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A Perfect Day for Bananafish

4.39 of 5 stars 4.39 · rating details · 2,147 ratings · 45 reviews

"A Perfect Day for Bananafish" is a short story by J. D. Salinger, originally published in the January 31, 1948 issue of The New Yorker. It was anthologized in 1949's 55 Short Stories from The New Yorker, as well as in Salinger's 1953 collection, Nine Stories.

Published (first published January 31st 1948)

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Feb 15, 2013 Salida rated it 5 of 5 stars

Let's get one thing straight, Seymour Glass was not a sex offender. He never asked Sybil to look at 'his bananafish' as some ignorant reviewer posted.

This is a story about desperation, about a man who was exhausted of trying to fit into a society where he was not welcomed. In the beginning, with the conversation between Muriel and her mother, the reader can sense that Seymour might be mentally or emotionally unstable. Muriel is not like Seymour at all, she's superficial and centered around mate...more Let's get one thing straight, Seymour Glass was not a sex offender. He never asked Sybil to look at 'his bananafish' as some ignorant reviewer posted.

This is a story about desperation, about a man who was exhausted of trying to fit into a society where he was not welcomed. In the beginning, with the conversation between Muriel and her mother, the reader can sense that Seymour might be mentally or emotionally unstable. Muriel is not like Seymour at all, she's superficial and centered around materialistic things. She was on the phone with her mother, but neither of them were listening to each other. They were talking at each other and not with each other. Muriel did not acknowledge her mother's concern for her and her mother did not hear the constant reassurances that Muriel was fine.

Seymour likes to spend his time alone, whether it be alone at the piano in a club or lounging at the beach. He just did not click with other adults. The only people he could make a connection to were children. This is why he was so fond of Sybil. Children were simple minded and innocent and not touched by the harsh darkness of the world. Seymour longs to regain the innocence that he had in childhood, the innocence he lost while growing up and leaving to war.

He goes out to the water with Sybil. He tells her that they are looking for bananafish, some mythical creature that he probably made up when he, himself, was a child. He tells her how the bananafish gorges itself on bananas until it is so stuffed it cannot leave its burrow. Then it dies. This signifies the process of growing up. Humans are so greedy that they take anything they can. We take in experiences: tragedy, heartbreak, hate, disappointment; until we cannot take anymore. He knows that in reality they will not find the fish. However, Sybil claims she saw the bananafish. This reminded Seymour of the childhood innocence and imagination, where magic still exists and bananafish roam the sea. He then goes back to the hotel.

Seymour is the bananafish. He took in all the tragedy that life had given him until he could not take it anymore. So full of contempt he could not fit into the adult world. (less)

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Sep 14, 2011 Beth rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, september-2011, quick-read

I didn't get it.

I'll be the first to admit that. J.D. Salinger and I just never hit it off. I can feel the tempo of Salinger's writing, but it refuses to 'click' for me. I can understand why people would think that this speaks for an angsty, existentalist (sorry, butchered word there) culture. Perhaps it does. Perhaps I'm just not a membeer of that culture. I loved the rhythm and flow of Seymour and...the little girl's conversation. Except I've totally forgotten her name, which should tell you h...more

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Jun 20, 2010 Rowland Bismark rated it 3 of 5 stars

“A Perfect Day for Bananafish” appeared in the New Yorker in 1948 and was later republished as the opening story in the collection Nine Stories(1953). In “A Perfect Day for Bananafish,” Salinger introduces the Glass family, who would become recurring characters in his fiction. In the next ten years, Salinger published three other Glass family stories in the New Yorker: “Franny,” “Zooey,” and “Raise High the Roof-Beam, Carpenters.” These stories appear in Salinger’s other books, which include Fra...more “A Perfect Day for Bananafish” appeared in the New Yorker in 1948 and was later republished as the opening story in the collection Nine Stories(1953). In “A Perfect Day for Bananafish,” Salinger introduces the Glass family, who would become recurring characters in his fiction. In the next ten years, Salinger published three other Glass family stories in the New Yorker: “Franny,” “Zooey,” and “Raise High the Roof-Beam, Carpenters.” These stories appear in Salinger’s other books, which include Franny and Zooey (1961) and Raise the Roof Beam, Carpenters, and Seymour: An Introduction (1963). Critics revered Nine Stories, but Salinger’s other works were not so well received. The siblings of the Glass family were criticized for being unkind and obnoxious.

