the adult world where according to him innocence was non-existent. The aforementioned events conclusively support the idea upon which was grounded the title of the book and also the protagonists, Holden Caulfield's, character or nature. This idea was the protagonist's responsibility to protect the innocent from the impure.