De Daumier-Smith's Blue Period Themes
Art and Culture
Since the title evokes two famous artists, Pablo Picasso and Honoré Daumier, we would be disappointed if this story wasn't about art. Not to worry, the protagonist is an artist, art student, a...
Identity
We know the narrator of "De Daumier-Smith's Blue Period" only by his pseudonym, Jean de Daumier-Smith. This kind of thing is usually a clue that identity is a serious issue. At nineteen, Jean is fa...
Sadness
The main action of "De Daumier-Smith's Blue Period" takes place in 1939, right in the middle of World War II. The war is never explicitly mentioned, but works behind the scenes with Jean's personal...
Spirituality
Most stories by J.D. Salinger show concern for spiritual matters, and "De Daumier-Smith's Blue Period" is no exception. Jean, the narrator, belongs to no specific religion. Rather, he seems to be t...
Foreignness and 'The Other'
Foreignness was certainly a big theme in 1939, when "De Daumier-Smith's Blue Period" is set. World War II involved a lot of fear of people from other places. This theme recurs throughout the novel,...