Salinger’s first novel, Catcher in the Rye (1951), was the critical and popular success that launched Salinger into both literary fame and social scandal. Catcher quickly became an American classic, and its protagonist, Holden Caulfield, became the voice of a generation that was coming of age in the postwar era. After the popular success and controversy of Catcherand the criticism of his subsequent works, Salinger isolated himself from the world, publishing little and maintaining a private life.

Salinger wrote “Bananafish” in postwar America, when many veterans of World War II were struggling with the readjustment to civilian life. The story includes many of the elements that Salinger revisits throughout his career, including the idea of the outsider, male angst, critique of New York society, contempt for materialism, and the redemptive nature of children. Seymour Glass, like many of Salinger’s other protagonists, is an unhappy outsider, critiquing the society of which he is part. Salinger’s heroes are most like him in this regard—outsiders who are dissatisfied with society and therefore remove themselves from it by either self-seclusion (like Salinger himself) or suicide.

Muriel Glass waits in her Florida hotel room for the operator to put her call through to her mother. The hotel is full for a sales convention, so she must wait a long time. She fixes her clothing, paints her nails, and reads a magazine. When the call does go through, Muriel reassures her anxious mother about her safety. Her mother is concerned about the erratic, reckless behavior of Seymour, Muriel’s husband. She hints at a car accident that Seymour and Muriel were involved in and suggests that Seymour deliberately crashed Muriel’s father’s car into a tree. She reminds Muriel of the strange and rude things Seymour has said to members of Muriel’s family. Seymour has recently returned from the war, and Muriel’s mother believes that he was discharged from the military hospital prematurely. Muriel is not as concerned as her mother. She is preoccupied by the fashion at the resort and the evening’s events. In the evenings, there are formal dinners and cocktail parties, at which Seymour often sits apart, playing the piano. The resort is full of society people, although Muriel feels that the quality of these people has diminished since the war. She tells her mother that Seymour is on the beach by himself.

Throughout “A Perfect Day for Bananafish,” characters struggle to communicate with one another, and each attempt is fraught with difficulty. Muriel and her mother engage in a haphazard conversation in which Muriel never really hears her mother’s worries and Muriel’s mother never really hears Muriel’s reassurances that she is fine. The two women talk at rather than with each other, and neither woman succeeds in truly communicating her thoughts to the other. When Muriel attempts to talk with the psychiatrist at the resort, their communication is hindered by the noise around them. Seymour is entirely unable to communicate with other people at the resort, preferring to sit alone playing the piano or spend time at the beach rather than try to enter into a society in which he feels like an outsider. Sybil’s mother fails to communicate with Sybil clearly, believing that Sybil says “see more glass” when she is actually talking about Seymour Glass. Only Sybil and Seymour seem able to communicate effectively, although their discourse is on a child’s, not an adult’s, level.

Though Muriel and Seymour do not speak with each other in the story, their communication is so fraught as to be nonexistent. Muriel has no idea what is really going on in Seymour’s mind, and Seymour seemingly has no desire to explain to her how he feels. The most tragic lack of communication is Muriel’s mistaken certainty that Seymour’s mental health is fine. Seymour’s violent suicide is, perhaps, the one truly successful act of adult communication in the story, the one gesture that cannot be misread or ignored.

The idea of seeing permeates “A Perfect Day for Bananafish.” Seymour’s name sounds like “see more,” a confusion that Sybil’s mother falls prey to when Sybil talks to her about “see more glass.” Sybil’s name also references seeing; in Greek mythology, a sibyl was a seer. Seymour, or “see more,” suggests that Seymour is literally able to see more than other people. Because of his traumatic experiences in the war, he has a greater understanding of life and can recognize the materialism and superficiality of the world around him. Like Seymour, Sybil can see what others cannot, though her openness is a function of her childishness rather than of trauma and regret. She easily sees the imaginary bananafish that Seymour tells her about and is therefore able to “see” Seymour in a way the adults in his life cannot.(less)

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Apr 05, 2012 Dana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Did anyone else see Seymour as a sex offender? He had Sybil look at his "bananafish" and then he shot himself...in front of his wife.

