Salinger’s Disciples: Prophet Figures in Nine Stories
Presentation Type
Presentation
Release Option
Event
Description
This paper discusses disciple figures found throughout J.D. Salinger’s short-story cycle, Nine Stories (1953), and how their prophetic status is used as a means to guide other characters towards enlightenment by steering them away from the consuming forces of materialism in the post–World War II American wasteland. Throughout the cycle, there are various instances of characters seeking answers to their trauma outside of the consumerist culture, and resolution is attained through a childlike faith taught by the disciple figures. In the extended version of this paper, I covered “A Perfect Day For Bananafish,” as it proposes the question of how to heal the trauma endured and the toll it takes on Seymour, despite his meeting with Sybil, the “pure” child that takes on the role of a disciple. This is followed by “Just Before the War with the Eskimos,” specifically, the role of Franklin as the “perfect servant,” while he guides Ginnie away from consumerism by helping her recognize the significance of creating meaningful connections. The final story discussed is “Teddy,” the titular Teddy is mentally and spiritually advanced beyond all who surround him and, thus, takes on the role of a mentor to Bob Nicholson by showcasing his achieved enlightenment and providing the “answer” on how to do so. For the purpose of this presentation, I will briefly cover the first and last stories, as they propose and answer the overall question pertaining to the cycle, but the primary focus will be on the middle story.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Olivia Carr Edenfield
Department of Primary Presenter's Major
Department of Literature
Location
Concurrent Sessions (Room 239)
Symposium Year
2022
Salinger’s Disciples: Prophet Figures in Nine Stories
Concurrent Sessions (Room 239)
