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Masters Theses Student Theses & Publications

1984

Time in John Cheever's The Housebreaker of

Shady Hill
Charles M. Elliott
Eastern Illinois University
This research is a product of the graduate program in English at Eastern Illinois University. Find out more
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Elliott, Charles M., "Time in John Cheever's The Housebreaker of Shady Hill" (1984). Masters Theses. 2825.
https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/2825

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 Time in John Cheever's

The Housebreaker of Shady Hill

(TITLE)

BY

Charles M. Elliott

THESIS

SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS

FOR THE DEGREE OF

Master of Arts in English

IN THE GRADUATE SCHOOL, EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

CHARLESTON, ILLINOIS

1 984
YEAR

I HEREBY RECOMMEND THIS THESIS BE ACCEPTED AS FULFILLING

THIS PART OF THE GRADUATE DEGREE CITED ABOVE

l�-17-!1
DATE

�-11-'&1
DATE

DATE

1)1hi
I
bATE
 ABSTRhCT

The problem of time is a central concern in John

Cheever's short story collection .The Housebreaker of Shady

Hill. The characters in these stories--upper-middle c lass

suburbanites--live in a som etimes chaotic and disconnected

world in which they find it difficult to attain sonesense

of continuity in their relationships with time. In trying

to come to grips with their time and space, many of Cheever's

characters express an immoderate devotion to their past,

present, or future and neglect to see the bits and pieces

of their experien�es as interrelated. The characters

who are happy and whole in these stories, however, feel the

tension between the outer world ( and its clock time ) and

their inner sense of duration, meet the conflict head-on,

and attain a sense of balance which will allow them to

grow psychologically. In this thesis I explore how the

protagonist in each of these stories either thrives or

suffers--with himself and within the town of Shady Hill-­

as a result of his understanding of his temporality.

To provide a critical framework for this study I

initially discuss ( in Part I) some of the philosophical

and literary approaches toward the problem of time, paying

particularly close attention to the work of Henri Bergson.

Bergson's not ion of pure duration--emphasizing the pervasive­

ness of memory on a human consciousness that is forever

"becoming" and changing--was highly influential in the

development of a sub jective approach toward time. Bergson's

philosophy had a great impact upon the works of Proust,

Joyce and Faulkner, and has a great deal of relevance to

a discussion of Cheever's work .

After this introductory section, my work is divided

into three parts devoted to an analysis of Cheever's

stories themselves, keeping close in mind the philosophical

approach of Bergson. In Part II I discuss how the town of

Shady Hill ( where each of the stories is set ) acts as

a "character" whose steadfast linearity ( adherence to clock

time ) seemsto have a great effect on the lives of the

protagonists. In Part III I examine in each story the

conflict which exists between the protagonists ( and their

notions of inner time ) and Shady Hill. Finally, I comment

on how Cheever's sub j ective approach to time has had an

influence on his storytelling technique.

 PART I

The problem of ti m e is a c e ntral c oncern i n many of the

sh ort stori es o f J o hn Che ever. Very few of th e char�ct ers

in his stories--expatriates i n Rome, rural New Englanders,

New Yorkers, Westcheste r County suburban i t e s--seem to be

spare d at l east a te nuous confrontation with t heir temporality.

These characte rs liv e and love in a sometim es unfathomable

e xistence , in a world that seems c h a o tic and disconnec t ed

and in which their past is. strangely unassi milabl e with their

prese nt and their prospects for the fu t ure. T h e character

who is aware and strong enough to integrate some sense o f

continui ty i n his relat i onship with time i s g i ve t h e just

psychi c r ewards o f orde r and wholen e ss and happine ss. But

more o ft en Che e v e r's sto ries ar e str e wn with charact ers wh o

have st opped growing beca u s e o f their fragmented sense of

self. In trying t o come to grips with and make se nse of the i r

time and space, these failures express an immoderate d e voti o n

to their past, prese nt, o r future and neg l e ct t o see the

bits and pieces of th eir e xpe rienc e s as int e rrelated.

H o wever, Cheever's plo ts are not vehicle s for an eso-

teric discourse "abo ut" time, nor sh o uld the y be, as J.B. '

Pri est ly has right ly pointed out. " T ime is a c o ncept,"

wr i t e s Pr i e stly , "a cert ain c o nd ition of e xpe rience, a m ode

of perc ept ion; • • • a n o vel o r a play cannot r e ally be about

Time but only abou t the pe ople and the things that appear in

1
 2

1
T i me . " In fact , it i s a mark of C h e e v er's c ra ftsmanship

that the d i l emma s o f hi s " pe opl e and t hing s i n T i me" are

pre s ent e d so g ra c e fully a nd s ubtly • . Although Che eve r may

a t t e nd to t h e pro b l em o f time quietly , the probl em is a

no l e s s e s s ent i a l s trand in th e t i ght fabric of h i s fic tion .

An unde rstand i ng o f Che e v e r's t i m e cons cious n e s s s e e ms a

necessary comp on ent in any th o rough dis c us s i o n o f h i s work .

It has n o t been in Che e v e r's fiction a l one that the

s ubject o f tim e has b e e n add re s s ed; inde ed i t ha s be en o f

paramo unt imp o rtance t o much of w e s t ern l i t e rature i n th e

twe n t i e t h century . Pri e s tly c l a i m s that " ' mo d ern l i t e ra ture , "'

i n ge n e ra l, b egi n s with Baud ela ire and " hi s f e a r and ha t r e d

2
o f chrono l og i ca l t i me . " Nheth e r o r not i t i s accura t e

t o c ite Baud e l a i re a s t he fath e r o f m odern li t erature-- o r

a mo d e rni s t approach o r att i t ud e t ow a r d time-- i s pe rhaps a

mo o t p o i nt i n thi s d i s cussi on; but i t s e ems h e lpful t o

J
r e cogni z e he re that li nea r time i s s e e n a s a uni ve rs al
4
anath e ma by mo s t o f the " Ti me-haunte d " wri te rs s i nc e the

indus tri a l age . vii th a ris e i n t e c hn o l og i ca l advanc ement

during the ni n ete enth c e ntury came t h e ne c e s s a ry economic

pre s sure for man to b e c ome d epend e n t upon " c l o ck time " in

hi s daily socia l affai r s and fo r h i s li velihood. T h e phi l o-

s o phi cal and l ite rary approa che s to t i me .have , s in c e thi s

ri s ing s o cial i mpo rtance o f c l o ck ti m e , be en fo cus ed on th e

validi ty or the d e l e t e riousne s s o f c l o ck t i me a s a repres:nt-

a t i on o f man's c on s c i ousness of h i s durati on . The concerns

of writ e rs (and the i r ficti onal cha ract e rs--wh eth e r o r not
 3

they a rt iculate th eir temporal cri s es in cl e a r terms) se em

to be th e s es just what e ff e ct has l i n earity had upon mod ern

man's spi ri tual and psycho l o gical w ell-be i ng , and to what

ext e nt has t h e c lock come t o d ef i ne h i s exi s t ence?

The s o-cal led " p syc h o logica l n ovel" ( or " novel of

subjectivi ty") of the twenti e th century, accord i ng to Leon

Ed e l , has at its v e ry c ent e r t h is r e lat i o nshi p of mechanica l

5
t ime to the psyche . T h e c oncer� of the "psychol ogical nove l­

i st" is " p sycho l ogica l t ime, " whi ch h a s "T i me-m e asure [s]

d i ffe rent w i t h i n e ach ind i vi d ua l " s ince th e "con sciousn e ss

6
• • • doe s n ot measure time by mechani ca l means." The

psychologi ca l nove li s t , t h e n , pond e rs th e t ru e nature of

7
"inner time which tak e s n o s t ock of clock t ime . " Many

c ri t ics (am ong them Edel, Ma rg a r e t Church, and J o s eph Frank)

have recogni z ed thi s pre occupa tion w i th i nn e r time i n the

innova t i v e works of J ame s Joyce and Ma rce l Prous t , as well

as Americans William Faulkne r a nd Th omas W o l fe. And whi le

thes e writ e r s reach d i ffe rent c o nc lu s i o n s a b o u t t i m e and us e

a vari e ty of unconven t i ona l t echniques (s t ream of consci o usne s s

wri t i ng, f o r instanc e) i n o rd e r t o repre s ent t h e inn e r

mach inat i on s o f man ' s true consciousn e s s , t h e i r icono-

elas tic a pproach t o the c o n f i nes o f l i neari ty--in mo d e rn l i fe

a s well a s i n l ite rary t e chnique--has had an e normous

i nfluence upori the w o rks of the i r su cce s s o r s . It i s in this

t raditi on of inqu iry in t o the chaotic and d i sconne c ted

p sych olog ical exi s tenc e of man that the w o rk o f Cheeve r fa lls.

T he thrust of much of Che ever ' s wo rk, a s well as t h at of his

 4

T im e -haun t e d pre d ec e s s o rs, d e pend s upon hi s chara c te r ' s

unde rs tandings o f the rela t i onsh i p b e tw e en p sych o l ogica l

tim e and m e chanical time, t h e inner w o rld a nd t h e out e r

w o rld .

While the mood o f Chee ve r ' s wo rk i s s u r e ly i nfluenc e d

b y a phil o s o ph ica l c l ima t e forward e d by o th e r " t im e w r i ters,"

t h e groundwork fo r t h e s tudy o f human t i m e i n thi s c entury

wa s mad e po ssi bl e larg e ly by t h e work o f Henri B e rg son.

Berg s on ' s th ough t was, a s Ge o rge s P o u l e t w ri t e s in

8
S t ud i e s in Human Time , " t ransit iona1 . 11 B e rg s on r e -

empha s ized t h e pe rva s iv en e s s o f m em o ry i n a " bec om i ng,"

c o n stantly changing h uman c on s c i ou sne s s tha t wa s th e s taple

of t h e Romanti c conc e pti on o f t im e, whi l e a t t he same t i m e

snuff i ng out the fin d e s i �cle d e t e rm i ni s t i c v i s ion o f man ' s

dura t i on ( or dura t i on a s a pred e t ermin e d "diagram o f time , "

a s a "gene s i s of d ea t h " ) .
9
Be rgs on ' s i nf l uenc e on the

cont emp o rary wri te r wa s tw o- f o l d, acc o rd i ng t o Ma rga re t

Churchs i t a ll ow e d the wri ter to s e e t im e " i n t erm s o f man ' s

inmo s t e xi s t enc e" (a s o ppo sed t o c l oc k t im e ) and " to sh ow

tha t the inner tim e of man i s no t a kind o f infe ri o r ad j un c t

10
t o a Ch ri s t ian, H i nd u o r Buddh i st e t e rnity.11 Ede l points

out tha t at the t im e the "psych o l o gi ca l nov e l" was f i rs t

b eing wri tt en , the influenc e o f F re ud , t h e v ery fa t h e r of

p sych oana lytic tho ugh t, "was only b eginn i ng t o be f e l t " ;

B e rgson and, t o a c e rtain e xt ent, Wil l iam Jame s, says Edel,

a re the " c rea t ors o f t h e intel l e c tual a tmo s ph e re in which th e

11
n o vels of s ubjecti vity came int o b eing . 11
 5

A t the very h ea rt of Berg s o n ' s phil o s ophy i s h is no t i on

o f "pure durati on . " It i s Bergs on's c o ntention tha t th e

d ifferent sta te s o f con s c i ou sn e s s p e rmeate one anothe r--

the pa s t m elting into th e present--t o f o rm a cont inuous,

wh ole, and int e rp e netra ting sense o f t im e . To d i vide o r

s e pa ra t e s tat e s of c on sci ousn e s s requires the spatial i -

z a t i o n o f t ime , a pra c t ic e wh ich i s very mu ch a t odd s w i th

p ure dura t ion . Cl o c k t ime, therefo re, i s " s ome t h i ng

12
d i ff e rent than inner dura t i on i n B e rg s on ' s sch eme o f thing s .

" C e rta inly pure cons c i ou sne s s d o e s n o t pe rce ive t i me a s a

s um of un i t s of durdtion1 l ef t to i t se l f it h a s no m eans and

e ven no rea s on to m ea sure t ime • • • •

.. 1 J T he se l f i s c onstantly

i n a sta te o f change, in th e proc e s s of " be coming , .. and each

tru e a ct and th ought (tho s e wh i ch are ba sed up on a c onsci ous­

ne s s unfolding in t im e and n o t a r efl ec t ion o f ha bi t ) i s a

creat ive, fre e deci s i on based· upon a who l e sel f .

The self canno t b e i n pure d ura t i on i f i t separa tes the

s ta t e s of c onsc iou sne s s . Thi s t endency fo r t he s e l f t o

b ecom e fragm ent e d , say s Berg s on , i s larg e ly a resp o n s e t o

fulfi l ling "the requi rement s o f s o c ial l i f e i n g e ne ral and

.
.
language 1n . u 1 a r . "14
pa rt1c Languag e, 1 n o th e r wo rrl s ,

" cannot g e t hold of pur e dura t i on wi thout a rres t i ng i t s

m otil i ty o r fit i t int o i ts common-place f orms w i t h o ut

15
making i t int o pub lic property . 0 T he c onfine s o f language

(which ren d e r exp e rienc e fini te and d e tache d from the re s t

o f eonsciou sne s s) and s oc ie ty (which spa t ial i z es t im e f o r

the sake o f e c onomi c conveni enc e) caus e us to live w i th " the

shadow of the sel f, " in a t orp i d ha ze wh ich o b scures o ur

 6

realizat i on of t rue dura t i on, which i s int erp e netrat ing and

c o n t i nuou s . The c on t empo rary d i l emma with t i m e is summa riz e d

by B e rgs on thusly1

Th e grea t e r pa rt of the time we l i v e outsid e

ours e l ves, hardly p e rc e iving any t hing of ours e lv e s

but o ur own ghost, a colorless s hadow wh i ch pure

dura t i on pro j e ct s into h omogen e o us s pa c e . H en c e

our life unfold3in spa c e rath e r than in tim e; we

l iv e for the ext erna l w o rld ra t h e r t han for our-

s e lv e s ; we speak ra th e r than thi nk; we " a re a c t ed "

ra ther th an a c t ours e l ve s . T o a ct f re e ly i s to

r e c ov e r p o s s e s s i o n of on e s e lf, and to g e t ba c k int o

16
pure dura t i on .

