Franny and Zooey | Themes & Symbolism

Franny and Zooey Significant Topics

The Battle Against Ego

Franny and Zooey find fault with almost everybody and everything, usually because people are guilty of big egos. The irony, and the conflict that leads to their misery, is that they are victims of ego as well. It's their battles against their own egos that drive the novel.

It doesn't take Franny long to tell Lane why she dislikes her college professors, classmates and others. It's all about their ego. Specifically, she dislikes people who try to make themselves look better by putting everything down. She also finds ego in rich kids who try to seem smart and take summer vacations to Italy. Franny goes on to say that everyone is trying to build up some kind of treasure, whether it is knowledge or material treasure.

The irony is twofold. First, Franny's boyfriend, Lane, exemplifies all of these egotistical personalities. Lane tries to eat at the right restaurant and eat...
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