John Cheever's 1962 Short Story Reunion

Charlie grew up in Australia. He was very close with his mom, and they will do a lot of things together. Although his relationship with his dad was terrible. His dad was a doctor and he was very dedicated to his job.

The father’s behavior and attitude toward the waiter is comical, but obviously discourteous and ill-mannered. This creates a blend of humor and grotesque because while the reader might find it amusing, the waiter and his son find it unpleasant at best. In addition, the reader is compelled to feel sorry for Charlie because he has been abandoned by his father all his life. His father is trying to impress him by being humorous and grandiose than by actually being father to him. He stated, “If only there was time to take you to my club”, implying to the reader with the phrase “if only” that he is merely bragging and does not actually have a club.

The younger waiter believes he has “no regard for those who have to work.” On the contrary the older waiter also doesn’t belong to a family and attempts to explain “he stays up because he likes it” “it’s clean and well lighted” the light acting as a metaphorical parallel to the comfort the café offers in his otherwise dark life. Seeing as the older waiter understands him he does his best to make the customer feel he belongs and build a relationship with him. He realises that not everyone shares the same perspective realising “it’s not only a question of youth” but in this case a question of lack of relationships allowing sympathy and explaining his actions.

The young waiter has a harsh view of him as well because on occasion the old man has been so drunk he walks out on his bill. The younger waiter has a different respect for time, it’s precious to him and he values it. “I wish he would go home. I never get to bed before three o’clock. What kind of hour is that to go to bed?” “He stays up because he likes it.” “He’s lonely, I’m not lonely. I have a wife waiting in bed for me.” “He had a wife once too” (153). The older you get, the more time wears down on you, and you begin to now, greater than ever, feel your mortality. This theme is used to help the reader understand the older mans pain and that no matter how young and confident someone is, they will eventually grow old and die.

The bond between father and son is inexplicable through simple adjectives, yet it can be observed through gestures such as a suffocating hug, a rustle of the hair, or a congratulatory pat on the back. That bond is non-existent in “Reunion”, a short story written by John Cheever. “Reunion” documents Charlie’s last attempt at forging a lasting relationship with his absentee father. The author uses three literary devices, dark humor, pathos, and grotesque, to illustrate the futility of a relationship ever developing and to communicate that some things, no matter how strongly you desire them, are not meant to be.

Authors tend to have writing styles that set them apart from other authors. “Salvation” by Langston Hughes and “Reunion” by John Cheever are two short stories, both written by acclaimed authors, describing a life changing experience each author had at a young age. It may seem like both stories are completely different in every aspect. However, after analyzing both stories, it becomes apparent that they have plenty in common. Both stories are similar in terms of motifs and the use of dialogue, yet they contrast when it comes to the tone of each story.

With a society rooted in the traditional roles of the sexes, stereotypes are inevitable in America. The soft, quiet, and pretty woman. The intimidating and masculine man, almost always the breadwinner of the family. The daughter, who exclusively plays with plastic dolls and make-pretend tea parties. In “Reunion” by John Cheever, the focus is on the relationship between father and son. The father portrayed as destructive, aggressive, insensitive, a worn out cliché. The son is the author himself, walking around in the shadow of his father, looking up to him, at first. This relationship between Cheever and his father brings a light to the toxic masculinity portrayed in movies, television shows, and literature. By depicting this false view of what a strong male lead looks like, Cheever helps perpetuate these stereotypes.

The question of why Charlie himself did not put a stop to this is definite in the reader's eyes. We may conclude, with the information given in the exposition that Charlie knew he had the option of never seeing his father again. The train could symbolize that this encounter with his father was a ‘quick stop' in his journey in life. By not reacting with the same negative energy and by avoiding confrontation we see the growth in Charlie. We see that he has surpassed the necessity of a father figure and acceptance of being without one, even though he in fact would've rather have one. "I was terribly happy to see him again" (p207) "I hoped that someone would see us together. I wished that we could be photographed. I wanted some record of our having been together." (p208) and then he simply says, "Goodbye, daddy."

In the story, Charlie experiences being lonely in different aspects of his life. The first one that he feels this in is his family. His family consists of his parents, his brother and sister, and his aunt Helen. His parents, especially his dad, have never really been that involved or shown much interest in his life. This is shown when after he had been on LSD and was found in the snow, they never questioned if he was on drugs, they just contributed it to his prior problems of “seeing” things. His dad usually just ignored Charlie because he was different and quieter than the other kids. Charlie’s brother isn’t in the story much because he’s away at college playing football for Penn State. Charlie’s sister is in the story pretty often, but she doesn’t really talk to

Biff pours his heart and soul into the café to try to fill the void in his life. Despite the fact that Biff’s café has a steady stream of customers, Biff is always too timid to try to truly befriend any of them. The New York Café is one of the meccas of the town, John Singer eats dinner there, Jake Blount drinks beer there and Mick Kelley stops by once in a while for

Rufus Scott, a young black musician, walks out of a theater in a heat of self-loathing and depression from his homeless conditions and biting memories of a relationship with a Southern white women named Leona. With no apartment and no place to go, he wanders the city, pondering over these memories and whether he should look to his white friend and aspiring writer and bookseller, Vivaldo, for help. In his shame and desperation he doesn’t want anyone he knows to recognize him but wishes someone to see and care enough to help him. Walking to a bar and watching the people mill around he finds himself remembering himself being one of this crowd, one of the bustlers of New York and presumably having a life significantly better, with his family and

Not because he was close to his father, but because there was money involved. Charlie and his father cut ties when Charlie was a teenager, Charlie ran away from home and the two hadn’t established contact ever since. He and his girlfriend set off to Cincinnati, Ohio to settle any problems with the estate, and to acquire his will. Once Charlie arrived he found out that he had been left his fathers sacred rose bushes, and his car; the car that caused their parting. Charlie, being aware of his father’s wealth started questioning where the rest of his money, his millions of dollars went.

These are shown a lot of times in the movie and in a lot of different situations. The film starts with Charlie getting a call, telling him that his rich father died. Charlie did had any connection with him since he ran away when he was 16. The reason for that was a argument between him and his father, because Charlie took his fathers car.

Throughout this event, Charlie learns that his family will never really be a genuine caring family. He also learns that his mother will never accept him for who he really

New York is a city that works in mysterious ways, having a strong presence on those who walk its streets daily. It's a city with character, touching those who live there or taste its enigma and yearn for seconds after the moment is gone. Although the journeys this city can put at people’s feet can vary from person to person, in many cases the path that some walk can end up being very similar. This was the case after reading “Tehran to the B Train” by Roxana Sabari and “My First New York” by Colum McCann. These two articles are both taken place in the big city, and when compared side by side, it can be shown that they both show many qualities, such as the location, the struggle both authors go through during their time in the city, and the realization