Subject: Re: new thread afoot
From: Jonathan Moritz (Jonathan.Moritz@utas.edu.au)
Date: Sun May 28 2000 - 21:55:22 GMT
I have often raved about feet in Salinger stories.
Here's what I said previously in two mails, first on Sybil's feet, then on
Daumier-Smith's experience in front of that orthopedics window.
___________
Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996
>Perhaps there is some connection between kissing Sybil's feet and telling
>the lady not to stare at his feet.
Some connection is drawn in the article John Russell (1966), "Salinger's
Feat", in Modern Fiction Studies XII (3), 299-312.
It draws attention to Salinger's common descriptions of feet and ankles,
and attempts to make some connections with religous roots. In particular,
it suggests feet are our own foundation on the world, (our soul?), and
somewhat automatic, (and so natural, religious), being so far away from
the terrible head which is so filled with Teddy's apple.
Maybe kissing Sybil's feet is making a true connection with someone, while
staring at feet is a remote "public eye" which is disgusting and avoided if
not Seymour, at least by Salinger and his alter ego Buddy?
_______
Date: Fri, 07 Aug 1998
John Russell, in an article titled "Salinger's Feat" (Modern Fiction
Studies, XII (3), Autumn 1966) (also see his article titled something like
"From Daumier to Smith", I think) argues that this story, and in fact this
scene in this story, is one the clearest expositions to Salinger's writings
- namely that feet/balance is instinctive, and it's the occasional
interference from something (eg. an audience), via our head, that causes
imbalance, instability. The feet focus has many, many examples, which seem
to a purpose rather than incidental. In Catcher, Phoebe's roller-skating,
and Holden's losing balance in the hall. In Bananafish, Seymour kisses the
arch of Sybil's foot, then in the elevator, is concerned with staring at
feet. Uncle Wiggily and the ankle. Esmé's pretty little execution. And,
perhaps most extravagantly, in Carpenters, with a discussion of Charlotte
stepping on Seymour's feet, with Buddy losing balance at this point in the
text. A couple of short extracts from Russell's article to illustrate.
_______
At the moment of his transcendent experience which lets him make his peace
with a once disgusting orthopedics window "I had to put my hand on the
glass," he says, "to keep my balance."
_______
...feet themselves are left to take care of themselves and they keep us up
or going as they do so. They go along by habit, and Salinger commends
instinctual habit in his people. Nor is it any extension to say that it is
the nun's HABIT he has in mind when he has de Daumier Smith say in his
diary that "Everybody is a nun." ... So this crucial scene shows the
intrusive character throwing the innocent one into imbalance, but goes on
to assert the conscious return to balance and to habit that earns for this
shop girl the sobriquet of nun and that turns de Daumier Smith's life
around.
_______
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