Franny and Zooey
1961 hardcover
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| Author | J. D. Salinger |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | novella |
| Published | 1961 Little, Brown |
| Media type | Print (hardback and paperback) |
| Pages | 201 |
| ISBN | (hc) |
| OCLC | 68569936 |
| Preceded by | Nine Stories |
| Followed by | Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction |
Franny and Zooey is a book by American author J. D. Salinger which comprises his short story "Franny" and novella Zooey /ˈzoʊ.iː/. The two works were published together as a book in 1961, having originally appeared in The New Yorker in 1955 and 1957 respectively. Franny and Zooey, both in their twenties, are the two youngest members of the Glass family, which was a frequent focus of Salinger's writings.
"Franny" takes place in an unnamed college town during the weekend of "the Yale game" and tells of an undergraduate who is becoming disenchanted with the selfishness and inauthenticity she perceives all around her.
Zooey is a somewhat emotionally toughened genius, who at the age of twelve had "a vocabulary on an exact par with Mary Baker Eddy's". While Franny, his younger sister, suffers a spiritual and existential breakdown in their parents' Manhattan living room—leaving Bessie, their mother, deeply concerned—Zooey comes to Franny's aid, offering what he thinks is brotherly love, understanding, and words of sage advice.
The short story concerns Franny's weekend date with her collegiate boyfriend, Lane Coutell. He takes her to a fashionable lunch room, where he is described as “monopolizing” the conversation and trying to impress Franny with his news of receiving a suggestion to publish his latest paper on Flaubert. Franny appears upset, questioning the importance of college education and the worth of Lane's friends. She eats nothing, feels faint, and becomes progressively more uncomfortable talking to Lane. Eventually she excuses herself to visit the restroom, where, after a crying spell, she regains her composure.
She returns to the table, where Lane questions her on the small book she has been carrying. She responds nonchalantly that the book is titled The Way of a Pilgrim and tells the story of how a Russian wanderer learns the power of "praying without ceasing". The Jesus Prayer involves internalizing the prayer "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me" to a point where, in a manner similar to a Zen koan, it becomes unconscious, almost like a heartbeat. Lane is less interested in the story than in keeping their timetable for the party and football game, though when Franny faints, he tends to her and postpones the weekend's activities. After she wakes, he goes to get a taxi, and leaves Franny alone—practising the act of praying without ceasing.
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