Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut
Love, Death, and War in J.D Salinger’s
“Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut”
J.D Salinger was best known for his portrayal of isolationism and the loss of innocence in his literary works. Like many Modern artists of the 1950’s, such as his good friend Ernest Hemmingway, Salinger was highly interested in reflection of the individual as well as the disconnectedness between adults and children (Calloway 3). In his short story, “Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut”, Salinger uses the themes of love, death, and the war to reflect the emotional detachment between Eloise and her own life, as well as her relationships with her husband and daughter.
Eloise and her college roommate, Mary Jane are introduced to the reader at the same time, the beginning of the story. Both women have left college before finishing for reasons related to men. The setting for much of the plot resides within the living room of Eloise’s house. The language Salinger gives Eloise mirrors her critical and somewhat cold attitude. As the two women position themselves comfortable on the couch, they begin to discuss past classmates and relationships. We are first introduced to Eloise’s relationship with her mother-in-law.
Though the information regarding this relationship is brief, we are able to gather that they do not get along."I don't have one damn thing holy to wear. If Lew's mother ever dies--ha, ha--she'll probably leave me some old monogrammed icepick or something". The manner in which she speaks about this reflects her carefree attitude. After Mary Jane attempts to inquire about the relationship between Eloise and her mother-in-law, the young woman quickly changes the subject. As their conversation continues, involving other classmates and their husbands, they are interrupted by the introduction of Ramona, Eloise’s young daughter. Salinger wastes no time in feeding the reader the relationship, or lack thereof, that Eloise has with her daughter. Upon Ramona’s
“Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut”
J.D Salinger was best known for his portrayal of isolationism and the loss of innocence in his literary works. Like many Modern artists of the 1950’s, such as his good friend Ernest Hemmingway, Salinger was highly interested in reflection of the individual as well as the disconnectedness between adults and children (Calloway 3). In his short story, “Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut”, Salinger uses the themes of love, death, and the war to reflect the emotional detachment between Eloise and her own life, as well as her relationships with her husband and daughter.
Eloise and her college roommate, Mary Jane are introduced to the reader at the same time, the beginning of the story. Both women have left college before finishing for reasons related to men. The setting for much of the plot resides within the living room of Eloise’s house. The language Salinger gives Eloise mirrors her critical and somewhat cold attitude. As the two women position themselves comfortable on the couch, they begin to discuss past classmates and relationships. We are first introduced to Eloise’s relationship with her mother-in-law.
Though the information regarding this relationship is brief, we are able to gather that they do not get along."I don't have one damn thing holy to wear. If Lew's mother ever dies--ha, ha--she'll probably leave me some old monogrammed icepick or something". The manner in which she speaks about this reflects her carefree attitude. After Mary Jane attempts to inquire about the relationship between Eloise and her mother-in-law, the young woman quickly changes the subject. As their conversation continues, involving other classmates and their husbands, they are interrupted by the introduction of Ramona, Eloise’s young daughter. Salinger wastes no time in feeding the reader the relationship, or lack thereof, that Eloise has with her daughter. Upon Ramona’s
Cited: Calloway, Catherine. "15 Fiction: The 1930s to the 1960s." American Literary Scholarship (2002): 1-26. Project Muse. Web. 16 Nov. 2010. Kennedy, J. Gerald. Modern American Short Story Sequences: Composite Fictions and Fictive Communities. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1995 Salinger, J. D. "Uncle Wiggily in Conneticut." Nine Stories/ J. D. Salinger. New York : Bantam, 1989. Smith, Dominic. "Salinger 's Nine Stories: Fifty Years Later." The Antioch Review (2003): 639-649. JSTOR. Web. 16 Nov. 2010 Witalec, Janet. "Jerome David Salinger." 65 (2004): 290-339. Literature Criticism Online. Web. 16 Nov. 2010