It should n o t be a s sum ed tha t th e novels of J oyc e and

Proust i n c o rp o rat e d B e rgs on ' s phi lo s ophy e xa ct ly ev e n t h o ugh

bo th nov e l i s t s w e r e very familiar w ith Be rg son ' s wor k . A

w ri t e r draws from a c erta in phil o s ophy a s i t s ui t s h i s

. . 17
a rti s tic n e e d s . Furth ermo re, the r e i s no e vid enc e- -at

l e a s t none t ha t ha s app eared in the critical l.it:erature--

t hat J ohn Che ev e r wa s i nflu enc e d by o r ev en read B e rg s o n ( or

Proust or J oy ce, f o r tha t mat t e r ) . S t i l l, B e rgs o n ' s a t t e nt i on

t o the imp o rtance of a p e r s ona l, psychological s en s e o f t im e

from which t h e s e l f can b e und e rs t o od and l i ve d s e em s qui t e

simi lar to mo s t of Ch e ever' s temp o ral c onc er n s .

Th e mom e nt s o f re vela tion for Ch e e ver' s cha ra c t er s

occur when t hey d i sc o v e r that the t rue rl'yth�s of their liv e s

a r e d ic ta te d n o t from without but from within; wh en t h ey

 7

rea li z e tha t t h e s e l f i s und e rs t o od i ntui t ive ly , from " fa r

b e l ow th e me chani sm o f t h e rati ona l mind wh i ch i s forever

fa l s i fying our exp e ri enc e by its clear and i n t e l l i gi bl e

1 . .. 8 I wi ll, t h er e f or e , k e ep the phi l o s ophy of B e rg s on
og1 c. 1

( a s w ell a s t h e wo rk of th e R omant i cs who pre c e d e d h i m ) c l o s e

i n mind a s I ma ke an inqui ry into " Che eve r T im e , " and h ow

that t im e has i nfluen c e d Cheeve r ' s s t o ry t e lling s ty l e.

In nea rly a l l of Ch e e ver ' s � i ct i o n i s found a c e nt ra l

charac t e r ( o r charac t ers ) l i vi ng and s t rugg l ing wi th i n a

communi ty ; the cha ract e r ne ce s sa ri ly must in t e ra c t wi th

o thers and c onform t o th e wri tt en o r l.Ulwritt en rul e s of the

c o l l ec t i ve. A nd , as ha s a l r eady b e en ment i one d , it i s i n

the p o s t- indus t ria l a ga c ommun i ty tha t t h e charact e r ' s s e lf

i s mo s t s u s c e p t i b l e to a glo s s i ng o ve r wi th l i nea ri ty .

Attaining a s ens e of ba lanc e be twe en wha t i s n e c e s sary in

so c i e ty and wha t is e s s en t i a l t o the we l l -b e i ng o f p sychi c

h ea l t h , th en , be com e s a c h i e f c onfl i ct . B e rg s o n ' s no t i on

o f the " shad ow s e l f , " wh i ch i s but the out e r c ru st o f human

e xi s t ence , i s wha t many of Ch e ever ' s chara c t e rs l i ve iA

a nd wha t s ome of t h em s t ruggl e to s t ri p away .

Che e ve r' s e xp l o ra t i on o f the " shad ow s e l f " - -wha t happens

when a chara c t e r s t e p s out of h i s shadow ( i f e ve n mom enta r i ly } ,

o r t o wha t e xtreme s t h e.l i ght o f s el fh o od i s o b s cure d in

his c ommuni ty- - i s m o st po ignantly and def t ly e x e cut e d in

hi s c o l l e c t i on Th e Hou s e breaker of S hady Hi l l and O the r

S t o ri e s . Thi s volume c o ntains the o f t e n -ant h o l og i z ed " T h e

Country Hus band , " "Th e Fi ve -Forty-Eight , " " Th e H o u s ebrea k e r

 8

of Shady Hill , " and "0 Y outh and Beauty , " and ha s be en

prai s e d by many cri t i c s , one o f wh om c l a ims that thi s i s

Ch e ever ' s"mo st uni fo rmly e x c ell ent c o l le c t i on o f sh o rt

s t or i e s ... 1 9 All of t h e stori e s in this vo lum e are s e t in th e

myt hi cal upp e r-mi d d l e c la s s s uburb of S hady H i l l ( pre sumably

in W es t ch e s t er County , n o rth o f N ew York C i ty ) . T h e ma jo r

playe rs in one ta l e w i ll l urk in t h e ba c kground a s minor

chara c t ers i n ano t h e r . T h e e v e nt s in ea c h s t o ry o s t ensi bly

revolve around the div e rsion s , i n s t i-U t i on s , and w orri e s

of suburban l i fe - - c o ck t a i l s a nd c o o kouts ; c o mmut e r t ra ins

and c ountry club s ; ma ri t a l infi d e l i t i e s and f i nancial

ins e c urit i e s.

Beneath t he calm ven e e r o f S ha d y Hi l l , h oweve r , l i e s

a much larg e r conc ern. T he s e are t h e s t o ri e s o f men and

women who fe e l a va g ue unea sine s s o ve r t h e wa;..· t ha t t hey

l i ve . The lack of cont i nuity in th e i r l i ve s - - the i r

s epa ra t i on from the pa s t o r ina b i l i ty t o c o m e ba c k t o t h e

pres ent from th e pas t - - leave s th em w i t h a b i t t e rne s s � a

sadn e s s and a s ens e that l i f e h a s chea t e d th em in- s ome way ,

that the be s t days have pa s s ed t h e m by , that t h ey can make

no s en s e of th e ir l i ve s . T h e s e cha ra c t ers a re in a rut ,

t o b e sure , but i t i s no t t he ir m o n ey pro b l em s or ma rriage

b re akdowns t ha t l eave them unea sy ( th ough both problEll'E are

pre c i p i ta t ing events l ead ing t h e chara c t e rs t o an awarenes s

o f t h emse lv e s ) . The moment o f c ri s i s in T h e Hous ebrea ker

s t o ri e s come s when chara c t ers begin t o s e e t h e ir fragmenta t i on

and the i r " shad ows. " H ow th e s e c hara c t e rs r e s pond when they
 9

s e e the d i s pa rity b e twe en the i r t empo ral i ty , th e i r i nn e r

s e n s e o f dura t i on , a nd tha t o f t heir live s within t h e com­

munity i s what Che e ve r ul timat ely wi s h e s to e xp o s e .

Thi s a t t enti on to t im e i n e a ch o f T h e H ou s e br ea k e r

s t o rie s i s i n s o m e ways the uni fying thread f o r t h e c ol l e c ti on .

In fa c t , it has b e en sugg e s t e d by one c ri tic that the \Olum e

s h o uld "qua l i fy" a s a novel , wh ile ano th e r , in suppo r ting

tha t po sition , cont end s that one c ould c o n s i d er th e t own o f

S hady Hill a s a chara c t e r and t he' thread o f c on t inui ty

20
b e twe en the s epara t e sto rie s . T h o ugh i t is not th e

int en t i on o f thi s e s say t o argue fo r o r a ga i n s t t h e volum e ' s

m e ri t a s n o ve l , it is int e re s t ing t o n o t e t h e impor tanc e of

S hady Hi ll in Che e v e r ' s pre s entation of t i m e . A s wi l l b e

s h own , S hady Hill , wh i ch i s in a s e n s e an omnipo t ent char­

act e r throughout the c o ll e c t i on , i s a s t ead fa s t embo diment

of t h e linear i ty which ve xe s Che e ver ' s pro tagoni s t s' s t ruggl e s

to s t e p i n t o "pure dura t i on . " Haveve r , b e f o r e exami ning

t ho s e s t ruggl e s and t h e e ff e c t of Ch e ever ' s tim e c o n s ciousne s s

o n h i s s t o ry t e l l i ng s tyl e , I wi l l fir s t c o n s id e r t hi s land

o f t h e shad ow s e l f , cal l ed , a pp ropri a t e ly , S ha dy Hill .

 10

PART I I

The c ommut er t ra i n s e ems l i ke the m o s t s t ri king imag e

i n e stabli shing S hady Hi l l a s a cha ra c t e ri za t i on o f l inear

t imeo Buz z ing i n and o u t o f t own , t h e c o mmut er tra i n i s a

qui e t y e t e ve r-pre s ent r emind e r of the pas s i ng o f c l o ck tim e .

Che ever o ft en s e t s a scene no t by t e l ling t h e s p e c i fi c

t i m e o f day, but b y referring to t h e t rain ( whi c h i s nam e d f o r

a t i m e - -an " 8105 " o r " 5 a 48 " ) wh i ch ha s j u st c om e and gone .

Th e read e r s e e s th i s d e vi c e u s e d i n "0 Youth and B eauty " 1

Then i t i s a summ er nigh t • • • T h e pas s eng e rs on

the eight -f i ft e en s e e S hady H i l l • • • The noi se of

t h e t ra i n i s muff l e d i n th e h e a vy fo i la g e , and

t h e l ong car wind ow s l o o k l i k e a s t ri ng of l i gh t e d

21
aqua r i um tanks b e f ore th ey fl i ck e r out o f s i g h t .

And i n " T h e C o unt ry Husband" a " The s e ven-f ourt e e n ha s come and

g o n e , and h e re and th e r e d i nn e r i s fini s h e d and t h e d i s h e s

a r e in t h e d i shwa shi ng ma chine'' (p. 409). I n b o t h e xample s

the read e r s e e s a phys i ca l re p r e s enta t i on o f c l o c k t i m e

rushing awayo The c ommut e r train in The Hou s ebreaker

s t o rie s a c t s s om e t h ing l i ke a " Bi g B en" chim ing the h o ur i n

s om e sma l l town squa re .

The pro tago ni s t s i n e a ch s t o ry --Johnny Hake t o Fr�n c i s

W e ed to Blake --hop on that tra in eve ry morning t o go to

 11

N ew York C i ty where t h e y wo rk . The prota g oni s t s ' working

I

hours then are g i v e n re gi m en t e d time bo undari e s wh i ch are

de fined by t rain d e pa r tur e t i me s . For Blake, the s tr i ct l y

linear vi l lain of " T he Fi ve -Fo rty-E i ght , " this a rrang ement

is fi ne ; th e c ommut er t r a in ' s r egu l a r i ty repre s en t s c omf o rt

and safety ( p. 2 86 ) . Hi s brush with death in the train

itself and by t h e ra ilr o ad tracks, th en. i s doub ly horrifying

for him and for the reader who c o me t o equa t e t he train with

unerring r o uti ne . For the most part, however, the comm ut e r

rid es are p r e d i c tab l e and s eda t e . In " Th e Coun t ry Husband, "

Francis Weed, c ommuting home, finds it d i f fi c ult to relate

his near-miss with dea t h to T ra c e Bearden--"p:::i.rticularly

in the a tmo s ph e r e of a c ommut ing tr a i n " ( p . 3 8 6 ) . It is a

chi ld , Amy L awt on in " Th e Sorrows of Gin"--wh o� time s en s e

ha s n o t be en usurped by t h e rhyttnn o f the s uburban world--

who can r e cogni z e that the "car her father traveled on seemed

t o have the g l o ss and monotony o f the r e s t of his life" ( p . 238) .

Cheever draws our a t t ent i on to t h e fa c t tha t the c om-

muter tra i n ha s be come more i m p o r t an t and m o r e perv-�sive

than that o f th e o ld tra in , which s e em s t o re pre s ent a

romantic, l e s s regimen t e d pas t . Amy Lawton , t o o y oung t o

remember th e grand old days of the railroad, gathers this

information from TVs

The railroad station in Shady Hill re s emb l e d t h e

railroad station i n old m o vi e s sh e had s e e n on

t e levi s i on , wh ere d e t e c t i ve s and s pi e s , blu e b eards

and their tru s t i ng victims w e r e me t t o be driven

 12

o ff to remo t e c o unt ry e s tat e s . Amy l i ke d t he

s t a t i on , part i cularly t oward dark . ( p . 2J8)

And i t i s a t rain c oming f rom " th e da rk" (a night e xpre s s

from Albany ) that brings Fran c i s W e ed th e w ond e rful s i gh t

o f a nud e w oman in a t ra in ca r window . " Venus," h owever,

pa s s es "l i k e an appa ri t i o n th rough Shady Hi l l " ( p . 3 95 ) ;

th e mys t e ry and roman c e o f th e ni ght t ra i n s have b e en

sani t i zed by the re gulari ty of t he c ommu t e r t ra i n , wh i ch

the read e r s e e s mo s t o f t e n .

Th e rhy t hm s o f t h e s o c i a l l i f e in Shady H i l l , i n

general, a r e nearly a s predic tabl e and s t e ad y a s th e c ommut e r

t ra i n . A c ommute r go e s from th e sta t i o n t o h ome whe r e i t ' s

"tim e fo r a drink , t i m e f o r l o ve , time f o r s uppe r " ( p . 2 92 ) .

, Afte r th e chi ldren have b e en put t o b e d , t he adul t s spend

ev e n in g a f t e r eYe ni ng g o i ng to pa rt i e s or a t t e nd i ng c i vi c

a c t i vi ti e s a nd club me e t i ng s . Shady Hi l l i t e s t end t o huddl e

t o ge ther in t he i r fre e t im e s imply b e cau s e they f e a r be i ng

a l one . They c o ns tantly proje c t them s e lve s o utw a rd�-li ving

f o r t h e'�xt e rna l w o rld " a s B e rg s on would say-- s o tha t they

won ' t b e s epara t e d from the rhy thms o f the communi ty .

