The Glass Family

While J.D. Salinger is best known for “Catcher in the Rye,” a classic required-reading assigned book for?high school students, another book of his, “Franny and?Zooey,” has just as much to offer if not more.

With no official introduction, transitions or breaks, it would seem the author did not believe in them.?This, paired with the length of a short novella, quite frankly makes the book much harder to put down.?If it doesn’t all come clear with the first reading after getting acclimated to the style it will make more?sense the second go round. It's worth it.

The first part of this book begins with the storyline of Franny Glass, a college girl who is sick of?academia and stereotypical students. Franny is trying to find a way of life where she can make a?difference without carrying guilt as a result of being part of the system. J.D. Salinger states, “I do like?him, I’m so sick of just liking people. I wish to God I could meet somebody I could respect,” according?to a quote from the book. What a goal! I want to be a person that someone could respect and not simply like or tolerate and strive to hang on to those that fit the same description.

The second part of this book is about?Zooey?Glass, who lives in the family home located in New York?City.?Zooey?is also struggling with his career and keeping the family at peace.

The way the author takes seemingly low points of human existence of the home life and exemplifies it?throughout the book to prove his points demonstrates he has an understanding of human nature that?many authors regularly bypass.

Another quote from the last few pages of the novel really cuts to the chase.?Zooey?is trying to make?Franny understand that while she is at an important part of life, turning on everyone only makes?matters worse —?regarding?school and professors especially. “I had one professor when I was in?college?— just one, I’ll grant you, but he was a big, big one — who just doesn’t fit in with anything?you’ve been?talking about. He wasn’t Epictetus. But he was no egomaniac; he was no faculty charm boy. He was a?great and modest scholar. And what’s more, I don’t think I heard him say anything, either?in or out of a?classroom, that didn’t seem to me to have a?little bit?of real wisdom in it — and sometimes?a lot of it,”?according to the book.

Salinger then goes onto the opposite side of the issue in an environment where professors just teach?ideals from others found in textbooks without fully thinking through those same problems. “I’ve had?them by the dozens, and so has everybody else, and I agree they’re not harmless.?They’re lethal as hell,?as a matter of fact… They make everything they touch absolutely academic and useless. Or?–?worse?–?cultish. To my mind, they’re mostly to blame for the mob of ignorant oafs with diplomas that are turned?loose on the country every June,” according to the book. This excerpt from the novel states the truth?in a very blunt manner — however, with every issue or matter, exceptions have to be made for the individuals that rise above the average.

According to an article in The Guardian, Nicola Davis wrote, “The Catcher in the Rye may be Salinger’s?most famous book, but for me, Franny and?Zooey?is his masterpiece. Frenetic, exhausting and?uncompromising, this “skimpy-looking book” might?piss?you off rather than perk you up. But one?thing’s for sure — it won’t leave you cold.” I whole heartedly agree!

This underrated book by J.D. Salinger should not be overlooked and in fact still holds many relatable?lessons within those 200 pages that we?can relate to?today.