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Reunion

            The short story "Reunion" by John Cheever is about a young boy named Charles who goes to visit his father in New York City. The story revolves around Charles's impression of his father and the harsh reality of his father being an alcoholic. The story starts off with Charles on a train going to New York City to meet with his father. His initial reaction upon seeing him is one of joy and happiness as he is finally reunited with the father he had not seen for 3 years and the hopes he can rekindle the lost father-son relationship. The father explains that he wants to take Charles to his bar but since it so far away, he thinks its better that they just go to a close place. As they go from one bar after another, his father becomes more loud and obnoxious, which forces Charles to change his whole view of his father. In one of the bars, the owners actually kicked out Charles and his father after his father began yelling at the waiter. Finally as Charles is about to leave, his father volunteers to but Charles a newspaper to read on the train. He begins to yell at the newspaper salesman which forces Charles to come to the realization that his father is really not what he had pictured in his head. He walks to the train and never sees his father ever again. In the end I think Charles finally realized that the man he once knew and the innocent picture he had of his father was nothing more than an illusion. .
             I think the main message of this story is Charles's innocence versus the harsh reality of his father's alcoholism. His father seems to be trying so hard to impress his son that he ends up alienating him from his life. It is also interesting to point out that his father would rather drag his son to a bar rather than spend quality time with Charles. At one point in the story, Charles's father even tries to buy his underage son a drink which shows his father clearly has no sense of morals. It is this lack of respect and bouts with alcoholism that bring Charles to the harsh reality that his father is nothing more than a man with a troubled past which Charles wants nothing to do with.


Essays Related to Reunion

1. Story Summary Notes: Reunion

Introduction "Reunion" is a short story written by John Cheever. The story takes places in the 1960's. It is about the meeting between a son named Charlie and his father. They haven't seen ... boy leaves his father with a sad goodbye, and he has decided never to meet his father again. Theme Reunions are not always happy. Sometimes parents disappoint their children. The story reunion tells about a young son who gets disappointed over his father. He has a positive perception of meeting his father again for three years and he looks forward to the meeting. It ... ...

  • Word Count: 857
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

2. John Cheever - Reunion

... for others it could be an altercation. For some of those altercations end up in a divorce with a kid that now only has one parent or two lives. John Cheever's "Reunion" takes place in Grand Central Station, New York where the main character, which is also the narrator, is to meet his father. Little is said about the father before ... ...

  • Word Count: 1058
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Family Reunion

... the nearest table, it happens to be a food table. I realize I"m not the least bit hungry but all the food looks more appetizing than being an active part of this family reunion. As I dig into the sour cream and onion chips I feel a heavy hand fall onto my shoulder. "Hee-low Cassie, how are yow?" Well of course I don't recognize this face, so ... ...

  • Word Count: 671
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

4. Gatsby, the Player

... his absurd existence in the world. Gatsby and his guests are playing different plays. On Gatsby's side, it is a romantic comedy, working towards the reunion or the marriage with his love; but, on the side of his boisterous and voluptuous guests, life is but frivolous seeking of pleasure. Earnestness is ... play, which comes after the annihilation of the villain and marks the height of the ecstasy and attains the grandeur of effect. But the reunion of Gatsby and Daisy comes before Gatsby goes through the most vehement moment of the face-to-face confrontation with his chief opponent, Tom ...

  • Word Count: 2711
  • Approx Pages: 11
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Family

... the distant aunts you don't remember but still do hesitate to comment on how big you've gotten. These are the people that make a family reunion fun however because without them there would be no awkward moments, no times when someone remembers your first, middle and last names and you have never seen ... them in your life. All this is what a family reunion so great. Now, when you first walk into a family reunion you notice one thing; all the old people seem to know each other like they had coffee the day before but you don ... on the good old times with other old retired people. It's ki...

  • Word Count: 380
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

6. Racisms by Kwame Anthony Appiah

... connections cannot be developed through the large amounts of people in a specific racial group. This brings us to a scenario of a family reunion. A family reunion involves the people you specifically have a special connection with. It is not necessary to be blood related to every single person that shows up to the family ... reunion. Also, it is not possible for everyone in your racial group to be invited to the family reunion because one person is not going to have a moral obligation to every single person in the racial ... group. The primary people that are included in the family reu...

  • Word Count: 1282
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

7. The Brilliance of T. S. Eliot

... ranked as the most famous and influential literary critic of the 20th century. Eliot as Playwright Main Plays Sweeney Agonistes Murder in the Cathedral The Rock The Family Reunion The Cocktail Party The Confidential Clerk The Elder Statesman Eliot later tried his hand at plays, beginning with "Sweeney Agonistes ," (published 1926; first performed in 1934) ... World War II, Eliot returned to writing comedies with "The Cocktail Party," in 1949, "The Confidential Clerk," in 1953, and "The Elder Statesman," in 1958. "The Family Reunion," and "The Cocktail Party," (1940) both involve ana...

  • Word Count: 4134
  • Approx Pages: 17
  • Grade Level: High School

8. The American Dream: A Scenario Of Conventional Social Myth.

... for Carrie and how he had bought the mansion on West Egg solely to be near her. Gatsby urged Baker to convince Nick who is Daisy's cousin, to organize for a reunion between him and Daisy. Gatsby's portrayal of himself to Jordan as a lovesick, hopeful romantic trying to win back the object of his love called for Nick's sympathy. Gatsby proceeded to ... is the quality that is attractive to Nick and makes Gatsby nevertheless "extraordinary." This is also what made Nick to arrange for a reunion between Daisy and Gatsby-Nick's believe in the true America dream. The early stages of the reunio...

  • Word Count: 7760
  • Approx Pages: 31
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

9. Grosse Pointe Blank

... and highly illegal profession, a professional killer. For example in the opening scene Martin is talking to his secretary and she is informing him about his high school reunion and trying to persuade him to go, but, Martin can only respond by saying, "Dont tease me. You know what I do for a living." Here ... . Martin is limited to having social encounters only with his secretary and other fellow workers and begins to feel left out. While getting ready to go to his reunion Martin is doing up his shirt while looking in the mirror. "I am pet physiatrist, I sell insurance, I do test positive ...

  • Word Count: 1307
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

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