@@jojohairee9987 seymour is someone who has experienced things that have forever altered him, so he can’t go back to societal normalcy (like ash). the bananafish represent a loss of innocence and the story implies that seymour has eaten too many (ash). him shooting himself in the head parallels w ash’s death because they both wormed themselves into a hole that they “can’t get out of” and accepted their fates
It really is some kind of laconic masterpiece, isn’t it. I reread it for the third or fourth time recently, and I realized the war is almost never mentioned but always ever-present in the background of one or more of the characters-obviously negatively the mental state of the characters. It’s almost a book about ptsd, while never addressing this directly.
Astonishing writing. The dialogue is just beyond perfection. That little girl running off "without regret". The great tragedy is that Saiinger stopped publishing in the 60's. His son says that there is more to come. We can only hope he's telling the truth.
Correct. if you see his son's interview "Celebrating JD Salinger- An Interview with Matt Salinger", Matt says there are stories of JD all ready to go and be published sometime in the future with his confirmation.
The question becomes how it will be presented. JD was firmly against digital books. Matt did all he could to try to convince him that digital reading was okay and more people were reading because of it, but JD died unconvinced, always wanting a tangible book instead. The question becomes what to do? Ethically one wants what JD wants but... there is a level of logic that I feel I disagree with JD on this one. I think digital books have given an accessibility to books that others might not have ever found.
I'm sorry to be negative but... JDS's son said that over 10 years ago. I would LOVE to see new writing being published, but I don't see it happening. I see the promise of new stuff being published as JDS's last great prank on the world.
A Perfect Day for Bananafish by J.D. Salinger Summary This short story, part of J.D. Salinger’s Nine Stories collection, explores themes of post-war trauma, communication, and the loss of innocence. It follows Seymour Glass, a spiritually complex and emotionally troubled WWII veteran, and his interactions with a young girl, Sybil Carpenter, during a vacation at a Florida resort. The story juxtaposes their innocent and whimsical connection with Seymour’s darker internal struggles, culminating in a shocking and ambiguous ending. Story Structure 1. Beginning/Exposition • Introduction of Muriel Glass: The story opens with Muriel, Seymour’s wife, talking to her mother over the phone in a hotel room. • Muriel is portrayed as self-absorbed and dismissive of her mother’s concerns about Seymour’s mental health. • The conversation reveals Seymour’s recent erratic behavior and alludes to his psychological struggles following his return from the war. • Key Characters: • Seymour Glass: A sensitive, introspective WWII veteran struggling with post-traumatic stress. • Muriel Glass: Seymour’s superficial and indifferent wife, representing societal disconnection. • Sybil Carpenter: A curious and innocent young girl who forms a bond with Seymour. • Inciting Incident: Seymour leaves Muriel behind at the hotel and heads to the beach, where he encounters Sybil. 2. Rising Action • Seymour and Sybil on the Beach: Seymour and Sybil engage in playful, whimsical conversation as they walk along the beach. • Seymour tells Sybil about the mythical “bananafish,” creatures that gorge themselves on bananas until they are too fat to leave their underwater caves, ultimately dying. • The story of the bananafish subtly mirrors Seymour’s perception of his own spiritual and emotional entrapment. • Moments of Innocence: Sybil represents innocence and untainted understanding, offering Seymour a brief respite from his inner turmoil. 3. Climax After their playful interaction, Seymour returns to the hotel. His mood abruptly shifts, and he becomes agitated when he perceives others, particularly a woman in the elevator, as intrusive or judgmental. 4. Falling Action Back in his room, Seymour checks on his sleeping wife, Muriel, who remains oblivious to his emotional state. 5. Resolution Without explanation or fanfare, Seymour retrieves a pistol from his belongings and shoots himself in the head, leaving readers to grapple with the ambiguity of his motivations and the profound sense of loss. Themes and Analysis 1. Post-War Trauma: Seymour’s behavior reflects the psychological toll of war and his inability to reintegrate into a shallow, materialistic society. 2. Innocence vs. Corruption: Sybil’s purity contrasts sharply with the superficiality of Muriel and the judgmental adults Seymour encounters, emphasizing his longing for genuine connection. 3. Isolation and Miscommunication: Seymour’s profound disconnect from those around him highlights the difficulty of expressing inner pain, particularly in a society unwilling to engage with deeper truths. 4. The Bananafish Metaphor: The “bananafish” symbolize overindulgence, entrapment, and spiritual suffocation, mirroring Seymour’s perception of a corrupt and overwhelming world. Why the Title? The title references Seymour’s story of the “bananafish,” a symbolic fable representing greed, entrapment, and existential despair. It encapsulates Seymour’s struggle to reconcile innocence with the suffocating realities of life. What Should We Take Away? • The Cost of Emotional Disconnection: The story critiques a society that prioritizes materialism over empathy and understanding. • The Importance of Innocence: Sybil’s presence reminds us of the redemptive power of purity and untainted connection, even if it is fleeting. • The Ambiguity of Human Struggles: Salinger’s narrative resists easy answers, challenging readers to confront the complexity of mental health and existential despair. Legacy and Impact • First published in The New Yorker in 1948, A Perfect Day for Bananafish established Salinger as a master of subtle, thought-provoking storytelling. • The story’s exploration of post-war trauma and existential themes resonated with readers in the aftermath of WWII. • Its ambiguous and unsettling conclusion remains a hallmark of modern literary fiction, inviting endless interpretation and debate.
