What Is The Difference Between A Perfect Day For Bananafish And The American Dream
The short stories An Alcoholic Case, A Perfect Day for Bananafish, and A Rose for Emily show that the American Dream is unattainable. J.D. Salinger presents the character Seymour Glass, in the short story A Perfect Day for Bananafish, who wants to live his life in innocence and purity but is forced to deal with the reality of being an adult. After the war, Seymour developed mental disorders which caused him to become detached and no longer be accepted in adult society. For instance, Seymour gets angry with a woman in the elevator he accuses of staring at his feet. ““I beg your pardon. I happened to be looking at the floor,” said the woman, and faced the doors of the car. “If you want to look at my feet, say so,” said the young man, “But don’t
be a God-damned sneak about it.”” (Salinger).
““Mother,” said the girl, “we’d better hang up. Seymour may come up in any minute.” “Where is he?” “On the beach.” “On the beach? By himself? Does he behave himself on the beach?” “Mother,” said the girl, “you talk about him as though he were a raving maniac –”” (Salinger). William Faulkner indicates that the character Emily Grierson, in the short story A Rose for Emily, is depressed and unsatisfied with her life. Although Miss Emily was rich, she was unhappy because she couldn’t find true love. So when she begins dating a foreman named Homer Barron, she purchases rat poison at the drugstore and puts it in his drink because he refused to marry her. ““I want arsenic.” The druggist looked down at her. She looked back at him, erect, her face like a strained flag. “Why, of course,” the druggist said. “If that’s what you want. But the law requires you to tell what you are going to use it for.” Miss Emily just stared at him, her head titled back in order to look him eye for eye, until he looked away and went and got the arsenic and wrapped it up.”(Faulkner). This shows that Miss Emily did not plan to use the arsenic for rats, otherwise she would not have acted secret about it.
be a God-damned sneak about it.”” (Salinger).
““Mother,” said the girl, “we’d better hang up. Seymour may come up in any minute.” “Where is he?” “On the beach.” “On the beach? By himself? Does he behave himself on the beach?” “Mother,” said the girl, “you talk about him as though he were a raving maniac –”” (Salinger). William Faulkner indicates that the character Emily Grierson, in the short story A Rose for Emily, is depressed and unsatisfied with her life. Although Miss Emily was rich, she was unhappy because she couldn’t find true love. So when she begins dating a foreman named Homer Barron, she purchases rat poison at the drugstore and puts it in his drink because he refused to marry her. ““I want arsenic.” The druggist looked down at her. She looked back at him, erect, her face like a strained flag. “Why, of course,” the druggist said. “If that’s what you want. But the law requires you to tell what you are going to use it for.” Miss Emily just stared at him, her head titled back in order to look him eye for eye, until he looked away and went and got the arsenic and wrapped it up.”(Faulkner). This shows that Miss Emily did not plan to use the arsenic for rats, otherwise she would not have acted secret about it.