The brain tends to leave its marks on many literary pieces that an author writes. Whether it be a common character, dilemma, or motif, there is almost always a connection between the author’s literary pieces. However, unbeknownst to the author, and the reader, this connection is extremely subtle and is often written by the author’s subconscious. If one were to identify this, then the author’s personal details, ideologies, mental state, and perspective on certain topics are revealed as well. Essentially, a writer’s mind is embedded within his or her work, regardless of his or her intentions of putting it there. J.D. Salinger, renowned author and transcendental writer, proves this theory in his anthology, Nine Short Stories. Although seemingly
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This sole feeling causes characters to change their personality and, in some cases, their outlook on life. Seymour, the protagonist in “A Perfect Day for Bananafish”, is no exception to this trend. After witnessing the horrors of war and the shock that it caused him, he hopes to reintegrate himself within society, and cease to be the deranged person that everyone believes him to be. This is first identified by his wife when she states, “He drove very nicely. Under fifty the whole way, as a matter of fact” (6). She reaffirms the belief that Seymour is trying to achieve normality, as well as forgetting the horrors of war by, “trying not to look at the trees…” (6). However, as cheerful as hope may seem in the story, given the circumstances of Seymour’s present circumstances, he knows that reintegration is hopeless. He cannot bear to witness his wife’s, or society’s, disregard for what is happening outside of their lives. This blissfulness is pointed out by Seymour himself during his conversation with Sybil. When asked where his wife was, he states, “She may be in any one of a thousand places. At the hairdresser’s. Having her hair dyed mink. Or making dolls for poor children, in her room” (17). Seymour sickened by his wife’s materialistic as well as her seemingly charitable attitude. It is during this pivotal part of the story that hope dies out for Seymour, realizing that …show more content…
After his service within the European Theatre of World War II, X’s mental state begins to deteriorate and has a nervous breakdown. However, unnoticed by his comrades, he also begins to see the phoniness as well as materialistic nature of his friends. During his encounter with Clay, X begins to state “Over the left-hand pocket he was wearing the Combat Infantrymen’s Badge (which, technically, he wasn’t authorized to wear), the European Theatre ribbon, with five bronze battle stars in it (instead of a lone silver one, which was the equivalent of five bronze ones) …” (162). The appearance of Clay shows the flamboyant nature of humanity, trying to best one another with temporary objects that mean nothing. X cannot care about meaningless objects, seeing that his life would never be the same, and no one could possibly understand what he has gone through, thus rendering rehabilitation useless. X exhibits this when he sarcastically states, “Loretta’s insight into things was always a joy” (166). One would assume that Loretta, who is majoring in Psychology, would provide a valuable, and logical, opinion as to what X is experiencing. However, X completely disregards her opinions on the matter, reaffirming the fact that no psychologist or doctor could understand the trauma that he has gone through, losing hope in himself and society. Nevertheless, Esme, a random teenager he met at the teahouse,
This sole feeling causes characters to change their personality and, in some cases, their outlook on life. Seymour, the protagonist in “A Perfect Day for Bananafish”, is no exception to this trend. After witnessing the horrors of war and the shock that it caused him, he hopes to reintegrate himself within society, and cease to be the deranged person that everyone believes him to be. This is first identified by his wife when she states, “He drove very nicely. Under fifty the whole way, as a matter of fact” (6). She reaffirms the belief that Seymour is trying to achieve normality, as well as forgetting the horrors of war by, “trying not to look at the trees…” (6). However, as cheerful as hope may seem in the story, given the circumstances of Seymour’s present circumstances, he knows that reintegration is hopeless. He cannot bear to witness his wife’s, or society’s, disregard for what is happening outside of their lives. This blissfulness is pointed out by Seymour himself during his conversation with Sybil. When asked where his wife was, he states, “She may be in any one of a thousand places. At the hairdresser’s. Having her hair dyed mink. Or making dolls for poor children, in her room” (17). Seymour sickened by his wife’s materialistic as well as her seemingly charitable attitude. It is during this pivotal part of the story that hope dies out for Seymour, realizing that …show more content…
After his service within the European Theatre of World War II, X’s mental state begins to deteriorate and has a nervous breakdown. However, unnoticed by his comrades, he also begins to see the phoniness as well as materialistic nature of his friends. During his encounter with Clay, X begins to state “Over the left-hand pocket he was wearing the Combat Infantrymen’s Badge (which, technically, he wasn’t authorized to wear), the European Theatre ribbon, with five bronze battle stars in it (instead of a lone silver one, which was the equivalent of five bronze ones) …” (162). The appearance of Clay shows the flamboyant nature of humanity, trying to best one another with temporary objects that mean nothing. X cannot care about meaningless objects, seeing that his life would never be the same, and no one could possibly understand what he has gone through, thus rendering rehabilitation useless. X exhibits this when he sarcastically states, “Loretta’s insight into things was always a joy” (166). One would assume that Loretta, who is majoring in Psychology, would provide a valuable, and logical, opinion as to what X is experiencing. However, X completely disregards her opinions on the matter, reaffirming the fact that no psychologist or doctor could understand the trauma that he has gone through, losing hope in himself and society. Nevertheless, Esme, a random teenager he met at the teahouse,