A Perfect Day for Bananafish Innocence Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Section.Paragraph). Though the story has no explicit divisions, we created "sections" to make the paragraph numbers more manageable. Section one is the scene in the hotel room. Section two is the scene on the beach to the end of the story.

Quote #7

"All right. Just all right, though. We couldn't get the room we had before the war," said the girl. (1.87)

In other words, things are fundamentally different after the war than they were before.

Quote #8

"He won't take his bathrobe off? Why not?"

"I don't know. I guess because he's so pale." (1.104-5)

There's that sun imagery again. If getting sun represents being jaded by wordly experiences, then Seymour has taken steps to preserve his innocence.

Quote #9

"See more glass," said Sybil Carpenter, who was staying at the hotel with her mother. "Did you see more glass?"

"Pussycat, stop saying that. It's driving Mommy absolutely crazy. Hold still, please." (2.1-2)

Notice that a child identifies this key insight about Seymour, while her mother, an adult, misses it completely.