Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental illness that is rarely mentioned in today’s society, this is simply because only 7% of the worlds population has it. This might be the case, however, approximately 38% of World War II veterans expressed symptoms of PTSD. J.D. Salinger, the author of both “A Perfect Day for Bananafish” and “For Esmé – With Love and Squalor” fought in World War II and was hospitalized with a nervous breakdown at the end of the war and later diagnosed with PTSD. In both short stories, the protagonists are dealing with the after effects that the war has caused them. In “A Perfect Day for Bananafish” and “For Esmé – With Love and Squalor,” the protagonists try to deal from the horrors of war by searching for youth.
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Remember?’”(Salinger 110). Sergeant X quickly shoots down Clay’s effort to make him happier. Both Seymour and Sergeant X share the characteristic of keeping to themselves about what they experienced and how it has changed them. Secondly, although Seymour and Sergeant X do not have any physical disabilities from the war, they do have emotional scars. Feet are a symbol of filthiness; in the Holy Bible Jesus would clean the feet on those who had sinned, to wipe them away the misdeeds. J.D. Salinger in “A Perfect Day for Bananafish” creates an atmosphere where it is evident to see that Seymour has lost control and has been stripped of his innocence. Seymour is in the elevator, seemingly in control of himself when all of a sudden his casual statement becomes a roar of emotion, “‘I see you’re looking at my feet…If you want to look at my feet, say so,’ said the young man. ‘But you don’t have to be a God-damned sneak about it.’”(Salinger 17). Seymour is ashamed and embarrassed about his feet, he thinks that the lady in the elevator who was not necessarily staring at his feet is all of a sudden seeing right through him and knows that he is unstable. Likewise, feet are
Remember?’”(Salinger 110). Sergeant X quickly shoots down Clay’s effort to make him happier. Both Seymour and Sergeant X share the characteristic of keeping to themselves about what they experienced and how it has changed them. Secondly, although Seymour and Sergeant X do not have any physical disabilities from the war, they do have emotional scars. Feet are a symbol of filthiness; in the Holy Bible Jesus would clean the feet on those who had sinned, to wipe them away the misdeeds. J.D. Salinger in “A Perfect Day for Bananafish” creates an atmosphere where it is evident to see that Seymour has lost control and has been stripped of his innocence. Seymour is in the elevator, seemingly in control of himself when all of a sudden his casual statement becomes a roar of emotion, “‘I see you’re looking at my feet…If you want to look at my feet, say so,’ said the young man. ‘But you don’t have to be a God-damned sneak about it.’”(Salinger 17). Seymour is ashamed and embarrassed about his feet, he thinks that the lady in the elevator who was not necessarily staring at his feet is all of a sudden seeing right through him and knows that he is unstable. Likewise, feet are