Campbell “A Perfect Day for Bananafish” Name:______Per.____ Date:______

Answer the following questions with quotes to support your answer. You may need to go back and reread certain scenes. Remember to read between the lines about what the characters are going through.

Part I: Read the first scene of the story by itself (i.e. when Muriel hangs up the phone) and answer the first set of questions below:

1. How does the opening scene with Muriel Glass on the phone with her mother characterize Muriel? In other words, what do you assume about her background in terms of past experiences, childhood upbringing, values, current circumstances, and character traits? For each of those find a quote or key narrative line that supports your assumption

2. How would you characterize her husband based on this first scene from her and her mother’s perspective? Do you have a positive or negative impression of him overall? Explain why and explain what lines give you that impression.

3. What is the impression you get of Muriel’s and her mother’s relationship and feelings toward Seymour based on the way they talk to one another? What effect do all of the cut-off lines of dialogue during their conversation have on your impression of their relationship?

Part II: Now read the rest of the story and answer the following questions to see if your perspective has changed:

4. How does the second scene with Seymour Glass and the little girl on the beach characterize him? What do you assume about his background in terms of past experiences, childhood upbringing, values, current circumstances, and character traits?

5. Now, remember how Seymour Glass was characterized from the perspective of Muriel Glass and her mother on the phone. How did they characterize Seymour differently? How does their perspective first affect your impression of what Seymour will be like? How does the second scene on the beach with the little girl change your perspective of Seymour?

6. What does the final scene in the story do to further change your perspective on Seymour, Muriel, and their relationship? What does this final scene now change in your mind about your perspective of the situation as a whole with all characters involved?