Nine Stories

J D Salinger wrote Nine Stories with the same brilliance as Catcher In The Rye. His style is so unique and complex that all of his short stories are truly enjoyable. Two of those stories are ^A perfect day for a bananafish^ and ^For Esme with love and squalor.^ The main characters in both of these stories, Seymour and Sargent X, have served in World War II, and the fighting has taken its toll on …

…and comfort them, one has little to keep themselves happy and sane. Isolation leads to depression and suicide, which is why someone who can help keeps reality close by is so important, such as Esme was for Sgt. X. Esme provided comfort and security for Sgt. X, while no one could do so for Seymour. The comfort and security is what kept Sgt. X alive and the lack of is what ended it for Seymour.