Theme Of Materialism In A Perfect Day For Bananafish

Unit 1 ties into the theme of tolerance and the acceptance of others, as Barbara Jordan said it, “We, as human beings, must be willing to accept people who are different from ourselves”. Whether it was the short story What of This Goldfish, Would You Wish? Or the newspaper editorial The American Flag Stands For Tolerance, the pieces dive into and explore the issues of acceptance among others.

Another way Salinger critiques society’s problems is through Holden and his views on mental health. Holden is

Sometimes our everyday experiences can strike us in ways that will influence our thinking in ways that might forever alter the way that we view our lives. In the short story “Fish Story,” Rick Bass primarily uses conflict, symbols, and the changes in a character to present a central theme reflecting the inevitability of our maturing thoughts and growing responsibilities that come incrementally with age. Gullason (1982) shares, “A short story represents a prose narrative usually concerned with a single aspect of personality changing or revealed as the result of conflict” (p. 222). We might interestingly find both of these dynamics within our weekly discussion’s short story assignment. Pigg (2017) explains, “The theme of a work of fiction is as much a creation of readers as it is for the writer because the user’s knowledge and beliefs play a part in determining the theme(s) they will recognize” (Attend Topic 4 Unit 2 [Video]). The writer of this week’s short story was likely to have known the theme that he intended to communicate while also recognizing the diversity of human thinking that gives us a myriad of perspectives. The “’Fish Story’s’ narrator is a 10-year-old boy in the early 1960’s living in rural Texas with parents who run a service station while their customer brings a 86 pound catfish creating a task to keep the fish alive until time to cook it” (Bass, 2009, pp. 1-2). As we recall our childhoods, most can likely remember how our imagination and fantasies began to collide with the realities of life, and this overreaching concept might allude to the theme of this piece of work. The narrator tells us how “He grew dizzy in the heat and from the strange combination of the unblinking monotony and utter fascination of his task until the trickling from the water hose seemed to be saturating and inflating the clouds as one would water a garden” (Bass, 2009, p. 2). As the narrator embraces the mundane task, his daydreams seem to symbolize the innocence of his youth. Later the story’s narrator “speaks less of childhood than of the general nature of the world in which we live, while contemplating that those days were different – we had more time for such thoughts, that time had not yet been corrupted”

In conclusion, Salinger portrays isolation being the product to an individual's reaction to the environment, often leading to downfalls and other negative consequences. By choosing to use different allusions and symbols in the story, ranging from the red hunting hat to the shared similarities between one character and another, having a tinge of influence from the modernism trend that was happening during that literary time, not to mention the influence that Salinger himself on Holden, for they were very similar, Salinger got his point

Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye has been into continuous dispute and controversy since its publication in 1951. Some critics think that Salinger 's narrative of the human plight is engrossing and enlightening, yet incredibly depressing. The leading character, Holden Caulfield, serves as the basis for critical discussion due to his psychological conflict. Salinger 's portrayal of Holden, which encloses incidents of dejection, nervous breakdown, impulsive spending, sexual exploration, and other wandering behavior, have all assist to the controversial nature of the novel. Yet the novel is praised by its piercing advocates, who argue that it is a critical look at the problems facing American youth during the 1950 's.

When J.D. Salinger went to war, he not only affected his own life, but also the life of Holden Caulfield. Similarities between Salinger and Caulfield are too numerous to write off as coincidence: both went to and flunked out of prep schools, and both had a penchant for language classes. Salinger’s life greatly impacted the plot and style of his works because Salinger used himself as inspiration for Holden, as demonstrated through “I’m Crazy”, “Slight Rebellion off Madison”, and The Catcher in the Rye.

In a world focused on material possession, the routine of an everyday lifestyle becomes dependent on the haves owning more than the have nots. The United States culture tends to make trends and popularity an everyday necessity to fit in. Through playful sarcasm, Jennifer Price illustrates the way the American culture thrives off of acceptance and being bolder to not suffice but ultimately prosper. Price characterizes the culture using a plastic pink flamingo to reveal the foolish, carefree, and materialistic mindset the Americans possess.

Salinger displays that one’s happiness can be compromised due to the actions of your own self. Holden Caulfield lacked communication and saw everything as “phoney” or “depressing” which deselected happiness for him. Holden getting kicked out of school is one example; his lack of communication with the teachers and others put in him a miserable setting. Which resulted him in getting kicked out. Another example is when he went on his date with Sally Hayes. Everything was going swell until Holden started to speak about how he felt. Which flattened the setting of the date as Holden portrays himself “C’mon, lets get outa here,” I said. “You give me a royal pain in the ass, if you want to know the truth.” Boy, did she hit the ceiling when I said

It is important to learn that growing up only makes life harder, and to appreciate the simplicities of life at a young age. I imagine the author (J.D. Salinger) wants the reader to understand that as you gain maturity and age life only will get more complicated, and harder, and you will miss the simplicities of young age once its too

Written in 1951, J.D. Salinger’s, The Catcher in the Rye continues to be a popular book amongst Americans. Although The Catcher in the Rye has been banned in many public school settings in the United States it continues to stay atop some of the greatest books of all time lists. Whether people are in their teens or in their fifties they find themselves drawn to Holden Caulfield. At some point in their life they could relate to a sense of alienation, caused by money and wealth. Humans are wired to be jealous and want what others have. Holden Caulfield has the opposite problem, he has money and wealth which he inherited from his hard working parents. However, he himself is not motivated to work hard, graduate prep school and earn his own wealth. Instead he despises hard working students at the many prep schools he drops out of. Holden also has a big number of family complications. An area to explore is how wealth can contribute to feelings of alienation and despair. Holden Caulfield has a complex relationship with money, not wanting to associate from it, but benefiting from it. A further look into the 1950’s may give an insight into the troubled mind of Holden Caulfield.

In this novel about identity, we are reminded of how often we see ego, wishes, and desires. The specific mundane details of objects, such as the medicine cabinet, Franny’s purse, and other objects, bring out characterization of both Franny and Zooey. The objects can signify how disorderly and imperfect they both are, but are known to be these “perfect” people because they’re really good at what they do. Also, for how famous they are in their acting careers. Salinger uses objects as a metaphor for an empty devoted life, dedicated to a spiritual meaning.

Salinger, J(erome) D(avid) (1919- ), American novelist and short story writer, known for his stories dealing with the intellectual and emotional struggles of adolescents who are alienated from the empty, materialistic world of their parents. Salinger's work is marked by a profound sense of craftsmanship, a keen ear for dialogue, and a deep awareness of the frustrations of life in America after World War II (1939-1945).

In conclusion, Salinger has given his readers his three ingredients to the meaning of life; innocence, isolation, and insanity. These elements are what create his existentialist protagonist, Holden Caulfield. Who tries to keep The Myth of Sisyphus alive, by keep pushing that boulder or in Caulfield's mind, catch the innocent children from falling into adulthood. But in the end Caulfield comes to the realization of his insanity of delaying the inevitable, everyone must fall and it is up to one’s essence to get back

unscrupulous people around him. I think Salinger tends to criticize how in society, as a

As Bertrand Russell once said, “It is the preoccupation with possessions, more than anything else, that prevents us from living freely and nobly.” Indeed, in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, set during the Roaring 20s, displays the materialism of the characters through their concern to obtain more belongings. The Roaring 20s is considered as one of America’s most prosperous eras, however, Fitzgerald denounces the loss of moral values, the loss of identity, and the deception about achieving a person’s American Dream in addition to the hierarchy ruled by the rich. Thus, in The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses characterization and symbols to explore the superficial nature of the Roaring 20’s and in doing so exposes the dangers