For Esmé with Love and Squalor

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"For Esmé with Love and Squalor" is one of the most well known and most loved stories by J. D. Salinger. It is an Army sergeant's retrospective of a meeting he had with a girl, Esmé, before he was sent into combat. The strange but loving relationship with Esmé helps him to endure the squalor of war. Lack of purity and innocence in the adult world, love of childhood itself, and the power of words and writing are the themes of the story.

There has been speculation that Sergeant X and Buddy Glass are the same person, but it is not widely accepted. It is more widely accepted that Sergeant X and Seymour Glass are the same person. However, since it is mentioned in the story that Sargeant X has an older sibling and Seymour does not, this is unlikely. Another theory proposed is that Sargeant X is a separate character.

For Esmé with Love and Squalor is also the title used for Salinger's Nine Stories compilation in most foreign countries. Nine Stories is the American title.

[edit] References

...In Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events series, the character Esmé Squalor is one of several literary references. Indie-rock band We Are Scientists named their debut album in 2005 With Love and Squalor. Punk-rock band Jawbreaker references the story in their song "For Esmé", which seems to address Sergeant X. Indie band American Football refers to the story in the song "Letters and Packages". With love and squalor is also the title of a song included in Manta Ray´s 1994 homonimous album.