Mid-Life Crisis in 'The Country Husband'

The traditional values of a “Nuclear Family” that were set up in the 1960’s are a reoccurring theme throughout “The Country Husband” by John Cheever. Francis Weed demonstrates the strain of a domestic lifestyle, and his character communicates the chaos that pressure ensues. With changes in attitude, the struggles of a traditional suburban community, characterization of a middle-aged man who suffers with morality and the desperation for escape from reality, Francis Weeds finds himself in what would be identified as a “mid-life crisis.” In the short story, Francis portrays reckless behavior due to the adolescent yearnings. He wants to pursue an unattainable affair with the engaged babysitter that his wife hires. With his codependent characteristics, Francis is unable to escape his reality. When Julia, his wife, threatens to leave him due to his uncaring demeanor he persuades her to stay because he realizes that he is hopeless without her and he simply

cannot let her go.
Through Cheever’s characterization, Francis Weed transforms from an irritated attention-seeker to a displeased middle-aged man.

“Francis says that he must be understood; he was nearly killed in an airplane crash…” (Cheever 76). After this tragic event he wants a reaction from his family, which they are not giving him the sympathy that he wants. “The photograph of his four children laughing into the camera on the beach at Gay Head reproached him” (82). Looking back on how his life is, it is easy to infer that Francis is unhappy with his life after the airplane crash. The even helps him realize what he desires in life. He knows he has a pleasant family and a caring wife but yet; he yearns for something more. Cheever uses stereotypical characterization of suburban communities in all of his writings including “The Country Husband”. “… a writer who wrote about people on the Upper East Side and in the suburbs” (Gordon 1). Based on the journals of Cheever, the common similarities in his characters, settings, and

scenarios.
In a traditional setting, like Shady Hill, morals are extremely important and are viewed highly. “It was not the kind of household where, after prying open a stuck cigarette box, you would find an old shirt button and a tarnished nickel” (75). The Weeds live in a tidy house that is taken care of by Julia; she plays the typical wife role. The traditional setting sets up the mood and atmosphere throughout the short story that takes place in an ideal community. “I don’t know what makes you think that in a community like this you can indulge every impulse you have to be insulting, vulgar, and offensive” said by Julia (86). Francis starts acting out in his behavior because he is stuck in a dilemma between what he wants to do and what he has to do. Cheever is able to captivate what a society is afraid of through his writing. “…the story is sleekly written and beautifully paced…” (Martin 2). “The Country Husband” starts out with a chaotic event that leads to the events that cause Francis Weeds’ displeased attitude and his desires.
Francis Weed has come across a challenge in his life; being in love with the engaged babysitter, Anne. He has many ways to come about this but none of which are morally correct. “… There had not been a divorce since he lived there; there had not been a breath of a scandal…” (Cheever 82). He can either wreck his life the way he knows it or he can live out the rest of it miserable. “… his arms spread over the steering wheel and his head buried in them for love” (Cheever 85). Stuck in a predicament, Francis continues to hide his wants and pretend as though nothing is wrong and everything is simply perfect. Cheever has a way of demonstrating society’s influence on personal relationships through the misery of desires versus needs. “[Cheever] seemed to veer between visions of human depravity and nobility…” (Gordon 2). Cheever’s writing captured the feeling empowered by everyday life and the temptation that tends to go along with it.
Francis continues to act out childishly about being in love with the babysitter, Anne, after he finds out that she is engaged to a fellow neighbor, Clayton Thomas. Clayton needs a job and even through Francis could easily help him, he doesn’t, “the kid’s worthless” (89). Knowing full well that Clayton has potential and is intelligent, Francis does not want to give Clayton the advantage to continue keeping Anne as his instead of Francis’. Cheever is able to communicate the desperation of wanting to leave the confines of traditional values through Francis’ misbehaviors. “…between human visions of human depravity and nobility…” (Gordon 2). Again, through Cheever’s writing style the same concepts occur; what should be done versus what shouldn’t be done.
Francis is constantly dreaming of what he can do to leave his current life so he can be his idea of happy with Anne. He wants to take Anne down to “lover’s lane” so he can get away from his unpleasant lifestyle (83). Cheever uses this type of characterization to emphasize the moral that people, like Francis, were subjected to back when traditional values were deemed more important over modern. “Individuals can heighten their perception of life by concentrating on the small pleasures of physical life” (The Country Husband Themes 1). Cheever illustrates how despite having other fantasies can interrupt daily life.
Through Francis’ bored demeanor there is a sense of change with his relationship with Julia, his imaginative state interferes with husbandly duties. “You have no idea how much you hate me” said by Julia (87). The neglect Francis displays towards his everyday life becomes noticeable around the community and it reflects on his displeased demeanor. “[Francis] will never be happy until he again, finds a way to make real contact with himself” (Bernardo 2). Cheever is able to project these instances through Francis’ behavior and how the others react.
Francis becomes wary of his wife’s threats of leaving him that he realizes his displeasure of his life is not something he can escape. “Oh, my darling, I can’t let you go!” Francis exclaims repeatedly as Julia tries to leave him (88). This contributes to Francis’ realization that despite his wants and desires he can’t get rid of the life he has set up with Julia and their children. He is unable to carry out the rest of his life due to desperation and the lack of ability to escape his reality without Julia because she is the one who drives his desperation. Cheever’s writing has “always contained its own contradiction” (Gordon 1). Cheever amplifies the conflict that Francis Weed is struggling to go through by making it clear that his current life is trapping but also his desired life.
In conclusion, the change in attitude, the struggles of a traditional suburban community, characterization of a middle-aged man who suffers with morality and the desperation for escape from reality is put into a new perspective. John Cheever, author of “The Country Husband”, describes how through an ideal community the human temptation and wants are constantly inconvenienced.