Perspective in storytelling is essential to understanding how an author views and interprets a story. In J.D Salinger’s “The Laughing Man”, the narrator is a man looking back on his youth, in the summer of 1928, when he used to participate in an afternoon sports camp/club called the “Comanches Club.”What the narrator most vividly remembers, however, are not the games and the outings, but the stories the Chief tells the kids after the sun goes down, before driving them home. What one may not know, is that the story is actually the Chief’s explanation of things happening in his life but with different scenarios and characters. This framed narrative contains multiple perspectives that help understand the resemblances between many characters. Throughout
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The Comanche boys and the narrator were thought to be a direct descendant of the Laughing Man, meaning they felt a connection with the Laughing man. “Actually, I was not only the legitimate living descendant of the Laughing Man--all of us circulating ominously, and incognito, throughout the city...” This is important because all the club boys felt a connection between the Laughing Man when the Chief had finished telling the story. The connection the narrator and the boys felt is relevant to the interpretation of the Chief’s story because the death of the Laughing Man felt abrupt and was “never to be revived” It also shows that the death and breaking of the Laughing Man’s mask symbolizes that the club boys and the Chief are no longer “hiding” their identity and feel a new sense of freedom. The Comanche boys that listened to the Chief’s storytelling played a significant role in interpreting and determining what the story meant by having various perspectives such as the …show more content…
In “The Laughing Man” Salinger’s style of storytelling provided multiple perspectives in the framed narrative. J.D Salinger uses symbolism throughout the story to provide a puzzle-like story. In today’s society, many people are hiding behind their own masks because society may judge them for whatever the reason. Just like the Laughing Man and his significance of his mask breaking, many people must learn to break down their personal barriers and be free of the restraints of society. Overall, the presentation of multiple perspectives provided additional insight on characters of the story and the interpretation of the Chief’s
The Comanche boys and the narrator were thought to be a direct descendant of the Laughing Man, meaning they felt a connection with the Laughing man. “Actually, I was not only the legitimate living descendant of the Laughing Man--all of us circulating ominously, and incognito, throughout the city...” This is important because all the club boys felt a connection between the Laughing Man when the Chief had finished telling the story. The connection the narrator and the boys felt is relevant to the interpretation of the Chief’s story because the death of the Laughing Man felt abrupt and was “never to be revived” It also shows that the death and breaking of the Laughing Man’s mask symbolizes that the club boys and the Chief are no longer “hiding” their identity and feel a new sense of freedom. The Comanche boys that listened to the Chief’s storytelling played a significant role in interpreting and determining what the story meant by having various perspectives such as the …show more content…
In “The Laughing Man” Salinger’s style of storytelling provided multiple perspectives in the framed narrative. J.D Salinger uses symbolism throughout the story to provide a puzzle-like story. In today’s society, many people are hiding behind their own masks because society may judge them for whatever the reason. Just like the Laughing Man and his significance of his mask breaking, many people must learn to break down their personal barriers and be free of the restraints of society. Overall, the presentation of multiple perspectives provided additional insight on characters of the story and the interpretation of the Chief’s