Franny And Zooey: Childhood Essay, Research Paper

Franny and Zooey: Childhood

“We’re freaks,the two of us, Franny and I… and both of those bastards

are responsible…I could murder both without batting an eyelash…

The great teachers, the great emancipators.”

Childhood memories are ripples of waves crashing serenly throughout my mind.

Memories of climbing trees, playing dress-up and other fun-filled reminiscences

float through these waters like drift wood. I remember nothing but living in a

joyful bliss. My only tragdy was when Barbie’s beloved Ken’s head fell off.

We are all increadibly innocent as children. We will reach out to anyone’s

hand with out eyes fille with trust. The events of our childhood determines who

we are, what we will be, what our future hold. For example, I have recently

learned that, in many cases, an abused child will result in a loathsome and

abusive adult. The process continues geeneration after generation. This is

devestating because his or her child has absolutely no power in controlling the

early events of their childhood. An abused child is not at fault of the results

of their childhood. A child is easily susceptible to having the rest of his or

her life ruined, such as being emotionally scarred.

I believe this happened in Franny and Zooey’s case as children. They came from

a relatively large family, consisting of two parents and seven siblings. The

Glass children had a radio talk show called the “Wise Child” when they were

younger. Such pressures put upon the children resulted in which Zooey calls “The

Wise Child complexes”. He believes that they never really left the air. He

believes that instead of carrying a normal conversation, he expound on

everything and ;therefore, is not able to keep his mouth closed.

The two eldest siblings of the Glass children, Seymour and Buddy, have

influenced both Franny and Zooey, who are the two youngest in the family. Zooey

believes that it is them who have made him and Franny what they are now,

“freaks”. Because Zooey believes they are responsible, he developed a hatred

for his brothers. I believe this hatred evolved from fustration. This

fustration could possibly be caused from the seperation he must feel towards

Seymour and Buddy. Seymour commited suicide, leaving young Zooey with

unanswered questions. Buddy appears to be cutting himself off from his

family,or even reality. He lives as a hermit, he is locked away in a cabin with

neither heating, electricity, nor a phone. Seymour and Buddy have both put

themselves in the same situation toward Franny and Zooey. It seems that Buddy

does everything that Seynour did, or tries to. Zooey wonders why Buddy just does

not kill himself and “get it over with”. The problem is lack of communication.

Franny seems to be looking for something, in terms of the complexities of her

life. Perhaps it could be an answer to a meaningful question. She turns to two

of Seymour’s old books, entitled The Way of a Pilgram and The Pilgram continues

on His Way. She carries these bood with her everywhere she goes. These books are

about a peasant man in search of understanding, how to pray wihout ceasing, so

he can reach some sort of religious enlightenment. This man somehow relates to

Franny,as the man is searching for bliss and Franny for some sort of meaning.

Franny and Zooey are victims. They are robbed of the right to feel security,

happiness, and “normality”. They understand what they have become, but do not

understand what shall happen next. They will never have the feeling of security.

This novel relates to our society because this type of situation happens

everywhere today. It has always been around. If it was not, then I believe that

this world would be so much brighter and happier. We should learn to understand

this problem, help others in distress, and stop it from occuring.