So it’s very obvious that Seymour is just Salinger. As it’s known, Salinger is a veteran of WWII himself, and has been to a hospital over his mental health, after the war. So it’s very interesting to see what he thinks of himself by using other characters, other than Seymour, to describe himself. Muriel Glass is made to be the wife of Seymour, and clearly cares about him, even if he acts so weird. But then there’s everyone else in this book, who thinks of Seymour as a man ready to lose his mind at any second. So I think it’s safe to say that Salinger really thinks of himself as an outcast, maniac, weirdo that only Muriel (maybe) and literal children can understand him. Actually, scratch that, only children can understand him. That whole part about the German book just tells me that while Muriel can try to be nice to him and all, she’ll never actually try to understand it, because really it’s a huge feat to do as an adult, to just learn German or find a translation of that same book. But with children, Seymour can just throw out the idea of bananafishes and the child will just understand. Which is really concerning when it’s only children who can just understand him, because that’s where a lot of creepy shit begins to pop up in Salinger’s character. (P.s. the moment Seymour said “God Damn”, it instantly raised my Holden Caulfield red flag. Seymour is just Salinger)
The best reading! The only one when the young man sounds like he is fighting something inside, sounds with an effort.. as if he is trying hard to appear normal..
no, it is a very weird interaction. not only are we much more uptight about how adults interact with kids nowadays, but it was also a weird interaction even by late 40s standards
Much of Salinger’s themes have to do with innocence of youth and it’s corruption. I believe it was intentionally in appropriate. I am trying to understand the extent and as to “why”.
So let me ask the question that an aspiring actress from my College class, asked, when we reviewed this short story: "Why is Seymour Glass obsessed with feet?" Just kidding, but that is one view you can have of Seymour Glass based upon the events of this short story. I have a feeling that JD Salinger never thought about that. I know that view took our Professor by surprise. Just for the sake of saying this, JD Salinger coined a great phrase, within the story: "For Esme-----With Love and Squalor": "She was breathtakingly levelheaded."
You read this beautifully! Thank you so much for giving each character their own tone and feel! Every success to you!
Anyone else here because of the anime banana fish?
Its amazing how much this book seems to relate to this book I can't explain it
Yes!!!! I’m here because of banana fish!! I love that anime so much
How is this story related at all to the anime? Other than the title there's literally no similarities
@@jojohairee9987 seymour is someone who has experienced things that have forever altered him, so he can’t go back to societal normalcy (like ash). the bananafish represent a loss of innocence and the story implies that seymour has eaten too many (ash). him shooting himself in the head parallels w ash’s death because they both wormed themselves into a hole that they “can’t get out of” and accepted their fates
@@daytonaaasherriff7232 thank you for the beautiful explanation ❤
Here, I'm actually writhing the anime, it was so hard to get over the ending 😢
I read this in high school and every time I hear it again I weep.
uhhhh...you're just dramatic 🙄😐
Good job, thank you. Nine Stories, for me, is Salinger supreme, have read often for nearly seven decades. Simply great.