Jul ia W e ed in " The C o un t ry Hu sband " i s perhap s mo re o utgo ing

t han some o th e rs , but h e r rea s o n s f o r c l inging de spe rat e ly

t o th e pa rty c i rcui t s e em typ i ca l am ong h e r pe e r sa

• • . h e r love o f par t i e s sprang from a mo s t

n atu ra l dread o f cha o s and l one l i ne s s . She went

t h rough th e morn i ng ma i l w i th rea l anxi e ty ,

l o o king f o r invi ta ti ons , and she u s ua l l y found

 1J

s ome , but sh e wa s insat iabl e , and i f sh e had gone

out s even ni gh t s a w e e k , i t would not have cure d

h e r of a r e f l e c ti v e l o o k • • • for s h e v.ould a lways

suppo se t ha t t h e re wa s a more bri lli ant pa rty

s omwh e re e l se . ( p. J90)

S im i l a rly , wh i le h e r h u s band is away , Ma r c ie F l i nt i n"The

Troubl e of Marc i e Flint " i mm e r s e s h e rs e l f in communi ty

affa i rs . S h e joins a madriga l g rnup , a p o l i t i ca l w o rksho p ,

and the Vi llage Counc i l t o ke e p in tou ch w i th the community from

whi ch she ha s had t o w i t hdraw in s om e way s during h e r

husband:.'s ab.sence. Che ever wryly no t e s a " R e ga rd thi s sw e et

w oman , then, singing 'Ho die C hr i s t u s E s t, ' s tudyi ng Karl Ma rx ,

and sitting on a ha rd c ha i r a t me e t ings o f the Vi l lage Co un c i l "

( p . J4 4 ) . Qui e t re f l e c t i on i s no t am o ng t h e a c c eptable

pa s time s i n Shady H i l l . T o b e a l one i s t o be l e ft in th e

p r e s en ce o f o n e ' s own m i nd ; t o b e l e ft wi th one ' s own mind

i s t o b e cons c i ous o f o n e' s own dura t ion ( a t l e a s t a c c o rding

t o B e rg son , and Ch e ev e r bears thi s out , t oo ) . Th e ob je c t i v e

w o rld of Shady Hi l l cann o t t o l e ra t e such ind e pend en c e ; thus

t h e s o c i a l i s a lways m o re imp o rt a nt than the pers ona l the re .

Wha t S hady Hill re s i d e nt s think are r e l e a s e s from the

r o utine of wo rk and c o mmu t e r t ra ins b e c ome o ld hat a f t e r a

whi le . One pa rty i s jus t about the sam e a s t h e next in

Shady Hi l l , f o r e xamp l e . Even th e s t range h u rdl e ri t ua l

o f Ca sh B e n tley in "0 Youth and B eauty" i s an e x p e c t e d end

t o a party full of pre di ctable type s be having in pr e di c t a b l e

ways . Th e first s e n t e n ce o f "O Youth and B eau ty" give s the

 14

reader a p re t ty g o od summary o f what h e m ight expe ct t o se e

a t jus t a bout eve ry party .

A t the tag end o f nearly eve ry l ong , la rge

S aturday-n i gh t party i n t h e s uburb o f Shady H i l l ,

when a lm o s t e v e rybody who wa s g oing t o play g o l f

o r tenni s i n t h e m o rning had gone home hours ag o

and th e t e n o r twe l ve p e o pl e rema ining s e emed

p owerl e s s t o bring t h e evening t o an end a l though

the g in and whi s k ey wer.e runn i ng l ovr , and h e re and

t h e re a woman wh o wa s s i tt ing out h e r hu sband

wo uld have begun t o d rink m i l k ; wh en e ve rybody

had l o s t t ra c k o f time • • • wh en t h e bell i c o s e

d runk , t h e c ra p s ho o t e r , t h e p i ani s t , and t he

woman fa c ed wi th th e exp i ra t i on o f h e r hope s had

all expre s s ed t h em s e lve s ; wh en every proposal--

to gu t o th e Farqua r s ons' for brea kfa s t , to go

swimming , to g o and wak e up t h e T owns end s , to go

here �nd go t h e r e - -di e d a s s o on a s i t wa s made ,

th en T race Bear d e n w ould begi n t o ch i d e Ca sh

B ent l e y about h is ag e and t h i nning ha i r . ( p . 249 )

Ea ch pe rs on pla y s h i s own li t t l e r o l e , and t he s i tuat i on

g et s repeat ed o ve r and ove r again . T h e r e i s no joy o r

s pontaneity in th e i r c e l e bra t i ons . The i r part i e s c ome and

go on a S aturday n i ght a s r egularly and a s i n c i dent�les s a s

the c ommut e r t ra i n s that z i p through t own . " Th ose suburban

Sunday ni ght s , tho s e Sunday-n i ght blue s " ( p . 2 5 8 ) are the

n atura l fe e lings of a de spa i ring communi ty tha t d o e sn ' t

quit e und e rs tand tha t i t s linearity and i ts empha s i s on the

 15

outward w i l l ne ve r g i ve th em happines s . The i r " fre e tim e "

i s n o t rea l ly fr e e b ecaus e , a s Be rg s on w o u ld say , the y are

living f o r the ext e rnal wo rl d , not for thems e lve s .

The only cha ra c t ers who are afford e d a ny dpcntane i t y

in the i r daily affa i rs a re th e c h i l d ren and d o g s . A my

Lawton can de c i de t o run away f rom " home s wee t h om e " to

e s ca pe th e adult w o rld of S hady Hi l l an d can call he r pub li c

s ch o o l a " fa c t o ry " ( p . 2 J5) . Evep Jup i t e r , th e m i s ch i e vo us

dog in " T h e C oun t ry Hu sband , " i s''an anom o ly" - - " hi s high

spir i t s were o ut o f pla c e in S hady Hi l l . " G e r trude , th e

vi llage " s t ray" in " T he coun t ry Hu s band , " can dri ft from

h o us e to h o u se at wi l l . I t i s said o f h e r s " She ne ver went

home of h e r own c h o i ce . When the t i me to g o arri ved , she

wa s ind i f fe rent to i t s s i gn s " ( p. J98 ) . The cry of " G o

home , Ge rt rude , " by many Shady Hi l l re s i d en t s may nea rly

be s e en a s a bani s hme nt of spontan e i t y . T h e re is a c e rt a i n

t ime f o r e ve ry thi ng i n S hady Hill; p e op l e s imply d o n o t

s t ep out of l ine ve ry o f t e n . If s ome one d oe s brea k t h e rule s

o f orde r , t he p e rp e t ra t o r i s e i the r sw i ft ly o s traciz e d or,

m o re l i k e ly , t h e a c t is quickly fo rg o t t en . F ranci s Weed' s

rud e ne s s t oward old Mrs . Wrightson, for i n s t ance , results

in h i s bani s hment from a party . W i l l Pym ' s s h o ving of Henry

Bul s t ro d e on t h e t ra i n pla tform , on th e other hand , will

probably be fo rg o t t e n as s o on as the c ommut e rs hus t le o ut

o f t h e i r t ra i n s and ta ke o ff fo r N ew Y o rk.

Memori e s which threa ten t o c o rrode t h e harmoni ous

l ineari ty of S ha d y Hi ll are more l i ke ly t o ge re p re s s ed.

 16

T h e trek forward i nt o th e fu ture ca rri e s with i t no burd ens

of th e pa s t . F o rg et t ing wha t i s unpl easant , shi e lding one s e l f

from th e pa inful t ru th s , i s a ma jo r part o f Shady Hi ll T i m e.

For th e village, d urati on i s l i k e a " chapl e t o f instant s•

22
di s conne ct e d fro m one ano t h e r . When Franci s We e d not i c e s

tha t th e Farquars o n s ' Fre nch ma i d i s t h e woman h e saw

cha s t i s e d a s a Na z i c o l la b ora t o r during t h e war , he realiz e s

tha t h e can ma ke no m en t i on of he r c o nne c t i on t o a pa s t

wh i ch wo uld up set t h e l i n ea r s erenity o f Shady Hill . Che e ver

summa ri z e s Franci s ' s d e c i s i on thi s way s

T h e p e opl e in th e Farqua rs ons ' livi ng room s e em e d

uni t e d in t h e ta c i t c laim t h a t th er e had b e e n n o

pa s t , no wa r- - t h a t t h e r e was no dang e r m r t roubl e

i n the w o rl d . In th e reco rd e d h i s t o ry of human

arrangement s , t h i s extra o rdi nary m e e t ing would have

fal l en i n t o pla ce , but the atmo s phere of Sha dy

H i l l mad e th e memo ry uns e emly and impol i t e . ( p . 39 2)

T h e S hady H i ll Vi llag e C o un c i l ' s re d e c o ra t i on of an old

man s i on for use a s th e i r C i vi c Cent e r seems also an e ff o rt

t o c on c eal th e pa s t .

T h e board ro om had be e n the pa rl o r. Ea s t e r e g g s

ha d b e en hid d e n there , children had pinned pap e r

ta i l s on pa pe r d o nkeys, fires had burn e d on th e

h e a rt h , and a Chri s tma s t r e e had s t o o d i n the

c o rne r , but onc e the h ous e had b e c ome the pro p e rty

o f t h e vi llag e , a consc i enti o us e f f o rt s e em s t o

have be e n made to exorcis e the s e gentle gho s t s . (P.J+5)

 17

T h e firepla c e i s b ri c ke d u� and t h e ro om i s pa int ed a

" d ep r e s s i ng shad e o f gre en" ( p . J45 ) . T h e pas t o f t h e pla c e

ha s b e e n co v e r e d up . S h ady H i l l i t e s are fragmented be caus e

o f t h e i r s epa ra t i o n from th e past and al s o b e cau s e o f th e i r

a l i e na t i o n from th e re s t o f the w o rld . The havo c that tak e s

pla c e out side S hady H i l l i s shi e l d e d from t h e r e s i dent s-­

and c e rta inly from the child re n . L o ui s e B entley in "0 Y o ut h

and B eauty " s p end s h e r t im e "cut ting o ut o f t h e current copy

o f L i f e tho s e s c enes o f mayhem, d isa s t e r , and vi ol ent d ea t h

tha t sh e f e l t mi gh t c orrupt t h e chi l d ren" ( p . 25 8 ) .

Th e t own o f S hady H i ll i s c e rta inly an i s land i n s pa ce

( in tha t t h e v i l l a g e s e ems t o exist i nd ependent ly , i n a

g e ogra phi c va cuum t i e d t o ano th er p la c e only by t ra i n ) , and

i s , a s ha s b e en shown, s i mi la rly di s c onne c t e d in i t s s ens e

of time ( i n be i ng totally s epara t e d from i t s pa st ) . Thi s

monst e r linear 'chara c t er' s e em s t o have l i t tl e p o t ent i a l for

d i s c overing an i nt e r pene t r a ting s e n s e o f t irr.B . It is a

cha ra ct e r nea rly s t uck on the moment w i th l i t t l e h o p e fo r

any type o f dynam i c growing ( fo r " be c omi ng" a s Bergson wculd

say ) . Th e vi l lage s e em s to want an e v erla s t i ng p re s ent .

S hady H i ll , t h e re f o re , i s mo s t ly wary o f what l i e s

ah ead in the future. The Shady H i l l Coun c il i s adamantly

oppos ed t o bui ld ing a l i b ra ry , be cau s e i t " m i g h t make Shady

Hill a ttrG:J.ctive to development" ( p. 345). I t is mo s tly " new..

c omers " who want t h e libra ry anyway; the e s tablish e d re s i d ent s

want n o pa rt i n qui c k chang e . T h e s t a t i c qua l i t y of Shady

H i ll is p re c i s e ly what Clayton Thoma s e lu c i da t e s in h i s

 18

s o l i l oquy in " The Count ry Hus band ":

I ' ve th o ught a b out it a l o t , a nd wha t s e ems to me

to be wrong w i t h Shady Hill i s th&t it doesn't

have any future . S o much e n e rgy i s s pent in

p e r p e tuat ing the pla c e - - in ke e ping out und e s i ra bl e s ,

and s o.fo rth-- tha t t h e only i d ea o f th e future

any one ha s i s j us t m o r e and mo re c o mmut i ng t ra i n s

and mo r e pa rt i e s . I d on ' t think that ' s h e a l thy .

I think p e o pl e ought t o b e abl e t o dream bi g

d reams a b o ut the future . I think p e o pl e o ught to

b e able t o dream gre a t dream s .

T h e read e r m i ght ea s i ly a t t ri but e C lay t o n ' s ha rshn e s s t o hi s

imma turi ty ( h e is only·twenty and he c er ta i nly app e a r s l i ke

a c o l l e g e ki d s pout ing o f f fa c t s a t Thanksgiving break ) , but

g i ven what w e know about the t own a lready , Clayt o n ' s a ss erti on

tha t Shady H i l l i s future l e s s s e ems a c cura t e.

The pla c e in wh i ch Che ev e r ' s chara c t e rs come t o s e e th e i r

own s en s e of i nn e r t ime i s one whi ch e n c o urag e s th e s tatus

quo and regularity and any a c t i vi t i e s whi ch a re n o t t h reat ening

t o the villag e ' s d eli cat e and pre c i ou s pre s ent . A nd Ch e e ve r ' s

p rotagoni s1Bare--wiJlingly o r unwi l l ingly--full part i c i pant s

i n thi s rout ine . The reade r can s e e the d i ff i c ul t i e s a h ead

fo r th em . Th ey a r e l i v i ng in wha t Ma rsha ll M cLuhan re ferred

t o a s " th e m e c hani cal t im e -k e p t ei ty , " wh i ch " l o o ks l i ke an

23
a ggre ga t i on of s omnambul i�t s and z ombi e s . 11 Ind e ed the

J ohnny Hak e s and F ranci s V' e e d s of S ha dy H i l l are o st e nsi bly

l e a d i ng the l i ve s o f ha bi t ; and " habi t , " a s J o s e ph Frank

 19

no t e d in h i s analy s i s o f B e rg s o n, " i s a uni ve r sal sop o ri fi c ,

whi ch o rdinari ly c o n c ea l s the pa s s a g e o f t i m e from th o s e

who have gone thei r a c cus t omed ways . " 24

In a 1977 int e rvi ew , J ohn Che e ve r s a i d that hi s s uburbs

Shady Hi ll and Bul l e t Park w ere " m e tapho rs f o r c onf inement . "

He added t hat " e s cape " wa s no t t h e means t o ward " e limina t i ng "

confinement . I n the mi d s t o f t h e c on s t ri c t i on i t i s

n e c e s sary t o " expres s o ne ' s c o nvi c t i on of t h e bo und l e s sne s s

25
o f po s s i bi l i ty . " Hi s Shady H i l l s t o ri e s sh ould n o t be

s e en as overt so6ial .. cri t i c i s m, but as an e xpl o ra t i on int o

the s t rengths and fra i l t i e s o f th e human s p i ri t . It is

t oward Ch e e ve r ' s cha ra c t ers ' da bbl i ng int o .. the b o und le ssne s s

o f po s s ibi l i ty " --in a c t ing fre e ly a c c o rd i ng t o t h e d i ctat e s

of an i nt e rpene t ra t i ng , who l e p ers o na l i ty- - that I w i l l next

turn .
 20

PART I I I

I n e a ch o f t h e e i ght s t o ri e s i n T h e H o u s e brea ke r c o l l e c­

t i on a ma j o r chara ct e r ( o r cha ra c t e rs ) in s o m e way i s put i n

a p o s i t i o n i n wh i c h h i s n o rma l and a cc e p ted s en s e o f time is

cha l l enged . Th e s i t ua t i on s vary wid e ly from s t o ry t o s t o ry ,

but i n each th e pro t a g o n i s t i s fo rc e d t o eith e r r e - e xami ne o r

d e fend t h e t ime- s ens e t hrough wh i ch h e c o uld previ o usly

c ompre h end h ims e l f and h i s int e ra ct i on s w i th hi s f e l l ow man

and h i s envi ronment . T h e " c onfinement " o f Shad y H i l l c e rtain-

ly e n t er s i nt o t h e fray , but i t should n o t b e a s sum e d tha t

T h e H o u s e b reaker s t o ri e s show a c l e a r cut bat tle, p i t t i ng a

few S hady Hi lli t es aga i ns t t h e tyranny o f m e chani cal dura t i on .

