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Franny and Zooey
by J.D. Salinger
A classic tale of theological exploration and family love.
Franny and Zooey is composed of two sections, the first one being Franny’s. Her story opens with Lane, her collegiate boyfriend, awaiting her arrival at the train station in Boston. When she arrives she is carrying a book called The Way of the Pilgrim, but brushes it off as an unimportant book given to her by a fellow student. The two go to a restaurant for lunch, and Lane does most of the talking. He is somewhat self-important and intent on trying to impress Franny with his recent accomplishments at school. Franny, though, is clearly bothered by him and continues to challenge Lane on the significance of his college education and the pretentiousness of his friends. During their conversation, she nervously chain smokes, sweats, and loses her temper then apologizes. After excusing herself to go the restroom she mentions that the book she was carrying is about a method of continuous prayer. Lane is uninterested, but when Franny faints, she begins to silently recite the prayer.
The second and much longer section of the story is Zooey’s and begins where Franny left off, but first the narrator introduces himself. He claims to be Buddy Glass, one of Franny and Zooey’s older brothers. It is the Monday following Franny’s breakdown, and her brother Zooey is at home in New York City. When his mother tells him about Franny’s condition she suggests that he talk with her. He eventually does, and the rest of the story is of the philosophical conversation they have.
The story originally appeared in The New Yorker magazine and was first published in book form in 1961. An exploration of religion and philosophy, the book also emphasizes the significance of family love. The Glass family is often present in J.D. Salinger’s work, which told the tragic story of Seymour Glass’s suicide in the short story "A Perfect Day for Bananafish." Franny and Zooey is an essential book for any Salinger fan, and it can be read with growing appreciation time and time again.
Title: Franny and Zooey
Author: J.D. Salinger
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
ISBN: 0316769495
Review written by: Jennifer Kneisley
Reviewer's Rating:10
Reader's Rating: 0
Reader's Votes: 0
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