Compare the characters of Seymour Glass and Teddy McArdle. How do their sudden deaths help tell the stories in which they appear?

The stories in the collection all take place and originally appeared in the late 1940s and early 1950s. What changes in American society were taking place at this time that are reflected in Salinger's stories?

Salinger does not use the names of the characters in "Pretty Mouth and Green My Eyes" except incidentally in the dialog. Lee is referred to as "the gray-haired man" and Joanie only as "the girl." Why do you think Salinger does this, and how does it affect your interpretation of the events in the story?

How does Salinger portray marital happiness and strain in his stories? Is he optimistic or pessimistic about love?

How does the character of Ginnie develop over the relatively short period of time...