T h e pro tagoni s t s in thi s vo lum e are n e i th er t h o ro ughly

d o c t ri na i re rebe l s aga i n s t n o r somnambul i s t i c s l a ve s o f

line a r Big Bro th e r ShadJ H i ll . Ra th e r than p re s e n t a

s i mpl i s t i c vi s i on of the wo rld, Ch e eve r s h ow s us a mul t i -

p l i c i ty o f h uman a nd m e chan i cal rhy t hm s a t play . A s Samue l

C oa l e not e s, Che ever " re vea l s the p syc h o l og i ca l c ompl e xi t i e s

o f a fragm e nt e d w o rl d � mpha s i s m i n e\
J
o "26

S ome o f Che eve r ' s chara c t e rs suffer c onfu s i o n o ve r thei r

c ha l l e ng e s, but, a s Fre d e ri ck Bra ch e r ri gh t ly p o i n t s out ,

"only t h o s e wh o fe el t he i r ins ecuri t i e s can e ve r burs t j oy ' s

grape . " 27 Only t h o s e who c ome t o a point of pe rs ona l c r i s i s

 21

where they no t i c e - - p e rhap s fo r the fi rst t i m e --that the i r

own i nne r s en s e of time i s valuable and has a s much va l i d i ty

as m e chani cal t ime can e ve r hope t o i n t e g ra t e a h a ppy s ense

of c ont i nui ty i n th e i r l i ves . A s ha s b e e n sh own , m o s t re s i d ent s

of Shady Hi l l read i ly submi t t h e m s e lve s to a larg e extent

to t h e s t e adine s s o f l i nearity . When t h ey fe e l t h e ebb and

flow of an interp e n e t ra t i ng c o n sc i o usne s s w el l i ng up wi thin

t hem they som e ti m es r e t rea t even furth e r int o t h e communi ty ,

wh i ch pro t e c t s them from havi ng t o c o nfr on t a nd examine the i r

o wn �elve s . Joy i s t h e reward for t h e o n e s who fe el t h e

tensi on be twe en t h e i nner a nd o u ter w o r l d s a nd fa c e t h e

c onfl i c t head-on w i th a s many o f th e re s o urc e s o f th e i r

p ersona l i ti e s a s t h ey can mus t e r .

I t w ou ld b e e rroneous t o ca t eg o r i z e Che eve r' s pro tagon­

i st s in T he Housebrea k e r s t o ri e s as e i t h e r w i nne rs or l o s e rs

i n wha t ha s be en, s i n c e the ag e of c l o c k s , an e t e rna l

s kirmi sh betwe en human and me chan i ca l t im e . Nevertheie s s,

Ch e e ver d o e s pre s ent h i s rea d e r s wi th a s el e c ti o n of char2 c t e rs

wh o s e abi lit i e s t o und e rs tand t h e c onfl i ct s ' importance and

r e l e van c e to the i r live s great ly vary. A t t h e l ower end of

a s ca l e m e a s uring the s e a bi l i t i e s, the read er mi ght f ind

Blake of "The Five -Fo rty-Eight , " a c ha ra c t er wh o s e adh erence

t o Shady H i l l time is s o adamant that he s om e t i me s appears

l e s s t han huma n . At the othe r end the read e ri mi gh t find

the Crutc hman family ' s t ri umph in " The W orm in t h e Appl e "

a s an exemplar i n thi s vo lume , d e s cri bing t h e be st deve l ope d

s ens e of c ont inui ty and balance be twe en t h e inner and out e r

 22

w o rlds . Howeve r , mo s t o f the protag oni s ts ' time c ons ci o us­

ne s s e s are l e s s than c l e a rly d e fined , and the ir c ri s e s of

temp o ra l i n s e curi ty s e em t o reach only a t enta t i ve c l o s ure

at the s t o ry ' s end . In t h e fo l l owing pag e s I wi l l examine

tho s e c hara c t e rs wh o, a s Bra ch e r sai d , " fe e l th e i r i n s e cur­

i t i e s" and rea c t in way s in wh i ch e i th er t h e i r s el v e s are

m o re ful ly rea l ized or subve rted in s om e way . I w i l l begin

w i th a l o o k,_at two protag oni s t s--J ohnny Ha k e in "The Hous e ­

brea ke r o f Shady Hil l " and Charli e Fl int i n " Th e T ro uble o f

Mar c i e Fl i n t " --and a ft e rwa rd s s e e how t h ey s eem t o deli ver

them s e lve s i n the d i r e c t i on of th e i d e a l , t h e C ru t c hman s .

J ohnny Ha ke's initial i n s e curity in " Th e H o us e brea k e r

of S ha dy H i l l " i s a financial one . H e i s fi re d from h i s

· hi gh paying c o rp o ra t e po s i t i on and s o on find s hims e l f nearly

bro ke. Wh en he rea l i z e s tha t h i s c he c k s wi l l s tart b o unc i ng ,

h e wa lks int o a ne i ghbo r ' s hous e late a t ni ght and s t ea l s a

wa l l et w i th nine-hundred d o llars in i t . F o r m o s t o f the

s t ory he wand ers a b o ut fe e ling gui l ty fo r the th e ft and

s ud denly s t a rt s to s e e only c orruption a nd d i shone s ty in

every p e r s o n . Hi s anxi ety ve ry nearly l e ad s to a brea kup

w i th h i s w i f e Chri s t i na . He is f o i l e d in ano the r hous ebrea king

a t t empt , and be f o r e h e can t ry aga i n h e mi ra c ul ously s e e s

h i s wro ng and s t o p s . T h e ve ry next day Ha ke g e t s hi s job

ba ck and an advance on h i s sala ry , and he put s ni ne - hund red

d o llars on th e ki t c h en table of the neighb o r from whom he

stole .

Whi l e on the surfa ce thi s might s e em l i ke a supe rfi c ia l

 23

mora l fab l e about righ t and wrong , it i s really a substan­

tial e xami na ti o n on h ow a man t ri e s to int e gra t e a s e ns e of

c ont inuity in hi s l i f e . Ha ke ' s dire financial s i tua t i on

and hi s t h e ft s o lu t i on a r e unqu e s t i onably ba rri ers t o Hake ' s

abi l i ty t o fun c t i o n a s a c i ti zen of S hady H i l l, but t hi s

surfa c e t rouble caus e s him t o l o o k i nward a t a m o re d e e ply

ro o t e d unea s i ne s s - -a t h i s fragm ent e d s en s e of s e l f . Johnny

Hak e n e ed s the ni n e -hundred d o l lars he s t eal s , but , j u s t a s

important ly , h e n e e d s t o t i e up " th e lo o s e end s " i n his

1 if e ( p. J 0 4 ) •

From th e opening paragraph th e rea d e r know s t ha t Ha k e

( who t e ll s h i s own s t o ry and i s thus the o nly fi r s t p er son

narra t o r in t h e vo lum e ) i s c on c erned wi th h i s beg i nnings

and upbringing . An impo rtant pa rt in the paragra ph i s hi s

ment i on o f be ing " conce i ve d in the Ho t e l S t . Regi s , " fo r we

la t er l ea rn that h i s very e xi s t en c e dep end s upon his m o t h e r ' s

drunkenne s s one nights "My mo the r t o l d me • • • that i f s h e

hadn ' t h a d s o many O l d - Fa s hione ds • • • I w o uld s t i l l b e

unb orn o n a s t a r" ( p . 318). Ha ke ' s " sadne s s " over hi s

" chanc e " beginn ing s is p e rha ps a t the ro ot o f h i s anxi e ty

abou t his parent s in g e n e ra l . Ma t t ers a r e furth e r exa c e r­

ba t e d by th e fa c t that h i s m o th e r and h e have b e e n e s trange d

sin c e Ha k e ' s marri age , an e vent whi ch h i s m o t h e r c on s i d ers

" di sa s t ro u s " (p . 3 04 ) . Ha ke l ongs to c ome t o some p ea c e

w i th her " s o tha t s h e c ould b e s pa re d loneli ne s s a nd negle ct

in her old ag e . " As he s ta t e s at one point , "I l onged • • •

t o re- e na c t tha t whol e relation s h i p with my mothe r aga inst a

 24

more s i mpl e a nd human ba ckdro p • • • " ( p . J04). His

na tura l fat h e r , having d i vorced h i s moth e r wh e n Ha k e wa s

young , ha s l ong s ince d i e d , and Hak e ha s re c e ntly be c om e

sepa ra t ed from wha t appears to b e hi s surrogat e fa th e r , " th e

old man " in t h e pa rabl end eum bus i n e s s .

At t h e t im e h e ha s j us t l ost h i s j o b and i s trying t o

t o re c on c i l e t h e fa c t s o f h i s di stant pa s t --his beginni ngs -­

wi th h i s pre s ent, h e ha s premoni t i on s o f h i s future d e a t h - -

b o t h moral a nd morta l . I t i s when h e t h i nk s h e's s uffe ri ng

from bron c h i a l can c e r t h a t Ha ke i s c o nvinc e d that his own

" c o rrupt i on" b e gins . T h e fa l l o ut from h i s premo ni tio n o f

death s e em s t o p e rm eat e a l l of hi s c onsciousne s s and l ea ve s

him y earni ng fo r a simpl e r, m o re i nnocent pa s t . He wond ers ,

"Wh e r e w e r e t h e t rout s t reams of my y outh, and oth e r inno c ent

pl ea s ures? " ( p . 306) Hi s h e ight e n e d awarene s s of the c o rruption

and t h e ft surroundi ng him--th e c o rrupt uranium bro k e r i n th e

offi c e next d o o r , the cu s t ome r poc k e t i ng a t i p i n a rest-

aurant , th e ph o ny b lind b e ggar i n t h e s t re e ts-- i s remini sc ent

of Cac:h Bent l ey ' s s e eing onl y de cay aft e r Ca s h brea ks h i s

leg in "0 Youth and B eautye "

Ha ke ' s m o rbid cons c i ousne s s d i s t re s s e s h i m t o the point

that he " ca s e [_SJ a round d e spe ra t e ly fo r s o m e o ne e l s e who

c ou l d b e blame d � ( p . 309) . Hi s s ca p e�oat be c ome s hi s nat ural

fath e r , who , Ha ke r e cal l s , had tri ed to take h im ( when h e was

f i ft e en ) out on a ni ght of d e bauchery to " d o a d i s s e rvi c e t o

my m o th e r" (p. 309-10). The plan i s f o i l e d , h ow e ve r , when

young Hake s t ea l s fi fty d ollars from his fa ther ' s wa l l e t and

 25

runs ba c k t o m o th e r . Hake s e e s a causal l ink b e twe en h i s

first and mo s t re c ent c ri me s a the theft a t hi s n e ighb o r ' s

house i s a re-ena c tment o f h i s wa l l e t sna t ch ing fr cm hi s

fa th e r . " I t wa s my fath er ' s fau l t ! " Hake c on c lud e s . Ha ke i s

trying t o bridge th e ga p b e twe en hi s pa st a nd pre s ent w i t h

a d e t e nnini s t ' s vi ew o f dura t i on s h e i s at t e mp t i ng t o re c on ­

c i l e h i s mi s e ry wi th one part i cular t i m e b y i gnor ing th e

r e s pon s i b i lit i e s o f h i s p r e s ent qon s c iousn e s s and by a s s i gn­

ing caus e s and e f f e c t s in a s ch em e of e xi s t en c e in whi ch

28
" e ve rything i s d e a l t out in advan c e . " In oth e r w ords ,

J o hnny Hake mu s t b e a t h i e f b e ca u s e i t ha s b e en pre o rdaine d ;

h e mus t r e s ign him s e lf t o hi s th i e very and bron c h i a l canc e r

and hi s furth e r a li ena t i on from h i s m o t h e r and from wha t e v e r

ha pp i n e s s h e ha s had i n th e pa s t .

