Harmony In John Cheever's The Enormous Radio

The lack of harmony shown in Mr. and Mrs. Westcott’s relationship is represented through the faulty tone of the radio. In our diagram, this is shown through the different shades on the scale showing harmony and discord. Immediately marked for its “mistaken sensitivity to discord,” the reactive nature of the radio is mirrored in Mr. and Mrs. Westcott’s conflicting personalities. Jim Westcott, not wanting to waste his youth on slipcovers and other extravagances was an extremely practical man who both understood, and was experienced with the realities of stress and financial problems. This was in direct contrast to Irene Westcott, Irene lived in a sheltered version of reality, unused to the financial and marital troubles that plagued her neighbours. Their disagreeing personalities was …show more content…
This is shown in our representation of the radio in the broken cord in the music box of the radio. The frayed cord symbolizes Irene’s disconnection between reality, and her perception of it. Irene’s life is introduced to the reader as the picture of normalcy, with both Westcott’s being noted as pleasant, plain, naive, and satisfactorily average. Irene believes that her own life and the lives of her neighbors are calm and full of happiness, rather than the marital problems and financial issues the radio reveals them to be. The radio shows how this perception of peace is wrong by exposing the troubles of Irene’s neighbors, which in turn causes Jim to reveal the reality behind the Westcott’s life. Irene’s lack of discipline has added to their money problems, and Irene’s Christly demeanor is revealed to be a cover for her true person who stole from her mother and sister. The broken cord in our diagram represents the contrast between reality and Irene’s perception of