Two long short stories first published in the New Yorker in the 1950s, Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: an Introduction are each narrated by writer Buddy Glass, a character often said to be a portrait of the author himself. Both are stream of consciousness narratives, focusing on the life of Seymour, the eldest Glass brother and exploring the brothers' quest for enlightenment. In the first piece, Buddy has taken leave from the army during World War II to attend Seymour's wedding, the events occurring setting the scene for a tragedy to follow. In the second, Buddy reminisces about Seymour in an attempt to introduce this complex character properly to the reader.