Which memory signals Holden's wish to protect children's innocence?

• A. The memory of Pencey
• B. The desire to be a catcher in the rye
• C. The memory of Allie's funeral
• D. The memory of Phoebe

Answer: (B)

Holden’s urge to shield children from losing their innocence is most clearly signaled by his fantasy of being the catcher in the rye. In that vision, he imagines himself standing in a field of rye, catching children who are about to run off a cliff as they play. This image embodies a protective role he longs to perform—saving kids from the dangers and corruptions of adulthood and preserving their purity and carefree innocence. The other memories point to different facets of his world—Pencey highlights his disillusionment with school and adulthood, Allie’s funeral centers on grief and mortality, and Phoebe reflects his care for his sister but doesn’t capture the broader wish to shield all children. The catcher in the rye idea is the concrete symbol that crystallizes his protective impulse toward childhood.