Nine Stories Analysis Essay

Angie Marioni
December 1, 2010
Honors English Period 6
Short Story Notes
Freemantle

“A Perfect Day for Bananafish”
J.D. Salinger
Pages 3-18   (15)
SETTING: Florida, just after World War Two
MAIN CHARACTERS:
Seymour Glass
      Muriel’s husband and a World War Two veteran who returned from the war with many mental troubles which sets him apart from his wife and the rest of society
Mureil Glass
      Seymour’s wife, a materialistic woman who belongs in a high-class society who seems to be in denial about her husband’s obvious mental issues
Muriel’s Mother
      A high-class woman, just like her daughter, who shares her serious concerns about Seymour to Muriel
Sybil Carpenter
      An innocent three year old girl who befriends Seymour at the beach
PLOT:
Muriel and Seymour are on vacation in Florida where Muriel spends most of her time on the phone with her mother.   Muriel’s mother expresses her level of concern regarding Seymour and how that she feels that he is unsafe for Muriel to be around.   Muriel’s mother reminds her daughter of a specific car crash from not so long ago with Seymour at fault but Muriel still ignores her mom.   She tries to convince her mother that everything will be alright but Muriel’s mother does not seem to trust her.   Meanwhile, Seymour enjoys his time alone on the beach until three-year old, Sybil Carpenter, shows up and starts talking to Seymour.   Their conversation seems to have a lack of depth and Seymour’s child-like conversation skills lead them from the topic of olives to wax to tigers and so on.   The two of them go out to the water and Seymour announces that it is a perfect day for bananafish, a creature made up by Seymour, and Sybil claims she finds one with six bananas in its mouth.   After that, Sybil returns to the hotel where her mother is having cocktails and Seymour goes back to the hotel room where Muriel is asleep.   Seymour pulls a gun out of his suitcase, sits on the bed, and pulls the trigger aiming...