A Perfect Day For Bannafish By J. D. Salinger

Why The Reader Sympathizes with Seymour Glass

After being released from the army without proper treatment, Seymour exhibits his trauma in a luxury resort set in the late 1950s. in A Perfect Day for Bannafish, by J.D. Salinger's, short story. Due to Seymour’s fight in WWII, he is left disoriented and without support in the real world and finds ways to comfort himself. Seymour Glass is a character that can be sympathized with because he is trying to reclaim what is lost through trauma but is unable to reclaim innocence.

First, Seymour fought in WWII, which was detrimental to his mental health. Seymour's doctor knows the war deeply affected him and it’s abundantly clear that Seymour is still unsuitable to be a member of society as Dr. Sivetski believes the army was wrong to release him. Dr. Sivetski says, “it was a perfect crime the army released him from the hospital ‘Seymour may completely lose control of himself.’” (Salinger 6). In addition, Seymour also has unresolved issues regarding, “The trees.” (Salinger 6).

Seymour asks his wife to read the book of German poems he sent but Muriel dismisses it saying to her mother, “He wanted to know if I’d read it.” (Salinger 6). Muriel and her mother fail to see that Seymour is attempting to find a way to connect but Muriel finds it feebleminded saying, “It was in German!” (Salinger 6). Muriel’s lack of support and open-mindedness left Seymour alone. Additionally, Seymour goes to the beach and Muriel’s mother questions whether he should be alone on the beach, “On the beach? By himself? Does he behave himself on the beach?” (Salinger 9). Although Seymour is searching for innocence Muriel’s mother finds it careless for him to be alone. Overall, the lack of support Seymour receives makes it difficult for him to reconnect to the world and lets the reader understand the pain he is