Hidden Truths in The Enormous Radio

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Hidden Truths in The Enormous Radio

John Cheever’s "The Enormous Radio" represents the enormous amount of hidden truths in American society of the 1940s. The problems with society during this time were hidden behind a facade of goodness; however, this false innocence becomes visible through the radio owned by the Westcotts. The radio causes the Westcotts to evolve from an innocent, naive pair who believe that everything they see is real, into individuals who realize that appearances are deceiving.

Cheever develops the motif of innocence by details like Irene’s "wide, fine forehead upon which nothing at all had been written" (817). Cheever also includes the fact that Irene "wore a coat of fitch skins dyed to resemble mink" (817). This is a very dishonest, not innocent, clue about the Westcott’s status. Jim’s youthfulness also represents innocence: Cheever states that "he dressed in the clothes his class had worn at Andover, and his manner was earnest, vehement and intentionally naive" (817). These innocent appearances will be recognized and reflected upon once the radio is delivered to the house.

The radio, an appropriately ugly instrument, looks "like an aggressive intruder" (817). Kendle Burton concludes from this statement that "To Irene, it is a Satanic invader of the Westcott’s world of apparent innocence" (128). Cheever writes, "The powerful and ugly instrument, with its mistaken sensitivity to discord, was more than she could hope to master" (818). This refers to the way that Irene tunes out the ugliness in her own life. Jim also tries to ignore these appearances by simply tuning them out. He explains to Irene that she does not have to listen to the radio. She can turn it off. Jim is explaining that they ...

... middle of paper ...

...tting on a mask of innocence as well.

The Westcotts have lost an illusory faith in themselves and their society. Now they must begin to find a real one with each other. Nowadays this recognition of society’s horrible secrets such as drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, racial discrimination, domestic violence, sexism, and many more are all too vivid. The only question that remains is whether it is better to acknowledge these hidden secrets like today, or to ignore them like yesterday?

Works Cited

Burton, Kendle. "Cheever’s use of Mythology in ‘The Enormous Radio.’" Contemporary Literary Criticism. Detroit: Gale , 1980.

Cheever, John. "The Enormous Radio." Harper Anthology of Fiction. Ed. Sylvan Barnet. NY: HarperCollins, 1991.

Rupp, Richard. "Of That Time, of Those Places: The Short Stories of John Cheaper." Short Story Criticism. Detroit: Gale, 1988.

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