The Stories of John Cheever

translates into a perpetual cycle where society has developed unrealistic standards that are consistently prompted to be upheld in the middle class. John Cheever, in “The Enormous Radio”, “The Country Husband”, and “O’ Youth and Beauty”, portrays couples that struggle with fitting into these standards and attempting to be successful as they begin in a seemingly tranquil setting, then quickly transition into chaos and complexity. Couples in these stories show that in marriage when one is exposed to certain truths, then one may realize that fulfilling…

Success, Failure, and Insecurity in John Cheever’s Works Many of John Cheever’s works represents what he experienced in his life, from success, to the many tragic events that occurred in his lifetime, and to the many insecurities that he faced. In these works, the many absurdities of life are presented, some with a comic twist, in the three novels and collections of short stories that Cheever published from 1953 to the early 1970’s, when Cheever experienced many of his tragedies: a massive…

An Analysis of Obsession on the Knowledge of the Others’ Private Lives in John Cheever’s “The Enormous Radio” The desire of discovering the others’ secrets is part of human nature, but it becomes a problem if it is too excessive. “The Enormous Radio,” by John Cheever, is a simple tale which can be interpreted as a lesson of life. The story focuses on Irene, a middle-class woman, who enjoys listening to the music on the radio. She is obsessed by the new radio which allows her to eavesdrop on…

In 1947, John Cheever wrote a short story titled “The Enormous Radio” about the darkness that is hidden inside others and inside us. He does this through a masterful use of symbols, contrasting Irene and the radio, and dynamic character development. The radio and the protagonist of the “The Enormous Radio” are symbols demonstrating the journey to self-awareness. Cheever conveys this message through the journey of the dynamic protagonist, Irene Wescott—who begins this story as a naïve middle-aged…

In “The Swimmer,” John Cheever portrays the emotional state of an alcoholic as he devolves further into his addiction. The story follows a man called Ned Merrill who lives in a suburban neighborhood with his wife and kids; in the story, he decides to swim across town using all the pools in the area, and he encounters many of his neighbors during the journey. In this paper, I will argue that Ned’s journey swimming through the pools represents his devolution into alcoholism. This portrayal is…

“The Swimmer” by John Cheever is a contemporary short story that shows the reader the predicament of a man that loses his friends, his family, his respect, and his possessions while being obsessed with his hobbies and social persona. Colour is a dominant metaphor featured in the short story. The first metaphor for colour is the colour of the water in the pools or the colour of the “Lucinda River” are symbols for the protagonist’s age and reality catching up with him, and the second metaphor…

The Swimmer by John Cheever, is a short story, written in the late 50’s, early 60’s. The story takes place in a high class suburb, and is an extreme metaphor for the life of drunkenness and negligence. The story is about a mid-aged man named Neddy Merrill. One Sunday, after a drunken Saturday night party, Ned is found drinking and laughing with his wife and other close friends. He decides to swim the eight-mile route back to his home, bouncing from one pool to another. But as the tides change,…

Literary Analysis and Comparison and Contrast Essay John Cheever in his short story “Reunion” shows the re-encounter between father and son in New York City after three years. On the other hand, Tobias Wolff in his short story “Powder” illustrates a father and son having a day together after skiing. While both stories “Reunion” and “Powder” reflect a common point of view and a father, son and mother as characters, the stories show a different father and son relationship. In the story “Reunion”,…

John Cheever in his short story “Reunion” shows the re-encounter between father and son in New York City after three years. On the other hand, Tobias Wolff in his short story “Powder” illustrate a father and son having a day together after skiing. While both stories “Reunion” and “Powder” reflect a common point of view and similar characters, the stories show a different father and son relationship. On the story “Reunion”, the central characters are the son, Charlie, and the father, not named…

"[Irene Westcott] was struck at once with the physical ugliness of the large gumwood cabinet"(Cheever 251). While its size is immediately referred to upon the very first description of the radio, the emphasized quality of the radio is not its size, but its aesthetic dissonance. "Irene was proud of her living room...[but] the new radio stood among her intimate possessions like an aggressive intruder"(Cheever 251). The constant remarks in regard to the radio's physical appeal serve as more than…