A Perfect Day for Bananafish by J.D. Salinger
In A Perfect Day for Bananafish by J.D. Salinger we have the theme of appearance, innocence, materialism and communication. Taken from his Nine Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that Salinger may be exploring the theme of appearance. As Muriel is waiting to use the phone in her hotel bedroom the reader finds that she has spent her time washing her comb and brush, taking a spot out of her skirt and tweezing two freshly surfaced hairs in her mole. Though this may all appear to be insignificant or something Muriel does to simply pass the time while she is waiting for the phone it is more likely that Salinger is highlighting to the reader the importance of appearance or image to Muriel. It is quite possible that Salinger is suggesting that Muriel may be more focused on herself (and her appearance) rather than on others (Seymour’s plight) and that she possesses a certain type of shallowness. It is also possible that by mentioning the Saks blouse and the women’s magazine, Salinger is also delving into the theme of materialism, again something that appears to be important to Muriel.
Salinger may also be exploring the idea or theme of appearance while Muriel is on the phone talking to her mother. While Muriel is talking to her mother she comments on a dress that the psychiatrist’s wife was wearing while Muriel was talking to the psychiatrist in the hotel bar. It becomes clear to the reader that Muriel does not consider that the psychiatrist’s wife had the appropriate figure to be wearing the dress. This may be significant as it again suggests the importance of appearance to Muriel. She would appear to be judging people based solely on their physical appearance rather than on their character. It may also be significant that Muriel and her mother saw the dress in a shop (Bonwit’s) window, as again this would play on the idea of materialism and it’s importance to Muriel (and her mother).
Muriel’s conversation with her mother on the phone is also important as it is through the conversation that the reader realises that Salinger is also exploring the theme of communication. Neither Muriel nor her mother allow each other the opportunity to finish their sentences while they are talking to each other. There is a feeling that both are talking at each other rather than with each other. It may also be significant that Muriel tells her mother that she couldn’t really talk to the psychiatrist in the bar due to the noise. Again this may suggest the difficulties in communicating with others. The more obvious incident in whereby Salinger explores the difficulties in communicating with others is the fact that Seymour prefers to spend his time away from people (particularly adults), his preference being to sit in the Ocean room of the hotel playing the piano while Muriel sits in the bar. It is possible that Salinger is suggesting that Seymour distances himself from other adults as he is aware of how shallow they may be. It is also noticeable that while he is sitting on the beach, Seymour has chosen a spot that is outside the area reserved for guests of the hotel. Again there is a sense that Seymour wishes to isolate himself from others.
Though Seymour distances himself from those around him, he does have time for children, particularly Sybil Carpenter and Sarah Lipschutz. This may be significant as it can suggest that Seymour longs, by his interaction with Sybil and Sarah, for a return to innocence. The reader is aware that Seymour is suffering from what today would be called post-traumatic stress disorder caused by his participation and involvement in WWII and it is quite possible that Seymour, by distancing himself from adults, longs to live in a world that is simpler and purer (a child’s world).
There is also a lot of symbolism in the story which may be important. Salinger appears to be playing with names, both Seymour’s (see more) and Sarah Lipschutz’s (lips shut). Both these names are important as they suggest that Seymour has seen more (from his time in WWII) and Sarah’s name is significant as it suggests that Seymour prefers to keep his ‘lips shut’ or avoid communication with those around him (again particularly adults). The Bananafish itself may also be important as it can be seen to symbolise greed (through materialism). Just as the bananafish gorge on bananas Salinger may also be suggesting that people ‘fatten’ themselves with materialism. It is also possible that the Bananafish may symbolise the emotional pain that Seymour feels. Just as the Bananafish eat too many bananas, emotionally things get too much for Seymour.
The colour blue, which is mentioned twice in the story (Seymour’s swimming trunks and Muriel’s coat) may also be important symbolism. Blue is usually associated (particularly in literature) with innocence and purity. By dressing Seymour in blue while he is at the beach talking to Sybil, Salinger may be suggesting that Seymour though he may no longer be innocent or pure, is striving for a return to innocence. It may also be significant that Muriel tells her mother that she took the padding out of her blue coat. It is possible that this may suggest a lack of purity within Muriel. The reader already aware of the importance of appearance and materialism to Muriel.
The ending of the story is also interesting as it is through the ending that the reader gets a sense of how difficult Seymour finds it to live in a world that he does not like. The incident in the lift with the woman (who Seymour accuses of looking at his feet) serves to highlight this difficulty. While Seymour was able to express himself and participate in life with Sybil on the beach, it is apparent that this is not the case for Seymour when he in the lift. It is most likely because of this inability to interact (or communicate) with others, who are not children and his wishing not to be involved in a world in whereby he sees every adult as shallow or preoccupied with materialism, that Seymour takes the drastic step of killing himself.
Could you tell me please the theme of this story?
Thanks for the comment Tata. For me the theme of the story is appearance, innocence, materialism and communication.
Are there any themes of paedophilia in this short story? The very title, spending a lot of time with young children, kissing Sybil’s foot,….
Thanks for the comment Masa. Some readers may feel that because of Seymour’s actions (his closeness to Sybil) that Salinger is exploring the theme of paedophilia. However for me I’m not as sure. I think Seymour’s relationship with Sybil is based more on innocence than on anything else. I feel there is an innocent connection between both characters. With Seymour longing for a return to the innocence that is usually associated with childhood.
