The children of a large dual-denominational family react to and rebel against their strict, religious upbringing by lashing out in various ways throughout the precocious and impertinent phases of their luminous existences, however brief or prolonged. If he could only have torn himself away from his clinging family, the eldest son, Seymour, might have grown up, gone away to become a famous reclusive monk in a Far Eastern monestary, and lived happily ever after. Who knows, a generation later, the youngest daughter might have become a devout and faithful follower of Jesus Christ, completely at peace with herself and in perfect harmony with the world around her, a full generation before anyone ever heard of "Woodstock" or "cults." You can tell the children didn't have many friends for very long because hardly any of them would ever be able to meet the high standards set in the realm of their imaginations and through the arduous process of "home-schooling," which presumeably would have included proof of sainthood, miracles and all. Their education may have been limited, but they appeared to be wise, knowledgeable and well-counselled. For instance, they appeared to see beyond the "Great-Wall" facade represented by education and the public school system as well as through the "Glass-Ceiling" of life in general, as administered by mere mortals, possessing human frailties and the more serious flaws of character, as if they were repeating the same amusing anecdotes over and over again. It just didn't seem very humorous the second time around, evolving as they were, seeking a higher plane of existence, or another dimension of reality. Similarly, they were probably cute once upon a time, themselves, like the kids on "The Art Linkletter Show" or "Captain Kangaroo," but most of them eventually grew out of it.
Controlling and manipulative-- spoiled brats, some would say, they had a very difficult time playing nicely with others in the sandbox. Vocal and strong-willed, they did things their way and took their sweet time about it too. You can begin to visualize the complicated psychiatry and psychotropic medication at work on the horizon in the not too distant future for their generation. In 1948, when the book was first published, no one accurately predicted the long-term health risks associated with smoking cigarettes. No Surgeon General's warning label appeared on the packages of tobacco products. Smoking was cool, chic, fashionable, and happening. Ditto for alcohol consumption. You wanted to make the scene, be sociable, and be seen. Again, no warning labels against drinking excessively and attempting to operate motor vehicles and other machinery. A bite of sandwich, a cigarette, and two mixed-drinks for lunch and you wonder why did you begin to feel ill all of a sudden? Must have been the excitement of Game Day.
All in all, there were some really good stories in Nine Stories by J. D. Salinger about a nostalgic New York family of vaudevillians trying to cope, adjust, and rebuild their lives in the wake and shadow of WWII. Seymour was a tough act to follow for his younger, more impressionable siblings. The youngest ones idolized him, I believe. He could have baptized the girl in the pool, or tossed her overboard into the deep blue sea-- he was that profoundly unpredictable in a couple of stories. And the girl he met at the Derby could have gone on to become the next Queen of England, for all we know. In an unforgettable encounter, she undoubtedly inspired him and eventually saved his life. This is evident when, much later, showing symptoms of post traumatic stress syndrome, he was healed by the power of pure, divine love. So, she obviously left a lasting impression on him. Ironically, the moral of the story is that you should never under any circumstances send Kindergarten teachers off to fight a holy war in distant lands.
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