Carlese Gumbs

English II

Barr

Dear Mr. Salinger,

I am a sophomore at Nantucket High School and over the last few weeks I have started to read some of your writings in my English class. I read Catcher in the Rye, "A Perfect Day for Bananafishing," and "For Esme with Love and Squalor". I really enjoyed these stories but there are still some unanswered questions that I have that is the same with all these books.

In all these books you keep writing about little kids. What is so unique about these children and why are they used to keep adults from going insane? You call your characters phonies. What is that supposed to mean? Are you saying that they are not acting like themselves, or does it mean something totally different? If Holden has some sort of mantal problem, why does he separate himself from the world? It just makes his life a lot harder. It is also odd that most of your characters have some sort of problems in their lives and end up in mental homes. Do you ever write about good adults or do they always have to have some sort of problems in their lives?

Would you have liked to stayed like a kid for the rest of your life because in Catcher in the Rye, Holden doesn't want to become an adult. Would you have liked to be like this character or are you just like him? I'm not really like Holden because I am sixteen and I can't wait to become an adult and be on my own to take responsibility for myself. One thing that I disagree with you about is when you make it seem as though adults are bad and lie and kids are good and don't lie because I know that a lot of kids in my generation act like the adults in your book.

In "A Perfect Day for Bananafishing," is Seymour touching the little girl sexually or is he just showing her love and affection? Why do you make him seem as though he is a pervert? Also if he doesn't want anyone to look at his feet why does he go into the elevator without shoes? I know that when I don't like people looking at my feet I usually put on closed up shoes. Why did he snap at the lady? He doesn't know if she was really looking at his feet, she could have just been looking at the floor as she said. Did you go to war and is that why you mostly write about depression? If you did, do you still have relapses from going?

In "For Esme with Love and Squalor," are you actually the sergeant? Is he going through a depression state and needs helped when Esme comes to his rescue? When she give him the gift, does it symbolize something very important and does he cherish it forever?

When you are writing your books, do you have yourself in mind and is trying to let everyone know a little about you? Or do you just write this way because you have found that people enjoy these types of stories. Why do you separate yourself from society? Don't you get sick of seeing the same people all the time? I live on a small island with not that many people and I get sick of seeing them all the time. What do you do for entertainment? In order for there to be any kind of fun in my life I must have a lot of people with me. If there isn't I'm usually bored.

I know that my letter will not be answered but you never know. I enjoyed reading your books and hope that I have the opportunity to read more in the future.

Sincerely,

Carlese Gumbs