Franny and Zooey

by

J. D. Salinger

Dick Hess Character Analysis

Dick Hess is a screenwriter living in New York but originally from Des Moines, Iowa. Zooey acted in his first script and thought it was actually decent; Dick’s subsequent scripts have been trend-chasing and mediocre, leading Zooey to suggest that artists ought to stay connected to their roots to retain their authenticity.
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Dick Hess Character Timeline in Franny and Zooey

The timeline below shows where the character Dick Hess appears in Franny and Zooey. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Zooey
Love and Grief Theme Icon
Art and Beauty Theme Icon
...the sheet music on the piano stand, but when Franny persists, he starts ranting that Dick Hess asked Zooey to meet for a drink at 1 a.m. the previous night. At... (full context)
Religion vs. Psychoanalysis Theme Icon
Art and Beauty Theme Icon
 Franny clarifies that Zooey now has two scripts, one from Mr. LeSage and one from Dick Hess. Zooey complains that the LeSage script is a retro comedy modernized with psychoanalytic jargon,... (full context)
Ego and Conformity Theme Icon
Art and Beauty Theme Icon
...Wise Child”—they can’t have normal conversations because they’re too busy monologuing. The previous night, when Dick told Zooey the plot of his script, Zooey tore into the script’s sentimentality and left... (full context)
Ego and Conformity Theme Icon
Art and Beauty Theme Icon
 Zooey admits to Franny that Dick makes him sad or angry because Dick’s first script was decent. Zooey played a young,... (full context)