I could postulate that Seymour suffered PTSD from The War. I could make the stretch and say that Muriel was superficial.

I could say that Muriel's mother was trying to keep the conversation "light" while Muriel was asking for advice or help or something.

I could say that Sybil was a symbol of innocence, but then again, I would have to come back to the idea that Sey...more

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Nov 14, 2012 Cassie rated it 1 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 06, 2011 Melissa Ingalls rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: international-baccalaureate-reads

I thought that it was deep. I love the unseen commentary in this short story. There are a lot of "banana fish" in our world - meaning that there are a lot of greedy people. When I had to read the first page of this short story, I thought that Muriel was a murdered by killing her husband - the rings that were in the bathroom, her left hand stretched away, & removing the stain out of her dress vs. some in my class saw her as some sort of a harlett that was paid for her services however, that w...more

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Nov 08, 2011 Mohamed Sall rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: advisory-2011-2012

This was actually recommended to me by Gabriel, and he was right -- this was the best short story I've ever read. This story forces you to read from the historical lens. Salinger compares his experiences in WWII and his post-traumatic stress to Seymour Glass' post-traumatic stress after coming back from the war. This book has many different themes as well. The bananafish, for instance, symbolized Seymour's emotions being built up and then eventually going away when he committed suicide.

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Mar 02, 2012 Wendy rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: EVERYONE

I remember the day I read this book. It was hot outside and I was at achool and out teacher made us read an excerpt. I've never really liked books that I was forced to read but this one reached out to me so when I got home I got on the computer, found a copy and read it.

It made me think, and that's what I love about literature.
The main is complex and the whole thing is so sad. I LOVE IT.

If you're debating reading this, trust me, you should.

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Jul 20, 2012 Aggy rated it 4 of 5 stars

a perfect day for bananafish is one of Salinger's greatest work i've read so far. as usual, the book contains dark humour sense, strong language and a... little bit of mindfuck. now you're wondering what the f**k is bananafish? go read the book and figure out yourself. for me the book told me to escape boring routine, be honest with what you liked and what you hated, and of course, not to be a bananafish.

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Aug 16, 2010 Damon rated it 5 of 5 stars

My senior year of high school, I got on a JD Salinger kick and read everything I could find. The Norwegian exchange student that was staying with us and I would sit out on the deck that spring, making ourselves Tom Collins's and reading Salinger. (at least I read Salinger. I don't remember what he read. Do you remember, Thor??)

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Nov 29, 2010 Lily rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nook-book, short-story

I really like the prep lifestyle of J.D. Salinger's characters, and I think it's my childhood longing to be popular that I am so drawn to J.D. Salinger's stories.
In this short story I really liked the relationship between Sybil and Seymore.
I also enjoyed the sudden ending.

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Dec 31, 2012 Nayantara rated it 4 of 5 stars

JD Salinger is a mystery to a lot of people. I understand he wants you sympathise with his main characters. Characters who are overly sensitive to the "crude" world. I think they are stupid for not coping with the world and making this strange little bubble for themselves. Life doesn't work like that! However, I'll give JD Salinger props for thinking in a different way.

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Mar 13, 2012 Andrew Rogers rated it 4 of 5 stars

I don't normally add short stories on here, but it's J.D. Salinger. It's based on a recurring family name, the Glass family, that appears in many of his stories. The themes in the story can be viewed as disturbing or morbid, but PTSD is real and affects people in tragic ways, as seen here. Writer's note: If you're having trouble writing dialogue, read this story.

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Mar 16, 2012 yengyeng rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: postprescribedreading

The road leading to suicide is filled with deepest darkest despair, with a couple of stuffed dogs strewn along the curb maybe, but the final act is performed in a moment of clarity. In sun-kissed primary colours.

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Apr 02, 2013 Mike Lamantia rated it 4 of 5 stars

At the end of the day, this fine piece of literature is left open to interpretation, and to those who believe this short story to be some type of misleading perversion; the more power to you.

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Jun 09, 2012 Islam rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

قصص إنسانية غاية فى البساطة، تتسم بنوع من السخرية المشبعة بالضحك حتى البكاء وبالبكاء حتى الضحك من الوضع البشرى والعلاقات الإنسانية المعقدة، نهايات القصص تدعو بساطتها للدهشة أصلا

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Jun 22, 2011 Dustin Voliva rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: must-reads

Meh. It was okay. ;)

....but seriously, JD Salinger has a gift for capturing the downtrodden and broken. He won't make you smile, but you will think.