The i mp o rtanc e o f Hake ' s s ud d e n t riumph a t the e nd o f

t h e s t o ry i s no t n e c e s sa ri ly that h e d o e s t h e " ri gh t thing"

s o cia lly , but t h� t h e ha s d e c la red him s e l f fre e from cau s e s

( the d e s tiny whi ch requi re s tha t h e n e e d b e a t h i e f ) and from

" sad b eginnini� s . 11 2 9

T h e re w e r e way s o ut o f my troub l e i f I car e d t o

ma ke us e o f th em . I wa s n o t t rappe d . I wa s h e re

o n earth be cau s e I c h o s e t o b e . And i t wa s no

s kin o ff my e l bow how I had b e en gi ven the gi ft s

o f l i f e s o long a s I po s s e s s e d t h em , and I

p o s s e s s ed them t h en • • . ( p . 3 1 9)

Ri cha rd Rupp ca l l s J ohnny Hake ' s a s s e rt i on h e re an arti cul-

a t i on of " Ch e ever ' s code of c onduc t " 1 "The need to s e ize

 26

o ne ' s identity and t o l i ve i t . out r egardl e s s o f t h e c on-

JO
s equen c e s . " Ha ke can o n c e aga i n b e " t hri l l e d " by h i s

family and hi s li fe , b e caus e h e h a s mad e t h e fre e d e c i s i on

t o b e h e re . His v e ry e xi st e n c e i s t h e re sult o f h i s crea tive

cho i c e ; h e ha s rega ined h i s a b i l i ty , a s B e rg s o n s a i d , t o

" b e come , " t o chang e , " t o i n c e ssantly r e i nvent h i s own

l
b e i ng . " J He h a s n o t , h o w e ve r , cut him s e l f o f f c ompl e t e ly

from the pa s t . Ha k e had b e en fixa t e d on one parti cular

.

port i on of the pa s t whi ch h e thought wa s r e spon s i b l e for

hi s mi s e ry . What H a k e re� l i z e s is tha t h e ' s been give n

" gi ft s " s o fundame ntal and s o impo rtant - - s d. mply t h e gift

to exi s t as an awa re and fre e p e r s on- - t ha t a pa s t whi ch in-

e lud e s only his unf o rtuna t e fami l y r e l a ti onships i s an

i nad equa t e and i n c ompl e t e r e s ourc e fo r hi s us e i n th e pr e s ent .

By a c c ept ing " th e g i ft s o f l i fe " h e ma ke s a g rea t e r p o r t i on

o f hi s pa s t lif e a vai lable . He i s by no means t ra ppe d . That

h e a l s o can b e a law abi d i ng and a c c e p t e d m embe r o f S hady

H i l l s e ems nearly i ncidental by c ompa ri s o n .

W h i l e J ohnny Hak e gra ppl e s wi th th e m eaning and extent

of h i s fre e d om for mo s t o f " Th e H ou s ebrea ke r of S hady H i l l , "

a signi fi cant chunk o f " Th e Trou b l e o f Mar ci e Flin t " is

d e vo t ed to an a rtis ti c rend ering o f t h e fre e ly l i ving c on sci o u s­

n e s s o f Cha rl i e Flint tha t Hak e h a s only a t t h e end o f hi s

sto ry dis covered w i t hin his ppw e r s . Charli e Flint's diary

ent rie s ( pp . 347-50 ) s o p erfe c t ly exemp l i fy wha t B e rg s on

re fe rred t o a s " i nner dura tion" ( " th e m e l t i ng of s ta t e s o f

32
e o ns c i ousne s s into one an o t h e r" ) tha t 1h e s e page s are among
 27

the m o s t magi ca l i n the vo lume . T h e dia ry d e s c ribes t h e

Sunday aft ern o o n h e l ef t hi s w i f e and chi l d ren, t h e da .

b e f o re he boards a Europ e-bound boat . T h e rea s ons fo r

Fl int ' s e s ca p e and hi s t esty e lu c i da t i on o f them are a d rama ­

t i c contra st t o th e nea rly i n e ffab l e and unrea s oned h a p pine s s

of th e af t e rno o n on wh i ch h e d epart s . I'll re turn to t h e

voyage in a s e c ond .

" O h G o d , wa s I happy l " Charl i e writ e s a b o ut that

Sunday . He d e s c ribe s h ow h e s pent th e a ft e rno on ha ppi ly

wo rking on hi s h ou s e and j ump ing into a c old pool fo r a

swim . He ta ke s d e l i gh t in wa t c hing hi s w i f e s l e e p , and

from th e bedroom wind ow he wa t c h e s hi s s on s end a ba l sa

wood plane up int c the s ky a

And th en, l i k e s ome t ri c k i n t h e m o vi e s, I saw

my s e lf as my s on , s t a nd i ng in a lik e ga rd en and

s ending up out of the da rk a p lane , an arr ow , a

t enni s ba l l, a s t on e - -any t h i ng --wh i le my si s t e r

d rew h e a rt s i n the grave l . T h e m em o ry of how

d e ep th i s impu l s e to re a c h . int o t h e li ght ha d

been [• ] c ompl e t e ly cha rme d m e, and I wa t ch e d t h e

b o y s end the p lane u p a ga in and again . ( p . J48 )

The " t ri c k in t h e movi e s " t o wh i ch h e r e f e rs appears t o b e

t h e " mira�l e o f a f fe c tive memory " wh i c h P o ul e t says wa s

e s s ential t o t h e Romant i c n ot i on of t i me and t o Ma rc e l

33
P rous t i n hi s R em embranc e o f Things Pa s t . At an une xp e c t e d

moment, a rush o f invo lunt a ry mem o ry fl o od s Cha rli e ' s p er-

c e p t i on o f t h e s impl e e vent o f h i s s on sho o t ing a t o y p lane

 28

i nt o the a i r . Sud de nly t h e moment b e com e s endowed w i t h a

d e e per, ri ch e r re sona n c e than would be p e rmitt e d by a non-

i n t e rp e n e t ra t i ng c ons c i ousn e s s . The m om ent i s , a s Poul e t

said of the Roma n ti c moment, ful l of " p ro fun d i ty and a l l the

inf i n i ty o f d ura t i o n of whi c h a man f e e l s c a pa b l e . " 34 In th e

in s tant t h e p lane hi ts 1 t h e l i ght , a hug e rus h o f C h a rl i e ' s

l i fe wells up and h e i s e la t ed by how " fu l l o f fun" h e

fe e l s ( p . J49 ) .

Char l i e s e t t l e s d own i n th e ·front ya rd to r e a d hi s n ews ­

p a pe r , and , jus t a s J oh nny Ha k e' s . d epravi ty ha s cau s e d him

to see only c o rrup t i on , Cha rl i e ' s d e light in hi s dura t i on

rend ers a l l t h e n ews g o o d n e w s a " • • • t ha t s ome t i m e pow e r

o f the Sun da y pape r t o e vo ke a ra in-w e t wo rld of fa l l e n

c rowns a nd i n e vi ta bl e wa r s e emed gone " ( p . 349 ) . T h e pri va t e

j o y h e ta ke s i n t h e g o ld e n lig h t o f t h e a f t e rno on i s mo re

m e sm e r i z ing t o him tha n the wo rld repo rt ed i n the papers .

T h e " whi t en e s s of Ma rc i e ' s thi gh s " drif t s i n t o hi s mind .

Cha rli e ' s n e xt w o rd s s e em lik e a common man ' s ma ni f e 5 ta t i o n

o f t h e B e rg s o nian i d e a l o f d ura t io n s

T h en I wa s s e i z ed by s ome intox i ca t ing p ri d e in

th e hour , by the j oy and the na t ura ln e s s o f my

re la ti o n s h i p t o th e s ce n e, and by th e e a s e wi t h

whi ch I c ould put my ha n d s on wha t I n e e d e d . ( p . 35�

C ha rl i e ' s w o n d e r ful p s y ch o l o g i ca l who l e n e s s i s only

m omentary , h owever , fo r as Cha rl i e c e l e bra t es th e hour w i t h

l ovema king , hi s ch i l dr e n a re i n t h e k i t c h en eat i n g p oi s on .

T h e children are saved, but h i s wi fe Ma r c i e cho o s e s th e

ha ppy mome n t o f the i r e s ca p e from de ath t o confes:; h e r infid el ity

 29

t o Charl i e . Impul s i ve ly , Cha r l i e l ea ve s Shady Hi ll imm e d i a t ely

and i s on h i s b oa t the very next day . I n a n a t t e mpt t o put

di s tanc e b e twe en th e unfo rt una t e , impa latable fa c t s o f h i s

w i fe ' s pa s t , Cha rl i e j us t i f i e s h i s d e parture o n the ba s i s o f

n e e di ng t o fl e e n o t j u st h i s w i f e , but t h e s up e rf i c i a l i t i e s

of t h e S hady Hi ll l i f e s ty l e i n whi ch s h e ha s i mm e r s e d he rs e l f

t o c ombat lone l in e s s duri ng Cha r l i e ' s e a rl i er bus ine s s t ri ps .

Th e narra t or o f the s t o ry s pa re s u s f rom taki ng Cha r l i e ' s

c ri t i qu e t o o s eri ou s ly , howeve r . Cha rl i e i s b i t t e r , " and

l i ke a l l b i t t e r m e n , F l in t • • • wa s m o re int e re s t ed in un­

l o a d i ng h i s own pe p p e ry fe e l i ng s than in l e arni ng th e t ruth "

{ p . J 4J ) . T h e subu rbs may i nd e e d be " ho l e s " -- o r , a s C h e e v e r

s a y s , " c onfinement " • ...b u t Charl i e ' s fl i ght canno t be j u s t i fi ed

on t h e ba si s of h i s di s l i ke o f a pla c e . Int o Cha rl i e ' s mind

can f l o w th e great o c ean of h i s exi st e nc e and exp e ri e nc e ;

t h e PTA m e e t i ng s and su p e rma rke t s are incapab l e o f ha rming

in any la s t ing way the d e p t h and l u c i d i ty of h i s c ons c i ou sne s s .

And w i t h t h e s o und i ng o f t h e f o gh orn on th e boat , h i s pa s t

fami ly happine s s r e t u rn s t o h i m i n a b la s t o f a f f e c t i ve

memory a s powe rful a s tha t whi c h h e f e l t t h a t pre vi o us S unday

a ft erno on . " E s ca p e , " a s Che ever savs , i s n o t t h e means for

e limina ting c on f i n ement ; Ch e e ve r end ows Charl i e w i th thi s

knowl edge , and th e la st we h e a r from Charl i e , we c l e arly

rea l i z e tha t h e ' l l ke e p g o o d on hi s vow to re turn t o S hady

Hi l l .

Che ever ' s sho rt s k e t ch , " T h e W o rm i n t h e A pp l e , " unl i ke

t h e a b o ve s t o ry wi th i t s a t t e nt i on t o t h e i nn e r w o rk i ng s of

t h e i nd ividua l c on s c i ou sne s s , d o e s thrus t the read e r Xi t o

 JO

t h e c o l l e ct i ve cons c i ousne s s o f S had y H i l l . T he narra t ive

vo i ce , a c t i ng a s th e spQke sman fo r the t own , t e l l s the

read e r abo ut a n abno rmally , thoroughly c o nt e n t e d S hady H i l l

fam i ly nam ed t h e C rut chmans . How i s i t , t h e nar ra t o r

wond e rs , can any on e be s o happy? And f o r th e r emai nd e r o f

t h e s k e t ch t h e na rrato r s ea rch e s f o r t h e flaw i n th e i r

happin e ss , t h e w o rm i n th e i r appl e . H e i s c o nfo un d e d t o

fi nd n o rea l " cau s e " -- e i the r a w e a kne s s o r a s t re ngth - -whi ch

g i ve s t h em t h e dri ve t o ke e p from fa l l i ng a part . On th e

surfa c e , th e Crut c hmans a r e ful l y i n s t e p w i th t h e i r c o mmun­

i ty a Larry C ru t c hman ri d e s th e t ra i n t o wo rk , th e c ou p l e ob­

serV'e th e " su�ptua ry laws , " they p ro j e c t th e m s e l ve s outward

t o s e rve t h e c omm uni t y . �nd , a s t h e re a d e r ha s s e en , tha t i s

t h e ord e rly, l inear way o f Shady H i l li t e s . Wha t t he read e r

a s k s ( and th e n a rra t o r , i n e s s en c e , a sk s t h e same th i n g ) i s

why s houl d a c oupl e fa l l · susp e c t fo r th e i r s e eming adh e re nc e

t o t h e wi l l o f the c ommuni ty? A r e a l l t h e o th e rs unhappy?

W ha t, then , i s . the worm in th e o th e rs ' apple?

_ T h e key t o

t he unhapp ine s s o f th e o th ers may l i e i n t h e i r d e fi c i ency

o f the C ru t chmans ' s t reng th s .

T h e moment s o f t h e Cru t chmans ' l i ve s are finely ba lanc e d

b e tw e en th ei r " broad range o f • • • natura l en t h u s ia sms " ( p . J42 )-­

t h e i r i nn e r a pp re c ia t i on for t h i ng s world ly and f o r t h e i r

mu t ual l o ve - - a nd t h e d emand s o f th e i r n e i gh b o r s . A nd they

have rea c h e d a ha ppy med i um b e tw e en me c h ani cal and inne r time .

Thi s i s n o t t o say tha t the Crut chmans have b e c ome s om e of

M cLuhan ' s s omnambul i st s ; on the c ontrary , th e C rut ch�ans

 31

have , a s Fred e ri c k B ra c h e r n o t e s about s e ve ra l Ch e e v e r

cha ra c t e rs , " th e a b i l i ty t o ro l l wi th the punch , imme rs e i n

t h e d e st rctive e l ement , [a nd] a c c e pt change and abno rma l i ty

a s no rmal . .. 3 5 T h e C rut chmans have n o t r e t rea t ed int o th em-

s e lve s to wage a b i tt e r wa r wi th c l o c k time , and th e ene rgy

tha t th ey save l ea ve s them , a t th e s k e t ch ' s end , s e emingly

impervi o u s t o " the usua l d e s t ruct i ven e s s o f t ime . " .t\. s the

na rra t o r says a t t h e end , " Th ey had ' l o s t n e i th e r th e i r t e e th

no r the i r ha i r " ( p . J41 ) .

T h e Crut chmans , a s I have sh own , are t h e " fi r s t fami ly "

o f Shady H i ll ins o fa r a s the i r a bi l i ty t o k e e p the i r s en s e o f

ba lanc e b e twe en the sub j e ctive and ob j e c t ive w o rlds i s

c o nc e rn e d . J ohnny Ha ke and Cha:i i e Flint - - t h ough never

a chi eving t h e d e gre e o f the Crut ch mans ' who l ene s s - - d o at the

end o f the i r r e sp e c t i ve s t o ri e s s e em to o v e r come t he i r

pa rt i c ular "imba lan c e s . " Ha ke end s h i s re l ianc e o n only a

pa rt o f h i s pa s t and h i s n e ed t o have a c ro o k e d d e s t iny .

