Introduction
The Enormous Radio, written by John Cheever, focuses on discussing the issue of revealing the true nature of human relationships. The author uses the radio as the catalyst helping the main characters to understand the tensions between them through eavesdropping on the problems of their neighbors. The author elaborates on the psychological defense protection mechanism process using stylistic devices and the characters’ development. The primary idea is that the inherent feature of all people is to compare themselves with others achieving the feeling of supremacy despite having more dirty secrets themselves. The psychological defense mechanism forces people to be judgemental of others in order to reject and minimize the importance of their problems unconsciously.
Characters Analysis
The author of the story strives to show that the problems in family relationships should not be avoided. The image of the enormous radio is the transition of the neighbors’ conflicts. The author uses it as the mystical power affecting the psychological problems of the characters. The image of the radio is inserted to disturb to show the true complexities in the couple’s relationships: “the violent forces that were snared in the ugly gumwood cabinet made her [Irene] uneasy” (Cheever 196). The couple intentionally minimizes and hides the problems and mistrust existing between them while these issues, like the old cabinet, interfere with their pretentious life. These problems cause occur in the characters’ relationships, disturbing the peace of the family.
At the same time, the characters unconsciously strive to reveal the truth. This is why Irene constantly listens to the radio and quarrelling, even suffering from it (Cheever 199). By doing so, she strives to understand her own family. The radio is the embodiment of the actual acceptance of the characters. Moreover, through the image of radio, the author reconsiders the role of the house as a place of protection and comfort. Controversially, Cheever highlights the idea that the house and family relationships are one of the most psychologically damaging problems.
Jim Wescott
The married couple described in the short story represents the two types of psychological reactions to the internal problems and mistrust existing within their relationships. The husband is the representation of the avoiding type of personality. He focuses on the position that what is hidden should not be revealed. Being afraid of accepting his problems and taking responsibility for his wife’s deeper internal issues, he avoids listening to the radio, hoping that the instrument and the family issues can be easily fixed: “You know you don’t have to listen to this sort of thing” (Cheever 201). Through Jim’s image, the author shows that men’s inherent feature is avoiding discussing problems. Hiding his emotions, Jim accumulates the negative emotions released on his wife unexpectedly. Therefore, the avoiding type of Jim’s personality shows exaggerates the inner conflict between the characters.
By using this image, the author depicts the typical psychological defense mechanism of the family men carrying the backbreaking family responsibilities that they are usually not ready to accept. The supportive argument for this claim is the phrase Jim: “I don’t like to see all my energies, all my youth, wasted in fur coast and radios” (Cheever 201). By saying that, the character tries to remove the burden of responsibility by accusing his wife of wrongful actions. However, the author gives the development of this character, showing that after revealing his emotions, Jim is ready to discuss the problems without caring what others will say (Cheever 6). Such an intention is the first step in accepting the genuine issues in the family and overcoming the psychological defense barrier.
Irene Wescott
Irene is the character depicting another way of psychological defense mechanism in comparing her problem with neighbors’ problems. Implementing the image of Irene, the author highlights the idea of a woman’s psychological dependency on being accused by society. The final scene shows that building good relationships with her husband has a lower priority than staying “unheard” by the neighbors: “Please Jim…Please. They’ll hear us” (Cheever 201). The woman is so afraid to accept their family’s problems and hidden issues that she even tries to persuade her husband and what is more importantly herself that their problems do not exist: “We are happy, aren’t we?” (Cheever 201). Irene is obsessed with eavesdropping because she, like any other woman, tends to compare her problems with others. For her, the outer, feigned well-being of the family is more important than the actual relationships. By showing Irene, the author highlights that she represents the contrary to her husband’s psychological defence mechanism. She neither can ignore the problem nor can she accept it.
Irene’s way of avoiding the problems through eavesdropping limits her life perception ignoring her interests and the preferences of her family. Her psychological condition, mood, and even behaviour change after she starts to realize that being judgemental of other problems leads to no satisfaction: “There was in her face a look of radiant melancholy” (Cheever 200). She feels anxious because minimizing the significance of her family issues cannot help solve them. At the end of the story, she can also be considered as overcoming the social opinion barrier. During the denouement, she turns the radio to the regular programs. Such an action shows the author’s belief that the first step in becoming better is acceptance of the severity of the problems. The author emphasizes that the self-work and genuine discussions with the partner can help to minimize the impact of the psychological defense.
Stylistic Analysis
The type of narration and structural elements of the story helps the author convey the idea that the psychological defense mechanism should be overcome to build trustful relationships. The author uses omniscient narration, providing the third-person narrative voice. The reader is gradually involved in the story without realizing that the setting is related to the psychological phantasies of the characters. The whole text is an extended metaphor that highlights the responsibility for accepting the problems within family facets. The author uses the element of unexpected denouement as the structural and stylistic element necessary to convey the emotions of Jim and Irene when Jim starts to shout at Irene: “I’m sick to death of your apprehensiveness” (Cheever 201). The negative emotions of Jim accumulated because of avoiding discussion suddenly occur at the end of the narration. Thanks to such a stylistic approach, the reader realizes what circumstances lead to hiding and avoiding family problems thanks to such a climax and narration type.
The author uses various stylistic devices to reflect the idea of psychological avoidance. For example, the paradox is implemented to show that the characters are anxious and lost: “I’ve been listening all day, and it’s so depressing / Well if it’s so depressing, why do you listen to it?” (Cheever 199). The paradox is used to highlight that Irene’s thoughts are confused. Moreover, this stylistic device is implemented to highlight the misunderstanding between characters, pointing out that their values are different. The author uses rhetorical questions during the emotional scenes to show that the characters do not listen to each other, focusing only on their sufferings: “We’ve never been like that, have we, darling”? (Cheever 200). Asking this, Irene rejects the changes and problems in her family, striving to persuade herself as she and her husband are better than their neighbors. Generally, literary devices are used to make the narration more character-emotions-centered.
Conclusion
In his story, John Cheever focuses on showing the negative side of the traditional family image. By using the stylistic tools and characters’ images, the author emphasizes the people’s inherent desire to escape from accepting the problems in their families. The author depicts the two types of people’s psychological defense mechanisms helping to minimize the damage from relationship-related issues. Such defence mechanism forces people to avoid taking responsibility for solving their problems. As a result, people become trapped in a vicious circle of avoidance. Cheever highlights that even unpleasant truth is more vital than the more pleasant lie and pretence. The other vital thought addressed by Cheever is the social cognition impact affecting the women’s perception of family, forcing them to judge and compare their problems with other’s people ones. Despite such desperate themes, the author states that people can change, and the first step is accepting their own issues.
Work Cited
Cheever, John. The Enormous Radio and Other Stories. Harper Colophon Books, 1947.