Seymour's tattoo

• Messages sorted by: [ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]
• Next message: Malcolm Lawrence: "LIFE: Legends: The Century's Most Unforgettable Faces"
• Previous message: WILL HOCHMAN: "Re: Peggy: An Introduction"

<<<To begin with, I am intrigued with a passage in "Bananafish" which
alludes to a tattoo Seymour hides from the general public. Would any of
you know any more specific information, or of any other allusion in other
works? (I swear, I've looked up and down "Franny and Zooey", but to no
avail.)>>>

I'm reminded of Hermann Hess and his novel "Demian".  Demian, a very
insightful and aware person, talks of a "mark" which sets him and other
people with this "mark" apart from other people.  Demian claims to be a
decendent (not necessarily from blood) of Cain, whom God gave the original
"mark"...you all know the story.  Its an interesting comparison to Seymour
and his hidden tattoo.  Its obvious that Seymour saw himself set apart from
the rest of humanity in some way, which the tattoo represents.  Maybe Hesse
and Salanger were getting at the same idea?
Comments?

Eric Everett

"Sickness consists essentially in wanting what is not good for us."
                                                                 -Erich Fromm
  

• Next message: Malcolm Lawrence: "LIFE: Legends: The Century's Most Unforgettable Faces"
• Previous message: WILL HOCHMAN: "Re: Peggy: An Introduction"