Re: 9 stories-eskimos

akemi deherrera (de9926ak@uscolo.edu)
Fri, 30 Oct 1998 11:20:56 -0700 (MST) 

In class we came to the conclusion that Ginnie may have had a change of
heart because of the feelings (crush) Ginnie developed for Franklin.  And
she develops this crush partly because her sister Joan (the snob) had no
interest in Franklin. (A little sibling rivalry)  Joan did not want to
have anything to do with Franklin, so Ginnie could get back at her sister
by getting together with Franklin.  Does anyone else see this?  I could
understand this happening however, I don't see the textual evidence in the
story.  I don't see where Ginnie has a conflict with her sister.  Sure
probably almost all sisters have conflict, and we could probably assume
however I don't see the evidence in the book.  Anyone else think
different?  Do you think this is why Ginnie made such a 180 turn? 
STILL TRYING TO FIGURE THE WHOLE THING OUT!!!
help
akemi

On Thu, 29 Oct 1998, T.A. Muller wrote:

> >The Easter chick is fragile and dead.  Does this mean that Franklin is
> >fragile and dead in some way?  
> 
> If I may be so bold as to address this:
> 
> No, Franklin is not "fragile and dead."  I think you're being too 
> literal in comparing the two.  They are just both tragic figures to 
> Ginnie, that's all.  IMNTBHI (in my never-to-be-humble interpretation 
> :), anyway.
> 
> >And how does Eric fit into this picture.
> >Why is he even in here.  I am so confused!!! What's going on here?  If
> >Eric is gay what does that have to do with Ginnie having a change of
> >heart?  
> 
> Perhaps Eric is a tool.  He's there to illustrate how extreme Franklin's 
> situation is (prevented from participating as the other young men around 
> him are in the war, and being forced into associating with people -- gay 
> men -- perceived at that time as being at the very least bizarre) and to 
> ellicit sympathy not only from Ginnie but from the reader as well 
> (although personally I think Salinger's description of him is one of the 
> most brilliant ever written; it didn't ellicit sympathy from me but 
> rather fascination).  Franklin's appearance sets the tone for the 
> tragedy, Eric's moves it rapidly along, solidifies it.  Remember when 
> the story was written:  gays were definitely looked upon as deviants, 
> very much on the fringe of society, usually greatly feared, and hated.  
> If Ginnie figures out, or even suspects that he's gay (which I assume 
> she does because it accounts for much of her sudden turnabout), that 
> throws her into some extreme sympathy for Selena and her family.
> 
> Does anybody think Eric is *not* gay, BTW?  I thought the phrase 
> "...gave no really final information." and the whole thing with the 
> radish guy pretty much confirmed it.  And if anyone ever nailed that 
> stereotyped way of "gay talking" in text, Salinger did.  [Really -- I 
> must add in here that I am desperately trying not to offend anyone with 
> this discussion and hope that I have not.  My sincerest apologies if I 
> have!].
> 
> >Why does what she talks about with Franklin or Eric change her
> >mind about Selena?  I'm losing it here!
> 
> No, you're not losing it.  :)  How could Ginnie display her sympathy to 
> Franklin?  She doesn't even know him.  After their exchange, and her 
> encounter with Eric, I'm not sure she wants to.  Her connnection to the 
> family, and to the entire situation she has just became privvy to, is 
> through Selena.  Their relationship is the only real conduit for her 
> pity/sympathy/guilt.  Maybe her impression of Ginnie's family and 
> situation has gone one of from people who sit down to dinner with cans 
> of tennis balls on the table to one of real people who are struggling 
> with issues, and they, and Selena, become more real and human to Ginnie, 
> who, as we learn in the final line of the story, is particularly 
> sensitive to things like that.
> 
> >> > > Is eric in anyway like an Easter chick?
> 
> I may be an Easter chick.  Or an orange peel.  
> 
> :)
> 
> 
> 
> =================
> OVER 30?  SINGLE?
> 
> http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/over30nmnks     
> 
> TELL A FRIEND!
> 
> 
> ______________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>