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Franny and Zooey - Fat Lady

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At the conclusion of J.D Salinger's novel Franny and Zooey, Zooey Glass reiterates some motivational advice about the "Fat Lady,  originally said by their deceased brother Seymour. The advice of "doing it for the Fat Lady  means that one should put their best effort into everything even if it will not be recognized or rewarded. This also means that one should only have to live up to their own expectations, and should be satisfied with themselves regardless of what others think. Although Seymour's advice advice is extremely positive and powerful, it is expressed through the image of a lonely, sick, unhappy Fat Lady. The "Fat Lady  represents society, as society can be very ugly and toxic to a person's well being. Although society is an unpleasant and ugly thing, the "Fat Lady  advice states that one should still put their best foot forward for it. As encouraging as that sounds, this advice is much easier said than done. Because of human nature's need for approval, presence of emotions and ego, "Doing it for the Fat Lady  is much more difficult than it seems. Everyone thrives off of approval from others. Accomplishing something is significantly more rewarding when receiving praise from peers. The "Fat Lady  advises against seeking a reaction from other people, however it is natural for all humans to want to do so. For example, Franny believes that all actors and actresses, including herself, only perform for applause. She says to Lane, "just because I like applause and people to rave about me, doesn't make it right  (Salinger, 30). Franny realizes that this desire for other people to praise her is unhealthy. She should be following the advice of Seymour and Zooey, and doing things to impress herself, not to impress others. This is highlighted in a quote from Marcus Aurelius that says, "You have the right to work, but for the work's sake only...Desire for the fruits of work must never be your motive in working  (Salinger,

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