A Perfect Day for Bananafish

“A Perfect Day for Bananafish” explores Seymour’s search for meaning following his return from World War II. Seymour struggles to come to terms with his experiences in the war and is unable to find a place for himself in the world. He is surrounded by people who are concerned with superficial things, such as social status and appearance, and he is unable to connect with them on a meaningful level. Four-year-old Sybil represents innocence and purity, something that Seymour is desperate to hold on to but ultimately cannot.

The narrative structure is straightforward, consisting of two brief scenes and three extended ones. Only the fifth scene is without dialogue, placing its focus squarely on Seymour’s actions as he returns to room 507, finds Muriel asleep, and then takes his life. Told in a third-person omniscient point of view, the story uses both direct character names and generalized character references. For example, Seymour is “the young man,” and Muriel is “the girl” while chatting with her mother and “the lady” to Sybil. This style choice provides distance between the reader and the characters, which mirrors Seymour’s detachment from the rest of the world. Only innocent Sybil is consistently referred to by name.

In thematic development of The Psychological Effects of War, the story highlights the long-term effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the experiences of a war veteran trying to cope with trauma. J. D. Salinger was a World War II veteran himself, and his commentary underscores the treatment of returning soldiers during the postwar era. Seymour’s erratic behavior results from his traumatic wartime experiences, and his terrycloth bathrobe symbolizes his attempt to conceal his mental, emotional, and physical vulnerability:

‘He won’t take his bathrobe off? Why not?’ […]

‘He says he doesn’t want a lot of fools looking at his tattoo.’

‘He doesn’t have any tattoo! Did he get one in the Army?’

‘No, Mother. No, dear’ (7).

Character development is central to the story’s thematic impact. Seymour’s inability to communicate effectively with his wife and the other hotel guests shows that he is experiencing symptoms of PTSD, such as social isolation and emotional numbing. When he confronts the woman in the elevator for looking at his feet, he continues to talk about it after he’s driven her off: “I have two normal feet and I can’t see the slightest God-damned reason why anybody should stare at them” (13). Salinger juxtaposes how other characters perceive Seymour to foreshadow Seymour’s eventual death by suicide. Prior to the elevator scene, the narrative provides two contrasting depictions of Seymour: as the “maniac” Muriel’s mother fears, and as the gentle playmate of a small girl. Seymour is a round and dynamic character, and Sybil and Muriel serve as contrasting static characters who highlight Seymour’s mental turmoil and internal conflict.

Seymour’s unusual relationship with Sybil develops the themes of The Search for Meaning and Connection and The Tension Between Experience and Innocence. Their interactions provide a glimpse into Seymour’s desire for an authentic connection with someone who is unburdened by the trauma of war. Sybil’s innocence and naivety provide Seymour with a sense of comfort and safety that he is unable to find elsewhere. He is comfortable enough with her to remove his robe and go swimming with her. Sybil’s characterization of Seymour as a reflective surface (“see more glass”) underscores her innocence. She is overtly unaware of Seymour’s bizarre behaviors and conversational responses, allowing Seymour a reprieve from societal judgment. However, their interaction is short-lived, thanks partly to Seymour’s own actions. The story leaves the significance and appropriateness of Seymour’s kiss to Sybil’s foot ambiguous. However, the fact that Sybil leaves Seymour “without regret,” coupled with her startled response to the gesture, suggests that she at least perceives it as a violation of some sort. The reasons for Seymour’s suicide are similarly opaque, but the episode opens up the possibility that it is a reaction not merely to his alienation (now exacerbated by the possible loss of Sybil’s companionship) but rather to a sense that he is tainted by his wartime experiences.

Seymour’s explanation of bananafish unites these two ideas, serving as a metaphor both for his own struggle with mental illness and as a commentary on the society with which he no longer belongs. The bananafish are driven to eat so much that they become trapped in their own greed and die. Seymour sees himself as a bananafish, unable to get out of the hole that is his mind and driven to the brink of destruction. However, the bananafish’s insatiable hunger also embodies the corrupt values of postwar American society. Seymour’s imaginary bananafish foreshadow his suicide, which the narrative frames as Seymour’s attempt to escape the limitations and meaninglessness of his existence. Salinger suggests that even the most meaningful connections and experiences are ultimately futile in the face of the larger forces of the universe.