Cha rl i e rea l i z e s h i s w rong s o lut i o n ( a phy s i cal e s ca p e ) t o

a wrong d iagno s i s ( tha t t h e suburbs a re t h e rea s o n f o r h i s

mi sfo rtune ) . B o th cha ra ct ers a l s o b e c ome happi e r , mo re awa r e

a n d a l i ve b e ings a n d a r e a t th e s a m e time r e i n t egra t e d int o

t h e l i f e of th e c o mmunity from wh i c h they had a l i ena t e d

t h em s e lve s o W hat wi l l b e s e en i n the next s t o ri es e xamine d

a r e cha ra c t e rs who , fo r t h e mo s t pa rt , fe e l t h e unea s in e s s

o f a cha l l e ng e t o theli' temporal:i. ty- -and , i n tha t instant o f

d i s c omfort , s om e t ime s s h o w s i gns o f psychi c growth- -and t h e n

t u rn away from coming c l o s e r to t h e mo re profound s ens e o f

p e r s o na l dura t i on e xp e r i enced by the l ead play e rs in t h e

 J2

st ori e s j us t d i s cu s s ed .

Ca sh B en tl ey i n "0 Y outh and B eauty " h o lds no th i ng but

anim o s i ty t owa rd the c l o c k t ime to whi ch the Crutchmans

have so gra c efully ada p t e d . Ca s h ' s s ens i ti vi ty towa rd t h e

d e l e t eri ousn e s s o f c l o ck t i me h a s probably be en ingra i n e d

duri ng hi s c o l l eg i a t e care e r i n hurd l ing . F o r t h e t ra c k

a t h l e t e th e t i cking o f t h e s t opwa t ch - - the t i c king o f f of

t enth s of s e c ond s - - i s the symbo l o f h i s anx i e ty : h ow t o make

the t ime g o s l ow e r during th e c ortt e st? how to " improv� the

tim e ? Ca sh ' s a dult life is wra pp e d up i n be a t i ng �he c l o c k .

J u s t a s h i s hurd l e ra c e s a t pa rt i e s a r e n o t real ly ra c e s ,

s o i s hi s c on t e s t w i t h c l o c k time no t rea l ly a c o nt e s t - - Ca s h

i s th e vi c t o r i n h i s opponent l e s s mat ch ; th e wa t ch i s t h e

vi c t o r agains t a l l i t s m o rtal opponent s .

Ca sh ha s offi c i a l ly d ec�ared hi s pa s t o v e r ( i n re fu sing

a j ob with h i s a l umni c o unc i l ) , but h e , th e stubbo rn a th l e t e ,

do e s n o t rea l l y gi ve up the pa s t . Whi l e h e ha s b e en a s ta r

and h i s pas t ha s b e en " bri l l i ant , " h e i ns i s t s o n p e rf o rming

a phy s i ca l ri tua l - - the hurd l e ra c e a t S hady H i l l par t i e s -­

wh i ch wi l l provi d e h i m t h e i l lus i on tha t he i s d e fea t ing the

ru sh of t ime o D e s p i t e T ra c e B earden ' s c h i d ing a b o ut Ca sh ' s

t h i nni ng hai r , Ca s h d o e sn ' t e ve r grow o l d a s fa r a s h e ' s

c o n c e rned unt i l h e i s unab l e to c ont inue the ri tua l . W h en

Ca sh breaks h i s l e g a t a pa rty one night , hi s means t o vi s i t

t h e pas t and t o m a i n t a i n th e i l lus i on o f p e rp e tua l y outh

are broken. t o o . H e i s d e tach ed f rom h i s i d ent i t y .

Ca sh turns gl o omy a f t e r hi s a c ci d e nt . S uddenly " e v e ry ­

thing aro und h i m s e emtl!C. s ubtly to ha ve chang e d fo r t h e w o rs e .

 JJ

Even hi s s ens e s • • • c onspire t o damage th e ingenuous

world that he had e n j oye d fo r so many y ears " ( p . 2 54 ) . All

aro und h i m h e s e e s and sme l l things whi ch remi :-;d h im o f h i s

own d e cay . T h e re i s ro t t en m e a t in the refrigera t o r ; " put ri d "

fad i ng ro s e s i n th e l i vi ng room ; a s p i d e r w e b tha t gags him

in the attic . He f e e l s " e r o t i c e xc i t em en t " f o r th e o l d

wh o re - - " a cart o on o f Death " --he s e e s i n a n a l l ey ( p . 254 ) .

Ca sh fe e l s no e n j oym ent i n g o ing out t o part i e s o r b e i ng w i t h

fri ends . I n e s s en c e , C a s h l o s e s " th e t h i ng tha t h a d pre s erved

h i s equi l ibrium " • hi s own spe c i a l a c c e s s to th e pa s t .

Ca sh ' s b ewi lde rment s o on turns t o " bi tt e r j ea l o usy . "

A s h e wa t c h e s a pa rty o f y oung pe o p l e n e xt d o o r , he wond e rs

abo ut the gulf o f t ime b e tw e en th em .

H e d o e s no t und e rs tan d what s e pa ra t e s h i m f rom th e s e

chi ldren i n t h e gard e n next d o o r • • • He ha s b e en

ad o red and happy and ful l of anima l spiri t s , and

now he s tands in th e da rk kit chen , d epr i ve d of hi s

a th l e ti c prow e s s , h i s i mp e t uousne s s , hi s g o od l o o ks - ­

o f e ve ryth i ng that means anyt h i ng t o him. He f e e l s

a s i f th e fi gure s i n t h e ne xt yard a re t h e s p e c t e rs

from some party i n th e pa s t w h e re a l l hi s ta s t e s

and d e s i re s l i ve , and f rom wh i ch h e ha s be en

c ru e l ly rem o ve d . ( p . 2 56 )

In l i eu o f th e hurd l e s , Ca s h tri e s o th e r forms o f

b ehavi o r t o s e e i f h e can hi t o n th e c anti.na t i on wh i c h w i l l

b ring ba ck hi s o l d s e l f . But Ca sh i s a hurd l e r ; hi s a t t empt s

t o ge t ba c k t o hi s y o uth through o th e r phy s i ca l means o nly

 J4

ma ke h i m l o o k path e ti c . H e danc e s a r o und th e ki t chen ,

s i nging , " j aba j a ba j aba j a ba " when h e h e a r s th e mus i c n e xt d o o r .

A t the club h e f o r c e s h im s e l f o n a y o ung g i rl and dan c e s art

" anci ent two - s t e p . " H e i nt e rrupt s y o ung l overs o ut on the

t e rra c e ( pp. 2 5 6 - 7 ) .

S ince i t i s only hurd l i ng tha t w i l l give him the i l lusi on

o f wh ol ene s s aga i n , Cash l e t s h i s h ea l i ng l e g b e damned and

s ta rt s rea rranging th e furni t ure a t t h e c lub fo r ano t h e r

ra c e o He fini sh e s the c o nt e s t w i t h no i l l e f f e c t s a n d the

ve ry n ext day " Ca s h s e eme d l i ke him s e l f aga in" ( p . 258) . He

ha s re c la imed h i s ri t ua l , but h e i s n o t to c ompl e t e it

aga i n . A ft er an e vening of pa rty ing Ca s h come s home and

want s t o run th e h urdl e s . H e thru st s a gun in h i s w i fe ' s

h and fo r h e r t o s tart th e ra c e , but t h e gun g o e s off and

Ca sh is s h o t d ead . ( I t , i s unclear wh e t h e r Loui s e ha s s h ot

Cash int enti ona l ly o r a c c i d e nta l ly . )

Ca sh ' s l i f e and end a r e t ra g i c . H e i nve s t s h i s ent i re

e xi s t e n c e upon a sni ppe t of hi s youth t o whi ch h e ha s n o

a c c e s s exc ept thro ugh a p hy s i ca l p e rf o rmanc e . T h e � equi li ­

brium" i n h i s l i f e i s shaky ind e e d , f o r i t i s imp o s s i b l e t o

l i ve forever'.-· in the bi ologi ci:.rl pne s ent ( that i s , impo ss i bl e

t o s t o p from phys i ca l ly d e t eri o ra t i ng ) , wh i ch i s pre c i s e ly

what hi s fragm ente d s ens e o f dura t i on r equi re s . Ca sh i s

very cl o s e to be i ng a n anima l i n tha t h i s p s y ch o l ogi cal

a ppa ratus is so d e pendent upon hi s b o d i ly p e rf ormanc e ; a

psych o l o gi cal s en s e o f who l e n e s s s e em s unava i lable t o him .

Ca sh B entl ey i s , a s Lynne Walde land sa i d , " l i ke a ra c e h o rs e

 35

who w i l l never run again . " 3 6

Bla ke , th e vi llain i n " T h e Five-Fo rty-Ei ght , " i s a l s o i n

many wa�: s l i k e a n ani ma l . Unl i ke Ca s h , h oweve r , B lake d o e s

n o t y e a rn t o re l i ve an idylli c pa s t . But Blake d o e s pe rfonn

a s e ri e s o f ri tua l s tha t s e em t o mak e him an emb o d i m ent o f

S hady Hi l l Time . H e i s an unc ompa s s i ona t e enf o rc e r and

proponent o f " sump tua ry laws " and punc tua li ty and propri e ty .

H � finds s a fe ty o n hi s c ommut e r �ra in , and wh e n h e g e t s

h om e from w o rk h e exp e c t s h i s d i nn e r on the tabl e . He gets

sad i s t i c p l ea s ure f rom hurt ing t h e weak-- l i k e Mi s s Dent , who s e

t i me - s ens e i s o ut o f syn ch wi th t h e c l o ck--and qua rre l ing wi th

the s o c ia l nonc onfo rmi s t , Mr . W a t ki n s . Bla ke ' s i nne r

c on s c i o u sn e s s i s t h o roughly s ea l e d wi t h th e gene r i c wrappe r

o f publ i c s en s i b i l i ty and l i n ea r t im e . H e liv� n e a rly a lw ay s

w i th i n " th e c o l o rl e s s shadow" o f exi s t en c e t o whi c h B e rgs on

37
refe rr e d in h i s s t udy of pure dura t i on .

I t i s only wh e n Bla k e i s c onfro n t e d wi th t h e pro s p e c t s

o f hi s o wn d ea th tha t h e b e t ray s hi s humani ty . M i s s D e nt ,

t h e m e nt a l ly un sta bl e s e c retary whom B l a k e s e d u c e d and had

f i red , c o rne rs h im on a t ra i n and t e l l s h im n o t to move

b e ca us e s h e has a gun · in h e r purs e and s h e ' s ready t o shoot

h im f o r th e troub l e h e ' s caus ed . I t i s then that B l a k e

b eg i n s t o refl e ct u p o n hi s l i f e for t h e fi r s t t i m e . H e thinks

a b ou t the bul l e t w ound her gun w o u l d mak e in h i s b e l l y and he

re ca l l s a s c e n e from the wa r ( whi ch , as t h e read e r r e c a l l s ,

S hady H i l l ha s agre ed t o forg e t ) a " Th e memory came i n a

rush a entra i l s , e y e s , sha tt e re d bone , odure , and o th e r fi lth {ti 2 91).

 J6

W h en B la k e i s l e d t o the train t ra cks , h e a s s o c i a t e s the

splashing of ra in w i th "a c o n c epti o n of she l t e r , so l i gh t and

st range tha t it s e emed to b e l ong t o a time of hi s l i fe t ha t

h e c o uld n o t rememb e r" ( p . 2 92 ) . T h e re c o ll e c t i on s e ems t o

b e o f hi s l i f e i n t h e womb , o f h i s bi o l ogi cal b e g i nning s .

A s Mi s s Dent d e l i v e rs h e r d enouncem ent o f B la ke ' s wi c kedne s s ,

h e i s b rought i nt o a pea c e ful reveri e that i s s im i la r t o what

m i ght b e swimming thro ugh the mind of J ohnny H a k e o r Charl i e

Fl int : " H e heard from th e dark fi ver t h e drone o r a n outboa rd

m o t o r , a s o und tha t d rew s l owly beh ind i t a cr o s s t h e da rk

wa t e r such a burd e n of c l e a r swe e t memori e s of g o ne s umme rs

and gone plea sure s that i t mad e hi s s ki n c rawl • • • " ( p . 29J ) .

W h en the imm e d i a t e t h rea t o f d ea th i s remove d, the reade r

a s s um e s -- from t h e way t h e s t o ry ends ( B l a ke p i c ki ng u p h i s

ha t and wa l king home ) --Bla k e wi l l b e unt o u c h e d by t h e wh o l e

e xp e ri e nc e . T h e read e r suspe c t s that Blake w i l l ne ve r b e

anyth ing but a n unre f l e c t i ve , l inear chara ct e r wh o w i l l , i n

t h e fut ure , b e mo re s e l e c t i ve o f hi s prey .

M i s s D ent i s th e p e rf e ct , compl e t e ly ant i th e t i ca l ,

riva l fo r Blake . J u s t a s J ohnny Hake n e e d s t o t i e u p the

" ' l o o s e end s " in h i s l i fe , Mi s s D ent ne e d t o " wa s h her hand s "

o f Blak e , who re p r e s e n t s the force wh i ch c o n t ri but e s t o h e r

p s y ch o l o gi ca l di s t re s s . In t h e ho spi t a l whe re M i s s Dent

ha s r e c ently be en a pa t i ent , s h e i sn ' t "cure d " - ..!'the y onl y

wan t e.cl t o ta ke away my s e lf re s p e c t " ( p. 289 ) . S h e c l a ims tha t

h e r d o c to rs want h e r " t o dream about s ewing and ba ske twork. "

T h e y a ppa rently want h e r to be c ome o rde rly , f un c t i ona l ,

 37

pa s s i ve - - i n e s s en c e , li ke a g o o d S hady H i l l re s i dent . Mi s s
\

D ent ' s c onfronta t i on w i t h Blak e , tha-i, i s more than j ust

Dent ' s " g e t ting even" fo r hi s mi st rea tme nt o f h e r . S h e wants

t o d e fe a t th e forc e wh i ch woul d have her dreams g l o s s e d wi t h

lineari ty . Even though sh e i s me ntal ly uns table ins o fa r a s

s o ci e ty ' s d efiniti ons a r e c o n c e rned , s h e i s " be t t er" than

Blake . She s t i l l h a s " go od dream s " - - " ab o u t p i cni c s and

h eaven. and t h e bro th e rh o o d of man" -- e ve n though s h e i s

incaba b l e o f real i z i ng su ch happines s i n waking l i fe o By

k e e ping h e r dreams , by no t submi t t ing to Blake ' s " s ewing and

ba s k e tw o rk " wo rld , s h e can at l e a s t s tay in nomina l touch

w i th th e depths of h e r c o s c i ousne ss . By ma king B l a k e kne e l

i n the f i lth- -by th e t ra c k s o f th e commut e r t ra i n - - s h e

symb o l i ca l ly ri ds h e r s e lf o f Shady Hi l l T ime and c a n g o

ab ou t find ing the " kindne s s " and " sanene s s " wh i ch she ha s

subme rge d i n h e r .

