Symbolism In Teddy By J. D. Salinger

For centuries Buddhists have contemplated the meaning of life and their ultimate goal to achieve enlightenment. In J.D Salinger’s short story “Teddy”, the reader is quick to discover that the main character Teddy is wise and philosophical due to his belief of his past lives, and his desire to reach his final enlightened state. The symbols that Salinger introduces in this story are the portholes that allow the reader an insight into the multitude of thought processes that take place in Teddy’s mind. Through orange peels and apples of logic, readers learn a vast variety of knowledge about Teddy.

Early on in the story, seemingly ordinary orange peels that are thrown out of a passenger’s porthole pique Teddy’s interest. Although young children

are often interested in small things, the way Teddy perceives the orange peels is notably philosophic: “I don’t mean it’s interesting that they float, It’s interesting that I know about them being there, and if I didn’t know that they were there, I wouldn’t be able to say they exist…” (Salinger 171). Teddy has an understanding of perception, and can process whether or not it is dependent or independent of himself. (Shmoop editorial team). The orange peels also depict the impact Buddhism had on Teddy’s introspection. In Buddhism everything is temporary, the cycle of reincarnation is broken when one achieves enlightenment (Nirvana) and if one is free of death, pain, and suffering. The same concept applies to the orange peels; they were fleeting to existence, only infinitely prevailing in his mind. Teddy then applies this concept to himself when he observes the orange peels, “After I go out this door, I may only exist in the minds of all my acquaintances, I may be an orange peel” (Salinger 174). This thought is a recurrent motif within the story because as a Buddhist, Teddy’s faith is centralized on the concept of non-existence. He constantly strives towards his final state of enlightenment, so to reach his goal Teddy believes he must die. He contemplates his presence in the minds of his family and those he impacted. Just like the orange peels, Teddy knew he would vanish from existence, but the memory of him would be alive in the minds of those who knew him. As Teddy contemplates the idea of transient life through the orange peels, it becomes clear that he knows the world that he is living in currently is temporary and unimportant. The symbol of the orange peels represents the Buddhist idea of impermanence and the perception of how Teddy views himself throughout the story.
Similarly to the orange peels, logic is a symbol that illustrates Teddy’s final goal of enlightenment.

Recurrently throughout his conversation with Nicholson, Teddy tries to propose that logic is the weight that drags people down. “You asked me how I get out of the finite dimensions when I feel like it. I certainly don’t use logic when I do it. Logic’s the first thing you have to get rid of.” (Salinger 190). Teddy’s ability to discard logic allows him the metaphysical state that separates the finite dimensions into infinite ones. The disposal of logic allows him to reach a level of spiritual enlightenment that is higher than the average being. Teddy then relates this to Christianity when he says: “You know that apple Adam ate in the Garden of Eden…you know what was in that apple? Logic” (Salinger 191). The apple of logic from the tree of knowledge is a powerful allusion that this ten year old makes. It allows him to relate Buddhism and Christianity in simple terms that Nicholson will understand; the apple that Adam ate dragged him down to earth. In contrast to Nicholson, Teddy detaches from the logical aspect of the world so that he has the ability to transcend. Logic is toxic to Teddy. He believes that children should be able to see the world with clean eyes, free of logic, but adults force logic upon them in schooling systems. “I’d just make them vomit up every bit of the apple their parents and everybody made them take a bite of... But I’d want them to begin with the

real way of looking at things, not just the way all the other apple eaters look at things” (Salinger 196). This plays into the adult versus child theme of innocence because through the apple of logic we learn that Teddy violently does not like what the adults are teaching the kids. Essentially, Teddy is explaining that the people who eat the apples lost their innocence. These people are the adult like characters; whereas the children are being force-fed this logic that is harmful to their spirituality and purity.
The porthole Salinger creates in “Teddy” gives the readers an interesting account on how Teddy’s religion and thoughts affect his personality throughout the book. Salinger introduces the symbolic concept of impermanence and introspection through the orange peels, and Adult-like characteristics with the loss of innocence through the apple of logic. Due to Teddy’s deep understanding of these symbols, the reader understands the depths of Teddy’s mind, and his constant strive towards enlightenment.