Mahtab’s review of A Perfect Day for Bananafish > Likes and Comments
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One of my favorite stories.
None wrote: "Great review "
Great story indeed. Thank you!
Was the most jarring ending I’d ever read at the time and probably still would be if I didn’t know what was coming. A big-screen equivalent for me might be Haneke’s Funny Games, both endings left me stunned.
Andrew wrote: "Was the most jarring ending I’d ever read at the time and probably still would be if I didn’t know what was coming. A big-screen equivalent for me might be Haneke’s Funny Games, both endings left m..."
Although I predicted the ending of the story from its earliest pages, I wouldn’t call it disappointing. As you know well, sometimes the purpose of a story isn’t to surprise or shock the reader, it’s to invite reflection. To make us pause and think about what happened, why it happened, and revisit the narrative in our minds again and again. That lingering effect is what makes a story truly thought-provoking. It stays with you long after you’ve finished reading. I believe that was Salinger’s intention. Seymour’s fate felt inevitable, there was no other path forward for him.
Oh, Funny Games! thanks for reminding me of this remarkable movie! I’d say its ending was even more bizarre than Salinger’s, though it served the film’s purpose well.
The fact that many powerful stories aren’t built around surprise reminded me of Laughter in the Dark by Vladimir Nabokov. It begins with this paragraph: “Once upon a time there lived in Berlin, Germany, a man called Albinus. He was rich, respectable, happy; one day he abandoned his wife for the sake of a youthful mistress; he loved; was not loved; and his life ended in disaster.”
As you see (or maybe you’ve already read this book), Nabokov tells us the whole story upfront, yet we continue reading this amazing work of literature despite knowing the ending. Well, of course not all writers are Nabokov, and such a brave choice only shows how confident he was in his extraordinary storytelling abilities.
I dont think i predicted it. I read it really young like no older than 14, probably a bit younger. It was the first time id encountered that kind of finality. I read lots of horror books before that but they didnt prepare me for that suicide scene.
Andrew wrote: "I dont think i predicted it. I read it really young like no older than 14, probably a bit younger. It was the first time id encountered that kind of finality. I read lots of horror books before tha..."
Andrew, you deserve a reward just for reading such a story when you were so young. At 14, I wasn't prepared for anything except escaping school. But now, reading the story at 18, I could predict the ending. Wait! I said 18 or 80? Did I take my pills this morning? Only one way to know, I should check the fridge to see if my pillow's in there again
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Oct 19, 2025 07:15PM
One of my favorite stories.
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None wrote: "Great review "Great story indeed. Thank you!
Was the most jarring ending I’d ever read at the time and probably still would be if I didn’t know what was coming. A big-screen equivalent for me might be Haneke’s Funny Games, both endings left me stunned.
Andrew wrote: "Was the most jarring ending I’d ever read at the time and probably still would be if I didn’t know what was coming. A big-screen equivalent for me might be Haneke’s Funny Games, both endings left m..."Although I predicted the ending of the story from its earliest pages, I wouldn’t call it disappointing. As you know well, sometimes the purpose of a story isn’t to surprise or shock the reader, it’s to invite reflection. To make us pause and think about what happened, why it happened, and revisit the narrative in our minds again and again. That lingering effect is what makes a story truly thought-provoking. It stays with you long after you’ve finished reading. I believe that was Salinger’s intention. Seymour’s fate felt inevitable, there was no other path forward for him.
Oh, Funny Games! thanks for reminding me of this remarkable movie! I’d say its ending was even more bizarre than Salinger’s, though it served the film’s purpose well.
The fact that many powerful stories aren’t built around surprise reminded me of Laughter in the Dark by Vladimir Nabokov. It begins with this paragraph: “Once upon a time there lived in Berlin, Germany, a man called Albinus. He was rich, respectable, happy; one day he abandoned his wife for the sake of a youthful mistress; he loved; was not loved; and his life ended in disaster.”
As you see (or maybe you’ve already read this book), Nabokov tells us the whole story upfront, yet we continue reading this amazing work of literature despite knowing the ending. Well, of course not all writers are Nabokov, and such a brave choice only shows how confident he was in his extraordinary storytelling abilities.
I dont think i predicted it. I read it really young like no older than 14, probably a bit younger. It was the first time id encountered that kind of finality. I read lots of horror books before that but they didnt prepare me for that suicide scene.
Andrew wrote: "I dont think i predicted it. I read it really young like no older than 14, probably a bit younger. It was the first time id encountered that kind of finality. I read lots of horror books before tha..."Andrew, you deserve a reward just for reading such a story when you were so young. At 14, I wasn't prepared for anything except escaping school. But now, reading the story at 18, I could predict the ending. Wait! I said 18 or 80? Did I take my pills this morning? Only one way to know, I should check the fridge to see if my pillow's in there again
