Re: Salinger Manuscripts at Univ of Texas

This was a VERY interesting post, Michael, thank you.

Jim

ANELLO Michael J wrote:

>someone once asked about the salinger manuscripts at the ransom center of the
>university of texas at austin...? so, i got them. here are summaries of
>those for your reading pleasure. -mike
>
>*----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>The "Birthday Boy" manuscript is nine (9) pages and undated.
>
>The story is set in a hospital. A young man, Ray, is visited by his
>girlfriend, Ethel, on his 22nd birthday. Ray is recovering from an illness
>that, while unspecified, seems to have something to do with alcoholism.
>
>The story consists primarily of dialogue. Ray gropes Ethel, then tries to
>persuade her to bring him liquor so he may "test himself." When she refuses,
>he curses her then orders her to leave. The story concludes with Ethel riding
>the hospital elevator to the ground floor, chilled "in all the damp spots."
>
>The manuscript has several editorial corrections on the first page. One note
>reads "Hold. Consult." Another note, partially erased, asks that the
>manuscript be "set up in 12 point."
>
>The manuscript has Salinger's 1133 Park Avenue address on its first page.
>
>*-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>The next manuscript is untitled and is ten (10) pages and undated; it has a
>number of authorial edits and emendations. The manuscript is less a story
>than a series of scenes not yet sewn together. The central characters are a
>couple, Frank and Paula Hancher. Paula claims to be pregnant and decides that
>she will stay in bed the entire course of her pregnancy. She directs her
>husband to tell friends and neighbors that she's gone to help her ailing
>sister in Ohio.
>
>Months pass. The Hanchers continue the ruse for nearly a year. Ultimately,
>Frank comes home, finds the bedroom door locked. Paula claims she's having
>the child. Shortly thereafter, she claims she's had the child and now needs a
>crib, baby clothes, etc. However, she won't let Frank in the room. Frank
>provides the items she needs. Then, several days later, frustrated that he's
>still not being let inside, he breaks the door down and finds Paula in the
>crib.
>
>*--------------------------------------------------------------
>The last Salinger manuscript - consisting of two (2) quotations about Nazi
>Germany - is one page, typed, undated. The first quotation concerns the
>virtues of native German rhubarb over the "alien lemon." The quotation is
>drawn from the "Nazi Tract, New Bases of Social Research" (sic).
>
>The second quotation is from the New Yorker, May 1, 1948, about a crematorium
>built in Chelmo, Poland specifically for children. The Nazis burned the bodies
>of more than 600,000 children there.
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Received on Wed Aug 13 09:48:47 2003