The Iceberg, the War, and the Trap.

There are three major similarities between the stories we have read so far: the iceberg, the war, and the trap

The Iceberg: The Iceberg Theory is a literary device first used to describe Ernest Hemingway's style of writing. Being a reporter, Hemingway wrote short, concise stories, often focusing on the surface details and either putting off until later or completely omitting background information. It applies to icebergs because at first, only the tip can be seen while there is still a large mass of ice beneath the surface. Salinger also uses is this with his characters, often implying but not confirming definite facts about anyone. This can be seen in A Perfect Day for Banana Fish with Seymour. Muriel's mother is worried about her staying with Seymour, and her mother also implies that Seymour should have stayed in the hospital due to a mental condition. In Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut, Eloise's feelings towards Ramona and Lew are confusing until she tells the story of Walt's death. Just Before the War with the Eskimos also shows this when Ginnie's attitude towards Selena and her family changes drastically at the end.

The War: J.D. Salinger, like Hemingway, was involved in World War II. This reflects in their writing as their characters at least mention the war, if not directly affected by it. Seymour Glass is affected by severe PTSD and did not come back the same from the war, the same way the banana fish do not come out from the banana hole. Walt's death is on the front, but at the hands of a malfunctioning stove. This causes Eloise to grow upset at Ramona's passiveness towards her imaginary friend's death, Jimmy, who was also equipped for battle but was killed by a car. No one in Just Before the War with the Eskimos is directly affected by the war, but Franklin and Eric both worked in a airplane manufacturing plant. Franklin is also prevented from entering the war because of a heart condition.

The Trap: All of these stories have a sense of entrapment about them. Seymour is trapped in the war, as the banana fish get trapped in the hole. Eloise feels imprisoned by her decision to marry Lew, and often acts rather terse because of it. Ginnie finds herself captured by her own emotions, often unable to let go of  small, meaningless tokens. Hemingway also demonstrates this when his characters, such as Jake Barnes in The Sun Also Rises, who is trapped in his odd relationship with Lady Brett Ashley.