Re: zooey

Matthew_Stevenson@baylor.edu
Thu, 05 Feb 1998 21:19:29 -0600

>i thought it was about getting f&z to remove their heads from their
>respective asses, let professor tupper *be* professor tupper, and live
>and let live.
>
>i read somewhere that 'the decisive point which determines the quality
>of existence is the point of interaction between the individual and
>society.' i never thought f&z was about any sort of internal struggle
>within the characters. i thought it was about them learning how to
>interact with society. almost everything either of them had done up
>until the phone conversation at the end smacked of both condescension
>and self-pity. franny feels sorry for herself because *she's* looking
>for meaning, and lane is so shallow. <sarcastic> if only everyone in the
>world was as spiritual as franny </sarcastic>.
>
>the truth, for me, at the end of f&z was that everyone is only doing
>their best to get on with life, in the best way we know how.

this is exactly what i got out of f&z.  it's not really about all this deep
philosophical ranting.  or if it is, it's a wholehearted endorsement of
ockham's razor.  or of lao-tzu (live simply, etc etc).  what makes it so
complex is the way salinger gets the reader into the heads and hearts of f&z.
this is the most chekhovian of salinger's writing--he shows us a glimpse into
lives that extend beyond the story in both directions.  he shows an important
event from those lives, but doesn't go so far as to make it the MOST important
event ever for these people.  we know at the end of the story that franny will
go on being franny (introspective, philosophical, not-pregnant franny) and
zooey will go on being zooey (introspective, philosophical, also-not-pregnant
zooey).  and that is sort of the point.  life goes on.  do it the best way you
can.  take care of the things you can and don't worry about those you can't.

umm,  i'll stop ranting now.  i haven't posted anything of any substance in a
while.  now i know why--it takes more time than posting inane
wiseassities.--matt

>
>when i try and describe what i mean, it comes out as such a noxious,
>hippie, 'do unto others' kind of way. but i can't think of any other way
>to put it.
>
>and so i'll bow out, exasperated.
>
>
>:helena
>

ps  why is everyone so down on hippies these days?  peace love and dope i say.