Question

What happens when Holden explains to Phoebe that he’d like to be the “Catcher in the rye?”

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation:

Holden means that he wants children to stop growing up so they don't need to face the adult problems that he has delt with.

"Phoebe points out that Holden has misheard the words—the actual lyric, from the Robert Burns poem, “Coming Thro' the Rye,” is “If a body meet a body coming through the rye” (Sparknotes).