Franny and Zooey Lesson Plan

What purpose does Zooey’s explanation to Bessie about Franny’s book and its religious significance serve? How does it connect important thematic ideas within the story? What helpful information does it provide for readers?

During their second bickering conversation, Zooey tells Bessie about the "Pilgrim" books and "Jesus Prayer." He also explains the connection between the effects of the Jesus Prayer and the mystical opening of the "third eye" of Eastern religions. This explanation is very important because it is the first detailed and explicit connection the readers see between Franny’s religious experiences in “Franny” and the more Zen Buddhist themes discussed in “...