I read it this summer and I feel like I greatly missed the point.

Can anyone explain to me the significance of that special prayer ?

I realize the novel was written by an atheist.

also, there was some reference to a fat man or a fat lady? What did that symbolize? ... I really enjoyed this novel but since August when I finished reading it, my thoughts keep drifting back to certain parts of the book and I get confused and I want to be able to get some other peoples' takes on the novel so I can understand it better...I don't like reading something and feeling as if I've missed the point.

i love franny and zooey!

i took the significance of the jesus prayer to just be her attempt to escape the mundane nature of her life (which it seems, she finds to be unbearably typical), but that there wasnt anything particularly important about the prayer itself - it's sort of a mcguffin, just a device to explore adolescence (sp?)/the context of the time, the brilliance of their youth and how she seems to have stalled and can't work out how to express her fears (the bf doesnt listen, her brothers and mother are kind of selfish in an intellectual way). it of course, inevitably fails her - like you said, written by an athiest...

it's been a while since i read it, so i dont remember anything about a fat person? might re read it tomorrow if i can find it, you have inspired me!

Thanks for your input! It's coming together more in my mind now.


Who did you like better as a character, Franny or Zooey?

I can't decide who I like better although I must say I wish I was dating a guy a bit like Zooey. There's something very sexy about him I must say.

i agree with sunday green about the prayer.

as for the fat lady seymour told him to shine his shoes for ... is that who you're talking about? i always took that to be some sort of reference to some sort of god (seymour is religious ... in his way... they all are). like, keep your shit in order, he's watching. or sort of, take pride in yourself.

i like franny better as a character, but that doesn't mean i don't just adore the pants off zooey. he's lovely.

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I have a friend named Fran who is such a naive, polite, sweet girl who loves Jesus and reminds me very much of Franny.

I totally want to read this now..buying it tomorrow.