W e have earl i e r s e en a l i t tl e b i t a b o ut h ow Shady H i l l

T im e i s o dd a nd d i s t re s s i n,:=; t o t e n-yea r- o l d Amy Law t o n i n

" T he S o rrow s of Gin . " . The mono tony i n t h e l i fe o f A my ' s

pa rent s i s a l l e vi a t e d by the i r drinking , wh i ch d ul l s th e i r

awarene s s o f time pa s s i ng . H e r pa rent s a r e " li k e a c t o rs in

a play " who l i v e in a w o rl d of i l l u s o ry happine s s , where a

d runk woman mi s s e s h e r cha i r and fa l l s t o t h e fl o o r and th e

i n c i d en t pa s s e s w i t ho ut no ti c e , a s i f n o t h i ng or n o t im e has

pa s se d a t a l l . A lc oh o l i n thi s s t o ry a nd o th e rs s e ems t o

a rre s t t h e ma rch o f me chani cal t i m e f o r many S ha d y H i l l i te s .

The capa c i ty o f a chara c t e r to love a l s o c omba t s the o ppre s s i on

o f linear time , h ow e ve r . J ohnny Hake ' s re conc i l i a t i on wi th

 J8

h i s sad pa s t and cha o t i c pre s en t . f o r i nstance , i s large ly

p o s s i b l e f o r him be caus e of h i s a bi l i ty to l o ve hi s li fe and

t he liv e s o f o th e rs . Th e pow e r of l ave i s impo rtant in the

happine s s and wh o l en e s s o f Charl i e F l int and th e Crut chmans

a s well .

I n " T h e S o rrows o f Gin" t h e read e r s e e s ano ther exampl e

o f th e int e rrelat i on b e twe en l o ve and time . M r . Lawt on , f o r

m o s t o f the s t o ry , i s pre s en t e d a s a m o d e l S hady Hi l l re si dent .

Hi s re lati onsh i p wi t h Amy , h oweve r , s e ems t o c ons i st mo stly

o f wha t Amy ca ll s " superfluou s " a d vi c e s " ' F e e d t h e cat . •

' Do your h omewo rk . � ' Pa ss the nut s . ' " ( p. 2 35 ) . I t i s only

in t h e fina l paragra ph that t h e reade r fi nd s tha t M r . Lawton

ha s any l o ve for h i s daugh t e r at a l l . H e s e e s Amy s i t t ing

at th e stat i on , wa i t i ng for t h e t rain wh i c h wi l l ta ke h e r

from �hady Hill . T h e uproa r that f o l l ow s Amy ' s s urrepti t i ous

emptying of two bo t t l e s of gin i n t o t h e ki t ch en s i nk to

save h e r al coholi c parent s ha s cau s e d h e r to s e e how " crude

and frai l " t h e adul t world i s . ( p. 24 6 ) But the s ight o f

Amy on th e bench cau s e s a sma l l f l i c k e r o f l o ve t o wa rm

M r . Lawt on ' s c ons c i o u sn e s s . H e i s " t ouch e d " b.Y h e r " a s i t

wa s i n he r pow e r t o t o u ch him o n l y when s h e s e eme d h e lple s s

o r when sh e wa s ve ry si c k " ( p . 248 ) . A n d t h en t h e " m i ra c l e

o f a ffe c t i ve memory " h i t s him a

H e shive red wi t h l onging , h e fe l t h i s s k in c oarsen

a s wh en , drivi ng h ome la t e and a l o ne , a show e r of

l eave s o n the wind c ro s s ed t h e beam of h i s head ­

l i ght s , l i b e rat ing him f o r a s e c ond a t t h e mo s t

from th e m o s t l i t e ral symbo l s o f hi s l i fe --the

 J9

but t onl e s s shi rt s , t h e vouch e rs and bank sta t em e nt s ,

t h e o rd e r blanks , a nd t h e empty gla s s e s . H e s e emed

t o l i st e n--G o d know s f o r wha t . C ommand s , drums ,

the c ra c kl e o f s i gnal fi re s , th e mu si c of the

glo cken sp i e l --how swe e t it s ounds on th e A l pine

a i r- - singing from a tave rn i n the pa s s , the honking

o f wild swans ; he s e em e d to sme l l the salt air in

the church e s o f Veni c e . ( p . 248 )

And th en , suddenly , " a s i t wa s wi.:th the leave s , the pow e r o f

her figure t o trou b l e him w�s e nd e d " ( p . 248 ) . H e be come s

" h im s e l f" --hi s Shady H i l l p e r s ona . Returne d t o h i s publ i c

s ens ibi li t i e s and i l lusi ons , M r . Law t o n thinks i n c l i ch &s a

" How c ould h e t e a ch h e r tha t h ome sw e e t home wa s the be s t

pla c e o f a ll? " ( p . 248 ) . M r Lawt o n ha s , i f even momentarily ,

c om e wi t h i n the pr e s en c e o f hi s i nne r s e lf . But hi s l o ve

for Amy--h i s ve ry own daught e r--wh i ch s pawns h i s s t e p from

the " s ha1\ow s e l f" i s s o s l i ght t hc.. t t he read e r doubt s i f

M r . Lawt on ha s moment s a s ri ch a s the s e ve ry o ft e n .

W i l l Pym ' s c on t e ntm ent i n " J u s t T e l l M e W h o I t w a s " may

a t fi r s t g lanc e a ppear t o b e r e la t e d t o hi s s e emingly bound ­

l e s s capa c i ty fo r l o ve of h i s w i f e Maria . How e ver , the d e l i ght

h e take s i n he r is s:>m ewhat m o re c ompl e x . Ea rly o n i n the

s t o ry we learn tha t W i l l is a s uc c e s s ful , pro s pe rous

bus ine s sman wh o ha s come a l ong wa y f rom h i s poverty - s tri cken

youth . Th e m em o ry o f h l s b e g i nnings ma k e s h i m unea sy , and wh en

W i l l s e e s the d i s pa r i ty b e twe en hi s pa st and tha t �f hi s

pe e rs - -who , during the i r y outh , " had be en s kylarking on the

turf at G ro t on or D e e rfi e ld " --h e is " mi ldly re s ent ful " ( p . 4.38 ) .
 40

W i l l ' s ma rriage to " a woman much y o ung e r than h e " --Maria -­

s e em s to be h i s e f fo rt to re l i ve the pa s t . S in c e W i l l i s now

endowe d wi th the w o rldly re s ource s that h i s parents never

had , h e can affo rd t o let · a _ p�o j e ction of hims e l f , hi s w i fe ,

l ive a y outh o f pro s p e ri ty and s e curi ty that h e c ould no t

en j oy .·

W i l l l i k e s no t only a y o ung w ife , but a " chi ldi s h a nd

capri c i ou s wi fe , " a woman/ chi ld 11 e can s p o i l wi th g i .ft s

and smothe r wi th l o ve . He invo ke s Mari a ' s w ord s wheneve r

p o s s ib l e j us t a s i f h e w e r e a p roud fat h e r s pe a king o f the

cut e thing s h i s c h i ld sa i d at t h e suppe r tabl e . Anyth i ng

tha t s t rengthens Ma ri a ' s d e pend enc e on W i l l mak e s him

happy , for if s h e w e r e t o grow ind e p end e nt , h i s pa st , h i s

yo uth , would b e s e pa ra t ed from him . W i l l thinks h e has t i e d

u p the " l oo s e ends , " t h e unsa t i s fa c t o ry pa s t of hi s li fe .

Hi s l ove fo r Maria i s , l i ke t h e hurd l e ra c e f o r Ca sh

B e nt l ey , the e l ement in hi s l i fe t ha t w i l l g i ve him s ome

s emb lance o f wh ol ene s s and c ompl e t ene s s . As W i l l wal k s i n

the w o o d s wi th he r , h e refl e c t s u p o n thi s s i tua ti on s

I t wa s Ma ria ' s y o uth and beauty that ha d info rme d

hi s s ens e and l e ft hi s mi nd s o o p e n that t h e

e a r t h s e em e d s p read out b e f o r e h i s ey e s l i ke a

broad ma p of rea s on and s ensua l i ty • • • • All

tha t ha d ever be en d e p rived o f wa s now h i s . ( p . 4 0 0 )

W i l l ' s genero s i t y t o thi s pro j e c t i on o f h i s pa s t i s

t e s t ed , howeve r , wh en Ma ria i n s i s t s on weari ng a s e xy outfit

to the Apple B l o s s om F e t e . T o let h e r g o t o the dan c e

d re s s ed a s s h e want s , W i l l rea s ons , would be t o thre a t en h e r

 41

p e rfe ct " inno c enc e " in a " wi c k ed w o rl d " ( p . 44 J ) . H e re l ent s

d e s p i t e the " grave dange r " and la t e r mus t try and re capture

the inno cenc e he thinks h i s wi fe l o s t in th e c ount ry club

pa rking l ot . W i ll ' s kno cking d own o f the man h e thinks ha s

s l e pt with hi s wi fe i s a ludi c rous , a d o l e s c ent a ct , but hi s

� efens e " o f Maria ' s a l l e g e d l o s t honor re s t o re s hi s vi s i on

o f the p e rfe c t pa s t rel i ve d . S t i ll , th e s e n s e o f wh o l en e s s

whi ch i s r e s t o red t o W i l l i s --and ha s be en s i n c e the be g i nni ng

of t h i s pe cul i a r r e l a t i onshi p wi th Ma ria - -bui l t upon a s o ft

and fal se founda t i on . He mus t draw from re s ourc e s o ut s i d e

hi s own cons c i o usne s s t o g i ve him s e lf a fe e l ing o f comp l e t e ­

nes s . Furthe rm o re , h i s e xc e s s i ve l o ve for t h e i dyll i c pa s t ,

wh i ch h i s wi fe l i ve s for h i m , i s c e rtainly a h i nd ran c e t o

Ma ria ' s psych o l ogica l growth . The read e r wond e r s i f the

tyranny o f W i l l ' s l o ve can wi th s tand grea t e r cha l l enge s a s

" hi s pa st " b e g i n s t o as s e rt he r own id ependenc e .

F ranci s W e ed ' s d i l emma in " The C ountry Hus band " i s not

w i th d e ci ding h ow t o undo an unfortuna t e pas t but w i t h how

to c onfront the un e a s ine s s he. e xp e ri enc e s when the pa s t

d o e sn ' t s tay subm e rg e d . " T o begin a t t h e b e g i nning , " a s

Ch e e ven say s , Franci s ' s brush wi th de ath i n th e a i rp lane

ma kes him a bi t di s trus t ful o f the rea l i ty of c l o c k t ime .

H i s a li enat i on from h i s fam i l y and fe l l ow c ommut e rs ( t o whom

a no rma l S hady H i ll re s i d e nt turn s for comfort ) ove r th e i r

inabi l i ty to und erstand t h e c ra sh ( " • • • be caus e th e re wa sn ' t

a d r o p o f rai n i n "'! S ha dy Hi l l " I �· Js8) > forc e s Franc i s t o

re t i re into h i s inner s e lf fo r a whi l e o

I t i s pure c o incid enc e tha t the night aft e r the c ra sh

 42

Franci s r e c o gni z e s the Fa rquars ons ' mai d a s the French

c o l la b o ra t o r he had s e en cha st i z e d a f t e r t h e war . Hi s

rememb ran c e of the c i rcumstances s urro undi ng h e r pa st and h e r

a s t o ni s hing appearanc e in S hady Hi l l furthe r a li ena t e s

F ranci s from fami ly and fri end s . S in c e S hady H i l l w i ll n o t

a cknowl edge th e me s sy pa s t o f war , th e r e c o l l e c t i on mus t

s tay ins i de Franc i s ' s mind . W i thin t h e s pa c e o f twenty-four

h o urs , Fran ci s , fo r p e rhap s t h e fi r s t time , re c o gn i z e s

E
' t he impo rtanc e o f h i s own dura t i on a " h e e nc o unt e r had )
o p ene d up hi s mem o ry a nd h i s s en s e , and l e ft them d i a la t e d "

( p . 392 ) . Franc i s , a c c us tome d t o l et ting the pa s t d ri ft

away from him , i s thru s t int o a r e f r e s h i ngly st range s t a t e

wh i ch l e a ve s h i m c onfus e d . T hrough no e ff o rt o f h i s

· ra t i ona l mind , a n ew non-l i nea r w o rl d ha s w e l l e d up i n h i s

c o ns c i ousnes s ; t h e n ewn e s s of i t a l l l e a ve s h i m s o c i a lly

vuln e rab l e .

The fi rst p e r s on Fran c i s s e e s a ft e r t h e party i s , a s

l u c k w ould have i t , the b e a ut i ful y oung baby s i t t e r , A nne

Mur chi s on , wh o s e beauty gi ves Fran c i s a rus h of a ffe c t i ve

m emOI"J v.h i ch l eave s him w i th an i n e ffab l e happine s s . 'N hen

he s e e s h e r " • • • he e xp e ri en c e d in h i s c ons c iousn e s s tha t

m oment wh en mus i c brea ks gla s s , and f e l t a pang o f re cog-

n i t i on as s t range , d e ep, and wond e rful a s a nyth ing in hi s _.

l i fe " ( p . 3 9 2 ) . But at the ve ry same t im e when Fran c i s i s

e mba rking upon a ri c h e r more p r o f o und p s ,v c h o l o g i cal e x i s t en c e ,

he e xt e rna l i z e s h i s unfam i l i a r f e e l ing s and f o cu s e s them upon

an '. ob j e ct ( Anne Murc h i s on ) s o that he can und e rs tand - - in w o rd s ,

n o t intui t ive ly--h i s p sycho logi ca l s ta t e . B e rg s o n mad e

 43

mention o f thi s ve ry t e ndency a

W e i n s t i nct i ve ly t end t o s o l i d i fy o ur i mpre s s i ons

in o rd e r to expre s s them in l angua g e . Henc e we

c onfu s e t h e fe e l ing i t s e l f , whi ch i s i n a

p e rp e tua l s t a t e of be c oming , wi th i t s p e rmanent

o b j e ct , and e s p e cially w i th t h e w o rd wh i ch
38
e xpre s s e s thi s ob j e c t .

