Franny and Zooey
133. J. D. Salinger, Franny and Zooey
This book centers around the Glass family, who live in Manhattan in the mid-20th century. It particularly involves the seven Glass children and their complex relationships with one another. Franny, the youngest child, is almost through her four years at college when she suddenly has a breakdown and returns to her home. Her brother Zooey, the next-youngest Glass child, has a long conversation with her about the state of the world, college, wisdom, acting, and God. Franny has just discovered a particular prayer that she repeats in hopes of gaining spiritual enlightenment; Zooey argues with her about her motivations in saying the prayer. Though the two are often at odds, their conversation ultimately reveals their strong love for one another, as well as their grief over the death of their oldest brother Seymour.
I just finished this book, and I’m not quite sure what to make of it yet. There’s not much of a plot, but there is a great deal going on behind the scenes. You get a real sense of the whole Glass family, even though Franny, Zooey, and their mother are the only ones you ever see directly. While they’re all much too clever for their own good, they are also charming and eager to enrich their minds. The book is not really like The Catcher in the Rye; some of the italic emphases are similar, and the characters don’t shy away from swearing, but overall the two books seemed quite different to me. There is a lot of religious discussion in this book, which may put off some people, but I thought it was very interesting. This is a book I think I need to read multiple times, but it’s good enough that I’m happy to do so!