Re: 9 stories-eskimos

WILL HOCHMAN (hochman@uscolo.edu)
Fri, 30 Oct 1998 14:37:16 -0700 (MST) 

I encourage the list to answer akemi and just for this very precious
record, I'm proud as hell of these questions and appreciate Akemi's
scholarship a great deal.

On Fri, 30 Oct 1998, akemi deherrera wrote:

> 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.  
> > 
> > :)
> > 
> > 
> > 
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