J. D. Salinger_ A Life - Kenneth Slawenski [38]
Salinger’s message in this scene is in stark contrast to the childhood memories expressed in T. S. Eliot’s 1922 poem The Waste Land. Eliot set his sled scene at a time similar to Salinger’s, on the cusp of world war, representing not only a final ritual of childhood innocence but also an impending descent into the abyss. Eliot’s sled ride is a cry for a lost and irretrievable world. In contrast, Salinger’s version is empowering. Mattie’s confidence in her brother creates a synergy, structuring a connection that overcomes fear. It is a hopeful, if unsure, scene. As it was written at an uncertain time, Salinger had no assurance that the ride would not be as final an act as Eliot’s, but he imbued the scene with a strength that Eliot did not, suggesting that, with Spring Street now conquered, there would be more sled rides after the war.
The third scene of “Furlough” depicts the arrival of Babe’s friend Vincent Caulfield and speaks of friendship and potential loss. This is the scene perhaps most closely identified with Salinger himself as he calls upon both characters to express his own feelings: Babe his emotions regarding the army and leaving home, Vincent his professional persona and his foreboding over the war’s possible impact upon his writing. Although Babe is clearly the chosen vessel of Salinger’s message, Caulfield still enjoys many of the author’s personal characteristics. He is described as charming, somber, and possessing a sharp wit, not unlike Salinger himself. We also learn through this scene that Vincent is an author, albeit a writer of soap operas. At twenty-nine, Vincent Caulfield is clearly an older-brother figure, and much of this scene is a dialogue about friendship and the camaraderie among soldiers.
The scene’s most famous section refers to Vincent’s nineteen-year-old brother, Holden. Vincent tells Babe that Holden has been reported missing in action. He refers to it a number of times, becoming increasingly preoccupied with his brother’s disappearance. Vincent’s references to Holden are brief and are not repeated outside this scene, but Salinger will later delve deeper into Vincent’s thoughts on this loss in “This Sandwich Has No Mayonnaise.”
The fourth scene is Salinger’s statement on war. The main characters are seated around the dinner table, where a discussion occurs between Babe and his veteran father. Mr. Gladwaller begins to reminisce about his experiences in the First World War, but Babe interrupts him, criticizing the glorification of war and the nostalgia that propels it, and drawing attention to the effect that glamorizing war has had upon history. It is a lofty speech, and Babe pronounces it self-consciously. Its sentiment contrasts with Salinger’s own acceptance of all things military while an eager private only a year before. At the end of his speech, Babe vows never to speak of the war after it has ended:
“I believe … that it’s the moral duty of all the men who have fought and will fight in this war to keep our mouths shut, once it’s over, never again to mention it in any way. It’s time we let the dead die in vain. It’s never worked the other way, God knows.”46
It is a famous quote, representing a kind of oath, one that Salinger himself never broke. The final scene of “Last Day of the Last Furlough” has become a familiar one. It depicts a moment of contemplation,