It really is some kind of laconic masterpiece, isn’t it. I reread it for the third or fourth time recently, and I realized the war is almost never mentioned but always ever-present in the background of one or more of the characters-obviously negatively the mental state of the characters. It’s almost a book about ptsd, while never addressing this directly.
Astonishing writing. The dialogue is just beyond perfection. That little girl running off "without regret". The great tragedy is that Saiinger stopped publishing in the 60's. His son says that there is more to come. We can only hope he's telling the truth.
Correct. if you see his son's interview "Celebrating JD Salinger- An Interview with Matt Salinger", Matt says there are stories of JD all ready to go and be published sometime in the future with his confirmation.
The question becomes how it will be presented. JD was firmly against digital books. Matt did all he could to try to convince him that digital reading was okay and more people were reading because of it, but JD died unconvinced, always wanting a tangible book instead. The question becomes what to do? Ethically one wants what JD wants but... there is a level of logic that I feel I disagree with JD on this one. I think digital books have given an accessibility to books that others might not have ever found.
There will be both digital as well as physical without a doubt
I'm sorry to be negative but... JDS's son said that over 10 years ago. I would LOVE to see new writing being published, but I don't see it happening. I see the promise of new stuff being published as JDS's last great prank on the world.
@@williamdonnelly224 It seems strange that his son should lie about this.
I absolutely love Mr.Salinger and his work
Thank you for reading this us - excellent job!
A brilliant performance.
Thank you very much. May be you can add to reading collection some other story by J. D. Salinger. May be Pretty Mouth and Green my Eyes for example.
Beautifully read
A Perfect Day for Bananafish by J.D. Salinger
Summary
This short story, part of J.D. Salinger’s Nine Stories collection, explores themes of post-war trauma, communication, and the loss of innocence. It follows Seymour Glass, a spiritually complex and emotionally troubled WWII veteran, and his interactions with a young girl, Sybil Carpenter, during a vacation at a Florida resort. The story juxtaposes their innocent and whimsical connection with Seymour’s darker internal struggles, culminating in a shocking and ambiguous ending.
Story Structure
1. Beginning/Exposition
• Introduction of Muriel Glass:
The story opens with Muriel, Seymour’s wife, talking to her mother over the phone in a hotel room.
• Muriel is portrayed as self-absorbed and dismissive of her mother’s concerns about Seymour’s mental health.
• The conversation reveals Seymour’s recent erratic behavior and alludes to his psychological struggles following his return from the war.
• Key Characters:
• Seymour Glass: A sensitive, introspective WWII veteran struggling with post-traumatic stress.
• Muriel Glass: Seymour’s superficial and indifferent wife, representing societal disconnection.
• Sybil Carpenter: A curious and innocent young girl who forms a bond with Seymour.
• Inciting Incident:
Seymour leaves Muriel behind at the hotel and heads to the beach, where he encounters Sybil.
2. Rising Action
• Seymour and Sybil on the Beach:
Seymour and Sybil engage in playful, whimsical conversation as they walk along the beach.
• Seymour tells Sybil about the mythical “bananafish,” creatures that gorge themselves on bananas until they are too fat to leave their underwater caves, ultimately dying.
• The story of the bananafish subtly mirrors Seymour’s perception of his own spiritual and emotional entrapment.
• Moments of Innocence:
Sybil represents innocence and untainted understanding, offering Seymour a brief respite from his inner turmoil.
3. Climax
After their playful interaction, Seymour returns to the hotel. His mood abruptly shifts, and he becomes agitated when he perceives others, particularly a woman in the elevator, as intrusive or judgmental.
4. Falling Action
Back in his room, Seymour checks on his sleeping wife, Muriel, who remains oblivious to his emotional state.
5. Resolution
Without explanation or fanfare, Seymour retrieves a pistol from his belongings and shoots himself in the head, leaving readers to grapple with the ambiguity of his motivations and the profound sense of loss.
Themes and Analysis
1. Post-War Trauma:
Seymour’s behavior reflects the psychological toll of war and his inability to reintegrate into a shallow, materialistic society.
2. Innocence vs. Corruption:
Sybil’s purity contrasts sharply with the superficiality of Muriel and the judgmental adults Seymour encounters, emphasizing his longing for genuine connection.