Thanks for the comment Masa. Some readers may feel that because of Seymour’s actions (his closeness to Sybil) that Salinger is exploring the theme of paedophilia. However for me I’m not as sure. I think Seymour’s relationship with Sybil is based more on innocence than on anything else. I feel there is an innocent connection between both characters. With Seymour longing for a return to the innocence that is usually associated with childhood.
Thanks for the comment Tata. For me the theme of the story is appearance, innocence, materialism and communication.
Hello,
I would like to ask you, whether you could list, if there are some, even symbolic similarities, between A Perfect day for Bannanafish and For Esmé—with Love and Squalor. Thank you very much in advance.
Thanks for the comment Peter. One similarity I’ve noticed between both stories is the fact that both the lead characters (Seymour and Sergeant X) are happier with and in the company of children. This could be significant as it suggests that both men prefer to live in a simpler more innocent world. A world where they do not have to live or relive the traumas they have witnessed in WWII. It is as though both men use the world of a child to cope with the realities around them.
There is also an element of selfishness with some of the characters in both stories (Muriel and Sergeant X’s family). They have no understanding of what either Seymour or Sergeant X have gone through. Nor do they appear to be interested in what either character has gone through.
Maybe Seymour is like a bananafish. Ordinary until you realize how his mind works, his mind is the hole. Once a bananafish eats so many bananas, it’s destined for death because it can’t escape the hole. Once you kill/seen so many people killed your trapped in your head and can’t escape the pain.
Thanks for that insight Realena. I like how you are linking up the story.
I found “A Perfect Day For Bananafish” through a manga series, Bananafish, which was based on the short story. I didn’t understand the short story the first time I read it, so I looked for an explanation, and this was the third one I found. In the manga, the “Bananafish” is a newly created LSD highly sought by many people for its mind control capabilities. When a young gang leader, Ash, gets a hold of a sample by accident, he and his friends are put in danger. Ash had been living a life of danger since the day he was kidnapped and forced into child prostitution, until mafia boss Dino Golzine recognized his extraordinary intelligence and abilities and trained him to be his successor.
Ash grows up being constantly physically and emotionally tormented while being groomed to become Golzine’s successor until, like I said earlier, he picks up a sample of Bananafish, which causes a lot of other problems.
He meets an Japanese boy named Eiji who gets caught up in the whole conflict. Eiji is very innocent and naive, and he treats Ash with warmth and acceptance, something he had almost never received in his childhood. To Ash, Eiji represents everything that’s good and pure.
On the other hand, Ash has a lot of scars from his past, and many responsibilities heaped on him from a young age as the leader of an unruly gang. His way of life has also cost him many close friends and forced him to kill many people, something he constantly blames himself for. Often he is used for his abilities and looks, or he is offered power and riches when he would rather have peace and safety, which ties into the theme of materialism in Seymour’s story.
Ash is like Seymour in the way that they both seek innocence, Seymour in children and Ash in Eiji.
He takes refuge from the violence of his world by leaning on Eiji, who supports him no matter what. When he realizes that by doing so he puts Eiji in danger, he resolves to stop seeing him forever, and since the one light in his life is gone, his life loses meaning and he lets himself die. Similar to how Seymour kills himself when he realizes he can never truly be free of the materialism of the world he lives in.
Sorry for writing so much. I try not to but I tend to ramble often.
Bananafish sounds like an interesting story. Thanks for highlighting the comparisons between both stories.
Actually banana fish the anime is the whole reason I got into J.D. Salinger. I don’t watch much TV at all so finding a series I like can be pretty hard. This series was very encapsulating and encouraged a lot of thought and real world problems. I love your analogy, because I had a hard time linking the story and the show together. In the show they said that the sight of a banana fish causes people to kill themselves, because they directly refer to J.D. Salinger’s book as the reason the drug is named that way. However after reading the story I found out that was not true. I’m glad to see someone else found the manga and was as intrigued as I was. I also stumbled upon this site after trying to figure out a clear meaning for another of J.D. Salinger’s stories. I love these reviews, they’re very in depth and easy to understand.
Thanks for that insight Charity.
This was the second short story of Salinger I read. The ending was so sad, especially after the scene at beach where Seymour and Sybil were searching for bananafish and Sybil said he saw 6 of them. (That innocence made me smile.) But right after that, such tragedy struck !
And hey, Dermot, can you suggest me the next best short story from Salinger’s Nine Stories? (I’ve read For Esme… and Bananafish.)
I think ‘Down at the Dingy’ or ‘Pretty My Mouth and Green My Eyes’ are good.
Upon reading the rest of Salinger’s works featuring the Glass family, I’m at a loss when I try to put together Seymour’s suicide. While Sergeant X seems to have a clear sense of disconnect at least during the time of war with his family members who seem to be materialistic, Seymour’s connection with Buddy Glass is very intense. Those two had similar interests, shared the same room and what not. Seymour also seems to have played a major major role in shaping the worldview of Franny and Zooey. A loving albeit overprotective mother as well. Somehow, I’ve never been able to wrap my head around it.
I think Seymour is one of the more complicated figures in literature.
I feel depressed and horrible reading this story and I don’t know why so I searched for review and your review really helps me understand
Thank you
I’m glad you found the post helpful in some way.
I really liked your analysis. I would have a question: Were they a couple or were they married? (Muriel and Seymour)
Thanks Andrea. Muriel and Seymour were married.
Thanks a million dear Dermot for all of the articles you provide on your website! I have been following your analysis on Salinger’s Nine Stories, Raymond Carver and Fernando Sorrentino’s stories and they are all clear and insightful. Keep up the good work!
Thanks Tina. I’m glad you find some of the posts on the blog helpful.