The Novel Rabbit Run by John Updike - Essay Example

s the assignment was due Rabbit, Run Introduction Human beings seek to achieve certain aims in their lives. If they succeed in their endeavor and lead their lives in a manner they aimed for, then their mind is at peace. But when an individual finds himself/herself trapped in a life which is not to his/her liking, then the person is restless and fidgety. The novel Rabbit, Run by John Updike depicts the life of a young man whose desires remain unfulfilled, as he forced by his circumstances to compromise with his aims. The protagonist of the novel is Harry Rabbit Angstrom, who earns his livelihood by selling kitchen appliances. He is married to his girlfriend, Janice and is having a two year-old son. But he is discontented with his life, as he is more interested in pursuing his career as basketball player. During his high school days, Harry played for his school’s basketball team and succeeded in gaining fame as a star player. Now when he is leading a life fulfilling his duties as a husband and father, Harry is torn between his love for basketball and his responsibilities towards his family. The theme of discontent in one’s life and turmoil created by it is prominent in the novel. In this paper we analyze the theme and techniques used in the novel. The distinguishing feature of this novel is the writing style employed by John Updike. The whole novel is presented in the present tense. Theme The novel focuses on theme of discontent in one’s life and the person’s struggle to escape his/ her circumstances. Throughout the novel, Harry is striving to give up his life of an average middle class person and pursue his career as a basketball career. But he fails in his endeavors and ends up living a life where he keeps on running from his responsibilities. The novel starts with the introduction of Harry as an average middle class person, whose time is devoted to the fulfillment of his responsibilities towards his wife and son. Being a star basketball player during his high school days, Harry finds it hard to lead an ordinary life, going about doing the same things every day. “Yet in his time Rabbit was famous through the country; in his junior year he set a B-league scoring record….he broke with a record that was not broken until four years later that is four years ago.” (Updike 7). So one day, he leaves his wife and travels to another town on an impulse. But as his mind is in a disturbed state, he returns to his town but instead of visiting his wife, he meets his former coach and seeks his advice. It is through his coach that Harry comes to know Ruth, a prostitute. Harry and Ruth travel to another city and live together. But his troubled mind never allows him to stay at one place. He fails to carry out his responsibility towards Ruth as well as Janice. Even when his second child dies, Harry refuses to accept his mistake for creating situations which resulted in his child’s death. Harry is irresponsible and self-centered, and instead of facing his problems, he keeps running from them. His discontent with his life is the reason behind Harry’s irresponsible behavior. As he finds his present life unsatisfying, he seeks to find a meaning to his life. His passion for basket ball is evident from his feelings when he plays a game of basketball with a bunch of boys. “That old stretched-leather feeling makes his whole body taut, gives his arms wings. It feels like he’s reaching down through years to touch his tautness.” (Updike 6). When he is playing the sport he loved the most, he feels as if he is alive and energetic. But now his life revolves around his work and life. The thing that he gave him the most pleasure is missing from his life. He longs for his old days when he was recognized as an exceptional basketball player. Techniques To bring forth the thoughts, feelings and frustrations of Harry Rabbit Angstrom, John Updike employs certain techniques which aids in enhancing the effect of narration on the mind of the reader. The most distinguishing feature of the narration in the novel is the use of present tense. Throughout the novel the author has depicted the events in present tense, even if they had occurred in the past. This writing style dominates the whole story in the novel. The passage where the author describes the old house of Harry’s parents and an event which happened in the past brings forth the effective use of this writing style. Harry visits his parents’ house to pick up his son. Seeing his house, he is reminded of his old neighbors and an incident that was amusing. Among all the neighbors, Harry remembered the Zim family and all its members clearly. “All day long Mrs. Zim, who was plain, with big thyroid eyes and bluish, slack skin, screamed at her daughter Carolyn, who was prettier than a five-year-old girl had to be.” (Updike 18). Their daughter Carolyn was so beautiful even Harry, who was never interested in girls, noticed her beauty. “Carolyn thick and thin, red and blue, health and high-strungness had blended just right; her precocious beauty was like something that had happened elsewhere, in France or Persia or Heaven. Even Harry, six years older and blind to girls, could see this.” (Updike 18). Although Harry is recollecting his past, his thoughts are presented in such a manner which suggests that he is speaking about his present life. The past life and the present life of Harry are portrayed in a same manner, so there is no change in the narration when there is a shift from the present life of Harry to his past life. In the same passage, an incident is mentioned which happened in the past. When the Zim family had moved to Cleveland, their house was purchased by an old couple. Both the old woman and man were strict Methodists. A strip of grass caused conflicts between the old couple and Harry’s parents. “They had sold their house to an old couple, strict Methodists, and the old man refused to cut he strip of grass between his house and the Angstroms’. (Updike 19). Harry remembers how the old man mowed the grass only in the half part of the strip. “The old Methodist cut exactly his half, one swath of a lawnmower, and then pushed his lawnmower back inverted on his own walk, when would have been just easy to push it back along the other half of the strip…..and not leave such a ridiculous job.” (Updike 19). He also mentions how the sound of the lawnmower disturbed him. The style in which Harry’s irritation upon hearing the sound of the lawn mower is depicted in the novel makes the reader to think that the old man is mowing his lawn now and Harry is hearing the sound at the moment. “When I hear that old fool’s wheels rattle along his walk so self –righteously, my blood pressure goes up so I hear my ears pop up.” (Updike 19). As the old man refrained from cutting the strip of grass, Harry and his father offered to cut the grass but Harry’s mother refused and ordered them not to cut the grass. So the grass grew so tall that one