J. D. Salinger explores The Quest for Spiritual and Existential Meaning through Franny’s character development. Experiencing depression over Seymour’s death, Franny decides to look for meaning outside of social norms. Although Franny’s spiritual exploration is in large part about her own self-acceptance, her search for God is also an expression of her grief.

Franny feels disenchanted with the façade of intellectualism around her, believing that her peers and professors pursue intellectual achievement only to satisfy their own egos. She makes a distinction between knowledge and wisdom, believing that academia errs in valuing the former over the latter. Zooey knows that her quest for spirituality stems from Seymour’s teachings when they were children. As Zooey eventually realizes, Franny’s pursuit of spirituality is also a response to her grief at Seymour’s death. After reading The Way of a Pilgrim, Franny believes that if she synchronizes her breathing with the rhythm of the Jesus Prayer, and if she repeats this prayer continuously, she can see God. When Zooey tells her that she should say direct this prayer to Jesus, not to Seymour or anyone else, Franny is initially hurt, but he has hit on something important.