refreshing opp., hop, skip, jump!

jordie chambers (jordiekc@rocketmail.com)
Thu, 10 Jun 1999 18:59:55 -0700 (PDT) 

Hi all, I just re-read A Perfect Day for Banafish [(c)
1948] and I have some questions.  This is sort of an
addendum to the right/left thread.  A quick reminder - we
pretty much agreed on Salinger's use of the right meaning:
 the analytical side, the side that pushes for survival,
performs arithmetic, etc. (I can't remember whether it was
vice versa) The left side is that which feels and paints
and does those things that may not agree with the right. 
In Raise High the Roof Beam [(c) 1955], Carpenters,
Seymour writes a poem about a white cat biting into his
left hand to which Buddy Glass notes, 'I'm certain in my
own mind that Seymour thought it was vital to suggest that
it was the letf, the second-best, hand the young widower
let the white cat press her needle-sharp teeth into,
thereby leaving the right hand free for breast- or
forehead smiting -- an analysis that may seem to many
readers very, very tiresome indeed.'  Buddy also mentions
that Seymour wrote a classical style Haiku before he shot
himself.  I have the text here and J.D. explicitly states
that Seymour took the gun and shot himself with his  right
hand.  Why would he shoot with his right hand?  It must be
vice versa, or isn't it?  I am really interested in
hearing your thoughts on this matter.  If it isn't vice
versa, is Salinger suggesting that Seymour, a loving and
delicate person, perhaps too delicate, was using his
analytical side to soothe his emotional side after the
Sybil incident and the elevator incident.  Did he shoot
himself out of mercy for his heart or instead, out of a
flouncing emotional wish to end it all, both right and
left sides?

btw, the ULTRA GENIUS thing was a dumb joke, and that
their should have been eight lines in the last message, no
one has ten fingers, even 'toons!  Please delete this
paragraph in your reply, I am sorry.

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