day a man came and ordered them to cut the grass, as an ordinance has been passed to do so. Still Harry’s mother refused to allow Harry and his father to cut the grass. To solve the problem, Harry and his father mowed the grass when Harry’s mother had gone to shopping. Even when she returned from the shopping, Harry’s father told that the Methodist has cut the grass. “His father shocked him by simply lying and doubled the shock by winking as he did it. He told her that the Methodist had last broken and cut the strip of the grass himself.” (Updike 20). Harry’s mother was annoyed, as she had started to consider the strip of grass as her flower bed. She also thought about suing the old man for destroying her flower bed. An event which took place in the past is narrated as if it is taking place in the present. The actions of the characters involved in the event are depicted in such a way that it seems as if that the incident had not yet ended. This depiction continues throughout the novel. The narration in the novel never changes in its tense, style or manner, as past and present life of Harry is portrayed in a similar fashion. There is a continuous flow in the narration of the events and this flow is maintained throughout the novel. While reading the book, one gets a feeling that he/ she is watching a movie, for each episode unfolds as it is happening at that time. Naturalist Style Another technique utilized by the author in the novel is the presentation of the story in naturalist style. Even while describing the house of Harry’s parents, the author presents the smallest details. “Rabbit stealthily approaches his old home on the grass, hopping the little barberry hedge and the wire meant to keep kids on the pavement. He sneaks down the strip of grass between the two cement walks that go with the two brick walls.” (Updike 180). The lawn before the house is described in such detail that the reader can imagine the house and lawn before it. The use of imagery in the depiction is effective in creating the picture of the house in the mind of the reader. This imagery is also perceptible in the description of the grass that has grown tall enough to be noticed by the lawmakers in the town. “And the grass grew knee-high in that little sunless space and stalks of like wheat came up and one or two goldenrods until a man from the town came around in August and said that they must cut it on account of an ordinance.” (Updike 19). The reader not just reads about the grass strip but also forms a picture of it in his mind. The small strip of the grass, which caused a conflict between Harry’ mother and the old Methodist, is depicted in a similar way. It is barren now and Harry is walking on it. “From cement to cement the strip is not much more than eighteen inches across. Walking along it feels slightly precarious to Harry, like treading the top of a wall.”(Updike 20). The reader can envisage Harry walking on the narrow strip of cement. This naturalist style is continued throughout the novel. The town where Harry is living is also described vividly. The structures in the town and the routine activities of the people living in the town are mentioned in the novel, even highlighting the smallest details. This style employed by the author in the narration creates images of the town in the mind of the reader. Owing to this use of imagery, the reader not just reads the book but also envisions the images depicted in the novel. Whatever the occasion presented in the novel, the author describes it in detail. Third Person Narration Although the story is an account of Harry’s life, the author uses third person narration and maintains it right through the novel. Harry is recounting an incident from his past when he sees the house of his parents. But here also the event is narrated from the view of a third person. When the man comes at Harry’s house and announces about the ordinance, Harry replies that he will cut the grass. “Harry had gone to the door and was saying, Sure, O.K.,.”(Updike 19). This third person narration shows that the narrator is witnessing the events in Harry’s life and is telling about it, as the events are taking place. While expressing his fear that his mother would be angry with his father for cutting the grass and quarrel with his father, Harry’s feelings are narrated from the perspective of a third person. “He felt guilty doing it, and was frightened of the fight his parents would have when Mother came back. He dreaded their quarrels: when their faces went angry and flat and words flew.” (Updike 20). Harry is experiencing those feelings but they are being expressed through a third person. The third person narration aids the reader in comprehending the feelings and thoughts of the Harry from their own point of view. For there is no influence of Harry’s own perception on the narration in the novel and this aids in bringing forth the theme, the author wants to convey through his novel. Conclusion The novel Rabbit, Run by John Updike spans the life of Harry Rabbit Angstrom. Harry is a young man whose life is devoted to the fulfillment of his responsibilities towards his wife and son. He sells kitchen appliances and leads his life as an ordinary man. But his past was quite different from his present. He was a star basketball player during his high school days. His playing skills earned him fame and success in his town. But now living as an average middle class person, he finds it difficult to perform the role of a husband and a father. He is unsatisfied with his job and life. The novel focuses on the theme of discontent and brings forth the affects of this discontent on the life of Harry. The writing style used by the author in the novel is distinct and aids in bringing forth the events in Harry’s life, his feelings and his experiences. His frustrations, which make him irresponsible towards his wife and girlfriend, are depicted in the novel. Instead of facing his problems, he runs away from them. The narration throughout the novel is in present tense. The use of present tense is maintained even while describing the events in Harry’s past life. This writing style ensures that there is continuous flow in the narration. Another feature of writing in the novel is the naturalist style utilized by the author. The author describes every episode elaborately; the smallest details are presented in the novel. The imagery depicted in the novel aids the reader in imagining the things described in the novel. The house of Harry’s parents, the town where Harry is living, and the daily activities of the people living in the town are illustrated in the novel in such a manner that the reader views those images while reading the story. The third person narration, maintained throughout the novel, assists in conveying the theme of the novel. The disturbed state of mind of Harry is presented in the novel from the perspective of the third person. Works Cited Updike, John. Rabbit, Run. Ballantine Books. 1996. Read More