Connections

A big theme in all three stories is the effects of war, and innocence versus corruption. In APDFB, there was the central symbol of Bananafish, that represented corruption. Bananafish are ordinary fish at first, but then behave like pigs when they swim through the hole. Salinger uses bananafish to symbolize that people are innocent at first, but are then corrupted by other experiences, specifically war. In Uncle Wiggly in CT, war corrupts Walt. Eloise tells Mary Jane about Walt in the war, and she says Walt "said that when he'd get his first promotion, instead of getting stripes, he'd have his sleeves taken away from him. He said when he'd get to be a general, he'd be stark naked" (45). I think Salinger wrote this section to symbolize Walt's innocence being stripped away. The clothes represent his innocence, and as he becomes more involved in war by moving up in rank, his innocence is striped away from him until he has none left, becoming fully corrupted. Again, Salinger writes about the theme of progressing from innocent to corrupted by war. In Just Before the War, it seems that Selena's brother is disconnected from the world. He acts similarly to Seymour, who had PTSD. Although he did not go to war, he still wants to. He is corrupted by society because he is conditioned to want go to war. I think it is interesting that J.D Salinger put this factor in Nine Stories, because it mirrors how Salinger felt in his first years in the war. He didn't realize that he was being corrupted until a few years later. It is a different take on innocence vs. corruption from war.

Another connection in all three stories is color. There was not blue and yellow color symbolism like in APDFB and Uncle Wiggly, but there was the color red. The cut on Franklin's finger is one example. Another example was when Ginnie watches him "scratch his ankle till it was red" (68). Eric sits down in a "red damask chair" (75). I'm not sure if this color symbolism was intentional, but red seems to fit with Franklin's character. Red symbolizes anger, and Franklin is angry that he is not able to go to war. Franklin overall seems like a bitter, angry character because of his snide remarks, sudden outbursts, and his swearing.