Franny and Zooey as Victims

Franny and Zooey as Victims

"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.