Thesis statement
The Enormous Radio has Enormous Mirror Images
Introduction
The Enormous Radio (1947) was written by John Cheever. Research indicates that the short story appeared first in the New Yorker. The short story gathered the attention of the public that made it to be among The Enormous Radio and Other Stories collections.
Research shows that the prevailing theme identifies with one family that valued a radio in their life, the initial radio broke down prompting a purchase of another radio, which opened the family to the questionable outside world.
Plot
The plot of the short story reflects on Irene Westcott and Jim, believed to have lived in Sutton place, somewhere in New York. The couple had two children, and enjoyed music on their radio and attending live concerts.
The old radio broke down and Jim had to purchase another radio. He brought home a new radio made up of a huge gumwood cabinet. Westcott did not like the new radio, starting from the color, size and the blinking lights.
Westcott was sensitive with colors; the radio brought a pure mismatch with the furnishings in the living room.
Conceptions of the Enormous Radio
Westcott believed that the cabinet was ugly and very dark, symbolizing the darkness in the entire living room and ultimately reflect in their lives.
Research indicates that Westcott identifies with the new radio. The radio brought disagreements and disharmony in the family, although both couples loved music.
Symbolism
Enormous Radio symbolizes buried secrets. The radio made Westcott and Jim come to the realization that their marriage is not perfect, as they thought.
There is the tension that had been kept in secret between the couple. Research shows that Westcott in particular had a dull past, the new radio made her remember about her past life.
The fact that the radio is ugly brought about the inner ugliness of Westcott and the negative attitude Westcott has against the neighbors.
The radio is believed to expose the inner lives of other people, and she realized that the radio had exposed her life too. This is an irony, in that the radio was intended to bring joy, but instead cultivated hatred and animosity.
It has been noted that a metaphor is applied in the short story to show the interconnections between gender, house and the family.
Themes
One of the most common themes in the short story identifies with theme of addiction. Westcott and Jim are addicted to the radio to an extent that it plays an influential role in their lives, to a point of exposing the weak points within the marriage.
The radio symbolizes today’s television sets that have been addicted by people. The radio is exposing the real nature of people.
Conclusion
The satanic radio can be equated to the serpent in the garden of Aden that made Eve and Adam commit a sin by eating the forbidden fruit, and all of sudden; they realized they were in their natural suit.
Westcott exposed the American underworld. The short story indicates that things at times do no display reality. The fact that Westcott and Jim were normal couples, who later became violent, is an indication that human beings have two faces.
The cliché of the short story is on the Enormous radio with diverse representations, it shows diverse mirror images that are addressed. Westcott had two personalities, meaning she was pretending to some extent in the marriage of her and Jim.
The short story teaches human beings to be real. No matter how far people hind identities, circumstances erupt that shows the real face of the people.