Jim And Irene Westcotts example essay topic

In the short story by John Cheever called 'The Enormous Radio' it begins with Jim and Irene Westcotts appearing like the perfect American family. Cheever describes them as 'the kind of people who seem to strike that satisfactory average of income, endeavor, and respectability' (Cheever 1). What is ironic about this story is the Westcotts are far from being the perfect family and the community they try to conform to is just as imperfect as the Westcotts themselves. A way the Westcotts try to live up to their society is by keeping secret the fact that they listen to the radio and attend musical events. This is because these activities were not something members of their community did. For example, Cheever says the 'Westcotts differed from their friends, their classmates, and their neighbors only in an interest in music.

They went to a great many concerts although they never mentioned this to anyone' (1). In the rest of the story Irene Westcott has an addiction to an eavesdropping radio that reveals the personalities and business of her friends and neighbors. When their first radio breaks down, Jim buys another as a gift for his wife. At first Irene is rather put off by the 'physical ugliness of the large gumwood cabinet.

' Its 'dials flooded with a malevolent green light,' and inside the cabinet held 'violent forces' (1). More disturbing is the radio's tendency to pick up interference. Wanting to hear music, Irene instead hears ringing telephones and the conversations and disagreements of her neighbors. Initially she hated the new radio. But the Westcotts have such an obsession for Music that they always listened to it when they are home. Soon they discover the radio has other offerings, the private worlds of their neighbors.

Her first reaction is paranoia: " 'Maybe they can hear us,' " says Irene (3). This gives way to curiosity: " 'I guess she [the Sweeney's nurse] can't hear us,' Irene said. 'Try something else' " (3). Since Jim works during the day he isn't tempted by the radio and doesn't become hooked.

Irene on the other hand, can't stay away from the radio, but she hides her new interest from her maid. She becomes astonished and uneasy over the relationships of her neighbors. This changes her personality. She spends all her time at home with the radio until she needs to take care of her two children. One sign of addiction is depression. She becomes so overwhelmed with the others lives that she tells her husband "It's so depressing" and "All the others have been quarrelling all day...

They " re all worried about money" (5). The radio that used to give her pleasure, now only gives her sorrow. In a very short time she has lost self control and can't turn the radio off on her own. Jim solves the problem by getting the radio fixed at a cost of four hundred dollars. Now Jim complains "Four hundred dollars is a good deal more than I can afford", and "It's the last extravagance we " ll be able to indulge in this year" (6).

This incident causes the Westcotts to question the "perfection" of their own marriage, and Jim and Irene end up having a disagreement about dishonesty. It is shown that the Westcotts are not flawless when Jim makes his enraged speech to Irene. This speech entails how he's sick of her addiction to the radio. Also he is disgusted about her stealing jewelry and money from her sister and about the nonchalant manner in which she went to have an abortion. What the enormous radio did for the Westcotts was to make them see that they should fix their problems in their family life instead of worrying about the outer image. Especially since the lives of their neighbors were just as troubled as their own.