A Perfect Day For Bananafish: Theme Analysis

Relating to A Materialistic World Theme statement: Affluence can foster materialism, thereby creating a life devoid of meaning. Seymour shows great sensitivity when communicating with youths, but lacks the ability to communicate with the money-oriented adult world. We first meet Seymour on the quiet beach of a Miami resort hotel. Sybil approaches Seymour. Seymour treats young Sybil with the utmost respect and kindness. He is very sympathetic to her youth and tries to communicate with …

…sand toward the hotel." (17). A feeling of isolation overcomes him when he realizes he can no longer communicate in the adult world. He thinks his only hope is to escape-permanently. He sits "down on the unoccupied twin bed, [looks] at the girl, [aims] the pistol, and [fires] a bullet through his right temple," (18). The day he finds all the reasons for his death is "a perfect day for bananafish"(15), or a perfect day for death.