3. Isolation and Miscommunication:
Seymour’s profound disconnect from those around him highlights the difficulty of expressing inner pain, particularly in a society unwilling to engage with deeper truths.
4. The Bananafish Metaphor:
The “bananafish” symbolize overindulgence, entrapment, and spiritual suffocation, mirroring Seymour’s perception of a corrupt and overwhelming world.
Why the Title?
The title references Seymour’s story of the “bananafish,” a symbolic fable representing greed, entrapment, and existential despair. It encapsulates Seymour’s struggle to reconcile innocence with the suffocating realities of life.
What Should We Take Away?
• The Cost of Emotional Disconnection: The story critiques a society that prioritizes materialism over empathy and understanding.
• The Importance of Innocence: Sybil’s presence reminds us of the redemptive power of purity and untainted connection, even if it is fleeting.
• The Ambiguity of Human Struggles: Salinger’s narrative resists easy answers, challenging readers to confront the complexity of mental health and existential despair.
Legacy and Impact
• First published in The New Yorker in 1948, A Perfect Day for Bananafish established Salinger as a master of subtle, thought-provoking storytelling.
• The story’s exploration of post-war trauma and existential themes resonated with readers in the aftermath of WWII.
• Its ambiguous and unsettling conclusion remains a hallmark of modern literary fiction, inviting endless interpretation and debate.
I had to listen to this twice, to actually get the Seymour's story.
No regrets though.
So it’s very obvious that Seymour is just Salinger. As it’s known, Salinger is a veteran of WWII himself, and has been to a hospital over his mental health, after the war.
So it’s very interesting to see what he thinks of himself by using other characters, other than Seymour, to describe himself. Muriel Glass is made to be the wife of Seymour, and clearly cares about him, even if he acts so weird. But then there’s everyone else in this book, who thinks of Seymour as a man ready to lose his mind at any second. So I think it’s safe to say that Salinger really thinks of himself as an outcast, maniac, weirdo that only Muriel (maybe) and literal children can understand him.
Actually, scratch that, only children can understand him. That whole part about the German book just tells me that while Muriel can try to be nice to him and all, she’ll never actually try to understand it, because really it’s a huge feat to do as an adult, to just learn German or find a translation of that same book. But with children, Seymour can just throw out the idea of bananafishes and the child will just understand.
Which is really concerning when it’s only children who can just understand him, because that’s where a lot of creepy shit begins to pop up in Salinger’s character.
(P.s. the moment Seymour said “God Damn”, it instantly raised my Holden Caulfield red flag. Seymour is just Salinger)
Hello dear; I enjoyed this audiobook so much. I wish you read "De Daumier-Smith's blue Period" too. It's my favorite story.
I thought to myself why can't the woman who read the title, do the reading she has such a beautiful voice😂
Outstanding reading
The best reading! The only one when the young man sounds like he is fighting something inside, sounds with an effort.. as if he is trying hard to appear normal..
Well done. Please read more Salinger. 🙏🏻
Miraculously beautiful.
Am I the the only who thinks Seymour interaction with Sybil was inappropriate on the beach ?? Truly asking
Yeah the foot kiss had me like🫤
no, it is a very weird interaction. not only are we much more uptight about how adults interact with kids nowadays, but it was also a weird interaction even by late 40s standards
Much of Salinger’s themes have to do with innocence of youth and it’s corruption. I believe it was intentionally in appropriate. I am trying to understand the extent and as to “why”.
nah your trippin
Do you think it was a good idea to leave a small girl alone on a beach???
Great work. I will use this in my class.
Please read " For Esme.." Your voice is beautiful!
So let me ask the question that an aspiring actress from my College class, asked, when we reviewed this short story:
"Why is Seymour Glass obsessed with feet?"
Just kidding, but that is one view you can have of Seymour Glass based upon the events of this short story. I have a feeling that JD Salinger never thought about that. I know that view took our Professor by surprise.
Just for the sake of saying this, JD Salinger coined a great phrase, within the story: "For Esme-----With Love and Squalor":
"She was breathtakingly levelheaded."
well done
thank you !!!
Thanks!
What happened to the Tom O'Bedlam version of this?
You did a good job by the way. Just, no one reads it quite like Tom O'Bedlam.
the voice is American
Miraculously beautiful.
i wouldn't say that...