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Jun 14, 2012 Rochelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-reader

I feel terrible that I read the last line first it ruined that element of surprise. I was surprised at how well developed the characters were in 10 short pages.

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Aug 14, 2010 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

A very interesting short story. It's pretty strange but very interesting. I'm not really sure what to say because I'm still processing it...

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Jun 26, 2012 Karla rated it 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely fantastic. Resonated with me for weeks, When I think of this piece of writing I always get chills.

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Feb 21, 2012 jcburnham Burnham rated it 5 of 5 stars

I wonderful lesson on characterization and point of view- none of which is entirely clear and oh so disturbing.

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Oct 01, 2012 Lauren rated it 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely brilliant short story. It took me a few reads to finally get it, but totally was worth it.

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May 07, 2012 Jaice rated it 5 of 5 stars

A ten minute read which covers the topic of PTSD, capitalism and innocence in the life of a Bananafish.

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Dec 27, 2011 Valerie rated it 1 of 5 stars

The only good thing that came out of this book was that it inspired a Cure song. That's all.

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Jun 29, 2010 Coffin rated it 4 of 5 stars

what I learned from this story is it is sometimes a much better idea to stay on the beach.

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Dec 16, 2011 Cris_Ellie (Egregore) rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Suicide fascinated people, J.D. Salinger fans

Shelves: short-stories, classics

An Interesting short story, about a man who shoots himself after he tells a story about his so-called Bananafish to a young girl on a beach. Now, don't get me wrong, the girl DID NOT instigate the suicide if thats what you think.

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Jan 16, 2013 Max rated it 2 of 5 stars

Can't say that I didn't get it, but definitely I'm not impressed.

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Jan 06, 2013 Kevin Elardi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Read it in high school so don't remember much except I enjoyed it

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Dec 10, 2012 Kaili rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the one story I can never seem to get out of my head.

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Sep 20, 2012 Deanna Lopez rated it 5 of 5 stars

Had to read this for my English class and I actually liked it.

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About J.D. Salinger

Jerome David Salinger was an American author, best known for his 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye, as well as his reclusive nature. His last original published work was in 1965; he gave his last interview in 1980. Raised in Manhattan, Salinger began writing short stories while in secondary school, and published several stories in the early 1940s before serving in World War II. In 1948 he publishe...more Jerome David Salinger was an American author, best known for his 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye, as well as his reclusive nature. His last original published work was in 1965; he gave his last interview in 1980. Raised in Manhattan, Salinger began writing short stories while in secondary school, and published several stories in the early 1940s before serving in World War II. In 1948 he published the critically acclaimed story "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" in The New Yorker magazine, which became home to much of his subsequent work. In 1951 Salinger released his novel The Catcher in the Rye, an immediate popular success. His depiction of adolescent alienation and loss of innocence in the protagonist Holden Caulfield was influential, especially among adolescent readers. The novel remains widely read and controversial, selling around 250,000 copies a year.

The success of The Catcher in the Rye led to public attention and scrutiny: Salinger became reclusive, publishing new work less frequently. He followed Catcher with a short story collection, Nine Stories (1953), a collection of a novella and a short story, Franny and Zooey (1961), and a collection of two novellas, Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction (1963). His last published work, a novella entitled "Hapworth 16, 1924", appeared in The New Yorker on June 19, 1965.

Afterward, Salinger struggled with unwanted attention, including a legal battle in the 1980s with biographer Ian Hamilton and the release in the late 1990s of memoirs written by two people close to him: Joyce Maynard, an ex-lover; and Margaret Salinger, his daughter. In 1996, a small publisher announced a deal with Salinger to publish "Hapworth 16, 1924" in book form, but amid the ensuing publicity, the release was indefinitely delayed. He made headlines around the globe in June 2009, after filing a lawsuit against another writer for copyright infringement resulting from that writer's use of one of Salinger's characters from The Catcher in the Rye. Salinger died of natural causes on January 27, 2010, at his home in Cornish, New Hampshire.
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