In Franny, Franny Glass returns from college and meets her boyfriend, Lane, at the train station before the two of them go out to lunch. When they arrive at the restaurant, it is obvious that there are issues between them. Franny repeatedly claims to have missed Lane, but then discovers that she does not mean it. Lane comes off as extremely pretentious and Franny is torn between her annoyance towards him and her anger at herself for being critical. Franny reveals how she has been going through a phase where she has been noting but cynical and judgmental about everything. She resents the whole college system because she thinks her professors are egotistical. She also explains to Lane that she quit her theater activities because she was afraid of becoming egotistical herself. Throughout the course of their meal, Franny …show more content…
She then tells Lane about the book she has been reading, although it appears that he isn’t really listening at all. The book is about a devout man who has traveled all over the world reciting the Jesus Prayer. Lane questions if Franny truly believes in it, and does not get a clear response. Franny gets up to go to the restroom and collapses, and wakes up to a very concerned Lane, who is acting much more interested in Franny than in the beginning of the story. Lane then leaves to get a cab for the two of them, and Franny remains on the couch. She appears to be mouthing something while staring up at the ceiling, which can be inferred to be the Jesus Prayer. Zooey begins with an “author’s introduction”, where the author reveals that the tale is extremely personal. Towards the end of this introduction, it is revealed that the narrator is Buddy Glass, who is now the eldest Glass sibling since Seymour Glass committed suicide while on vacation with his wife in Florida. Buddy then goes on to tell the story in the