A Perfect Day for Bananafish

Ellipsis involves the omission of a word or phrase—sometimes indicated by literal ellipses. The story’s dialogue is frequently elliptical, revealing plot and character through suggestive but incomplete details. This is most obvious in Muriel’s conversation with her mother about Seymour and his troubles. They avoiding coming right out and saying that he may be suicidal or a danger to Muriel: “I told your father you’d probably call last night. But, no, he had to—Are you all right, Muriel? Tell me the truth” (3). Muriel’s mother here breaks off in midsentence without specifying what it is Seymour “had to” do. In fact, she never really says what it is she’s worried about, so the reader must make their own inferences.

As in this case, ellipses can be a way to dance around taboo topics—in this case, mental illness and perhaps the possibility of domestic violence. However, J. D. Salinger’s use of ellipsis also contributes to the story’s detached narrative style, as key events go undescribed and important emotions remain unspoken. In this way, it suggests the ultimate failure of The Search for Meaning and Connection.