F ranc i s ' s o b j e c t i f i ca ti on of h i s fe el ing l e a ve s h i m burst ing

wi th ind e p e nd en c e o Hi s infa t ua t i on is no t t h e re s u l t of

s ome m i d- l i fe c ri s i s ( p . ) 9 6 ) but i s s imply an a s s e rt i on

o f hi s fre e dom , h e think s . C onvi n c e d tha t th e g i rl can

re c l a im fo r him wha t he ha s l o s t i n l i fe , F ran c i s ma k e s a l l

kind s o f plans f o r s e are t t ry st s . But Franc i s ' s d e f i c i e ncy

in l i fe i s rea l ly h i s la c k o f the i n t e rp ene t ra t i ng c on s c i ou s ­

n e s s wh i ch h e e xp e ri en c e d bri e f ly b e f o re h e m e t Anne .

" Bi t t en gra ve ly , " Franci s mus t d o s ome t hi ng t o ha l t

w ha t be c om e s a ph;,: s i c a l d e s i re f o r A nne , le s t h e find h im ­

s e l f in the t h i ck o f s ome s canda l wh i ch w o ul d fo r c e ni s

c om p l e t e ban i s hm e n t from th e c ommun i t y . H e s e e s n o o th e r

way o ut but t o vi s i t a p sy ch i a t ri s t who can ma ke s om e d e cis i on s

fo r h i m . T h a t h e w i l l n o t read h i s own mind , b u t have some -

one e l s e d o thi s pains Franc i s a

T o abd i c a t e t h e p e rfe c t l one l ine s s i n wh i ch he ha d

mad e mo s t vi ta l d e c s i on s sha t ne re d hi s c o n c e pt

o f chara c t e r and l e f t him n ow in a c ond i t i on that

felt like s h o c k . H e wa s s tupi fi e d . ( p . 408 )

The vi s i t put s F ranc i s ba c k on t h e s t ra i gh t and narrow i n­

s o fa r a s S hady H i l l e xp e c ta t i ons a r e c o nc e rne d . D r . H er z o g ,

 44

the p s y c h i a t r i s t , r e c ommend s wo odwo rking a s t h e rapy , a nd

" Franci s find s t ru e c on s o la t i on i n the s imp l e ari thm e t i c

i nvo lved • • • .. ( p . 40 9 ) .

Eug e n e Che sni c k ha s s a i d tha t J o hnny Ha k e and F ran c i s

W e ed a re " the l u c ky on e s , s t i l l a l i ve by chan c e , a fa c t whi c h

t h e y a. c lmowle d g e and whi c h ma kes t h em ne rvou s . .. 3 9 Ch e sn i c k ' s

c omm e nt d o e sn ' t s e em a c c ura t e c onc e rn i ng F ranc i s . It' s

J

t rue that h e ha s b e en r e i n t egra t e d w i th the c ommun i ty , but

h e ' s fa r from " a l i ve " in the broa d e r s ens e o f the w o rd . The

int e rp e ne t ra ti ng m i nd t ha t wa s o p e n e d to th e past ea rly in

t he s t o ry ha s b e en redu c ed t o a c oldly ana lyt i ca l organ a t

the end . Johnny Hake , on the o t h e r hand , ha s n o t e s ca p e d

from fre e d om ; h e w i l l l i ve a ri ch and d e e pl y f e l t l i fe

in wh i ch h e wi l l no t fin d " co n s o la t i on i n s imp l e ari thm e t i c . "

Fran c i s and J o hnny are n o t th e o nl y one s wh o a r e " a l ive "

a t t h e end o f The H o u s ebrea k e r c o l l e c t i on s t o ri e s ; e a c h o f

t h e protagoni s t s s e e m s t o find h i s o r h e r wa y ba c k i n t o the

c ommuni ty . H ow e ve r , the p S J C h o l ogi ca l grow th a nd de pth o f

e a c h chara ct e r i s l e s s d e p e nd ent u p o n t h e individua l ' s

a c c e p tan c e by s o c i e ty than up on hi s abi l i ty t o ma ke a me ani ng­

ful p ea c e - - i f e ve n t entat i ve , p e rha p s ne c e s sa ri ly t e n ta t i ve - ­

betw e en hi s t empo ra l i ty and tha t o f th e linear c ommuni ty .

T h i s i s no t t o say tha t c ha ra c t e rs such a s Ca sh B ent l ey and

W i l l Pym , fo r in stanc e , s h o uld e s cape the read e r ' s c l o s e s t

s c rut iny . T h e tw o o f them , a f t e r a l l , d e vi s e a p e rs ona l

s ens e o f who l ene s s wh i ch ma ke s l i f e m eani ngful f o r them . But

Ca sh and W i l l have bui l t a s t ru c ture o f i d ent i ty and a s e ns e

o f dura t i on o f play ing card s a the ir p e r s ona l c ompl e tene s s

 45

colla p s e s i f the ba s e on whi ch t h e s t ru c ture s tand s ( f o r

W i ll--h i s w i fe ; f o r Ca sh- -h i s ra c e s ) i s j i ggl e d . Blake ,

M r . Lawton , and F ranci s W e e d fe e l the j i gg l e i n t h e i r

re s p e c t i ve cons c i o u sn e s s e s , and turn from wha t i s a c r e a t ive

di s c omf ort . They f e a r o r mi sund e rstand t h e pa in tha t can

cure them and take them out of a s t ri c t ly l i ne a r e xi s t enc e .

The Crut chman s , J o hnny H a ke , Cha rl i e F lint and even M i s s

D ent fa c e mome n t s o f c ri sis i n wh i ch they d o ubt the i r s en s e

of dura t i on ; y e t thro ugh th e s t rength o f th e i r p e r s ona lit i e s

they c ome t o a re c onc i l ia t i on w i th th e i r s en s e o f t i m e that

wi ll b e t e s t ed over and o ve r aga i n a s t h e :1 c o nt i nue t o grow ,

o r , a s Be rg s on say s , " t o b e c ome . "

Lynne W a l d e land , li k e Eugene Ch e s ni ck , po int s o u t that

Ch e e ver o ft en d e l i vers hi s cha ra c t ers sa fe ly ba c k t o t h e

s o ci eta l fo ld ( o r ba ck i n t o th e i r own pre s en c e ) wi th sud d en ,

lucky p l o t twi s t s . W a l d e land , who ha s a lmo s t n o th ing but

pra i s e fo r Th e House brea k e r c o l l e c t i o n , s e e s the s e " fo rtui t o us

e s cap e s " a s t h e only " w e a kne s s " in t h e s t o ri e s a

T h e c ri s e s in the s e pe ople ' s l i ve s a r e r e a l and

pa infu l , but t h e ends of t h e cri s e s c ome s o

abrup t ly and , i n s o m e ca s e s , wit h s o l i t t l e

plau s i b i l i t y , tha t i t ma y b e hard fo r t h e read er

t o fe e l th e i r s e ri o u sne s s . 40

T h e p o i nt s e em s we l l - taken . Johnny Ha ke i s a bout to st eal

again , and the ra i n s t o p s him . Charl i e F l int i s on the way

to th e A z o re s when a fogh o rn be c kons him ba c k to S ha dy Hill .

Fran c i s W e ed i s on the ve rg e o f raping the baby s i tt e r on the

 46

day he vi s i t s a p s y chia tri s t , and the n e xt we e k h e ' s b ehaving

" a c c eptably , " w o o dwo rking in h i s c e l la r . I t s e ems t ha t a

d eux � ma china h e l p s bring a t l e a s t a t empora ry c l o sure to

th e cri s e s of some of Ch e ever ' s c hara c t ers .

The " fo ru i tousne s s " o f t h e s e c o n c lus i ons a re , h oweve r ,

d e f ensibl e i f the impo rtan c e o f p s y ch o l og i ca l t ime on

Che e ve r ' s st o ryt e l l ing t e chnique i s taken into c o n s i d era t i on .

By ma.king a bri e f e xami na t i on o f .Ch e e ve r ' s a e s the t i c s th e

read e r can s e e t ha t ��e endings are e nt i re ly appropri a t e fo r

and cons i s t ent wi th C h e e ver ' s s ty l e and hi s approa ch t oward

t i m e .·
 47

PART I V

I n th e s t o ri e s j u st examined i t i s evi d ent th3.t Che eve r

brings t o m o s t o f hi s ma j o r cha ra ct e rs a h e i gh t ened awarene s s

o f t h e i r own dura t i o n o T h e chara cte r mus t often then tread

th e fin e l i ne b e tw e en sa t i s fying h i s s ens e o f s e l f and the

c ommuni ty . F ranci s W e e d , for i n stanc e , mus t n o t l e t t h e

" b ra c ing s ensa t i on o f ind e penderce " he f e e l s a f t e r me e t i ng

A nn e Murch i s on int e rfe re with h i s n e e d t o g e t a l ong wi th

hi s f e l l ow Shady H i l l i t e s . Hi s unne c e s sa ri ly harsh rudene s s

t o Mrs . W ri gh t s on a t th e trai n s ta t i on re sul t s i n po s s i ble

reta l i a t i on aga ins t hi s daugh t e r , a fight , wi th hi s wi fe and

bani shment from a pa rty o A s Ri chard Rupp says o f Che eve r ' s
41
fi c t i o n , " Ba lance i s not ea si ly won , but i t i s e ve rything . 11

A nd t h e same s ens e o f balan c e - -w e i ghing th e importan c e o f

b o t h t h e s ub j e c t i ve and t h e o b j e c t i ve w o rld - -i s impo rtant in

t h e s t ruc ture of C h e ever ' s wo rks .

I t i s t rue , a s Samu e l Coa l e n o t e s , that Ch e everr s stori e s

" a re c rammed w i th d reams , n i gh tma re s , reve ri e s , memo ri e s ,

42
omens , s p e l l s and epi phani e s . " But Che eve r do e sn ' t stray

fa r from t rad i t i on . in t o any wildly expe rimenta l m o d e o f

s t o ry t e lling� Hi s s t o ri e s s t i ll have " pl o t s " m ore o r less

in the t radi t i ona l s en s e --wi th cl early d e fined c onfl i cts

and i nt era c t i ons o c curring out side the rea lm of t h e human

cons c i ousn e ss . S t i ll , i n bri nging t o the f o re t h e impo rtanc e

 48

o f inn er time t o h i s cha ra c t e rs , Ch e eve r d o e s break from a

s t ri c t ly l i near d e ve l o pment in hi s fi c t i o n . Hi s s t o ri e s

pro c e e d i n fi t s and s ta rt s - - m oving sw i f t ly h e re , re c ed i ng

s l owly int o dream o r m em o ry there - - i n a kind of ruba t o

rhythm . Chron o l o g i cal ord e r s e ems no t e s s enti al t o Ch e e �e r ,

and a t t i me s the re s e em s t o b e a flimsy causa l relat i on s h i p

b e tw e en one s c en e a n d th e next . Fran c i s W e e d , for ins tance ,

can be s h o c ke d by t h e s i gh t of th e French ma i d and fal l i n

l o ve w i t h th e baby s i t t er w i thin t h e s pa c e o f two pa ragra ph s .

Thi s non-l i n e a r a rrang e m ent wa s th e s o u r c e o f c ri t i c i sm

f o r s om e o f Ch e e ve r ' s earli e r pub l i sh e d s t ori e s . Di ana

T ri l l ing i n 1 94) sa i d tha t " even th e b e s t � h o rt s t o ri e �

� • •a re s t rongly wo rd e d h in t s ra t h e r than c omp l e t ely

But it is n o t a " s t a t e m e n t "

43
· c o m mun i c a t e d s ta t e m ent s . "

o r l e s s on Che e ve r wi s h e s t o c ommuni c a t e . And hi s " h int s "

do c om e t o ge th e r e ven though Ch e ever appea l s le s s t o the

fa cul t i e s o f human rea son - - w h i c h s e ek s logi cal m o t i va t i on s

f o r a c t i on s - - t h a n t o t h e mobi l e intui t i on . O r , a s F re d e ri ck

Bra c h e r no t e s , h i s s t o ri e s " d e p end on the logi c o f t h e

44
imagina t i on t o suppl y a fe l t uni ty o "

Ch e ever ' s p re s en ta t i on o f mo d e rn p s y cho l o g i c a l . e xi s t e nc e

i s ful ly in s t e p w i th what B e rg s o n t h ought wa s the b e s t a

wri t e r c ould d o t o h e l p man und e r s t a nd hi s d ura t i on . Ea rl i e r

i t wa s men t i on e d t ha t B e rg s on fe l t language wa s , b y i t s

ve ry na ture , a n a g ent o f fragm e nta t i on , b e caus e i t i s

inad equat e t o d e s c ri b e t h e c ons ci c·usne s s , whi ch , wh en o p e rat ing

fre ely , i s constantly changing . A l th ough language is t h e

 49

t o o l o f t h e sha d ow s e lf , t h e writ e r c a n s t i ll . . a rrange " hi s

s hadow in such

a way a s t or ma ke us sus p e c t t o t h e ext ra o rdi nary

and i ll o g i cal na ture o f t h e ob j e ct whi ch pro j e c ts

i t ; h e h a s mad e us refle c t . that outward expre s s i on

t o E ome thing o f tha t contra d i ct i on , t ha t int e r-

p enetra t i on , whi ch i s the very e s s en c e o f the

e l ement s expre s s ed . Enc o urag ed by him , w e put

.

a si de fo r an in stant th e ve i l whi ch w e int e rp o s ed

b e tw e en o ur c on s c i ousne s s and o u r s e l v e s . He ha s

bro ught us ba c k i nt o our own pre s en c e . 5

4

Throwing a side the ve i l o f c o ld logi ca l i ty and m e chani c a l time

whi ch o b s cure s o ur be c oming and und e r s tand ing of ours e lve s

i s ind e ed t h e bus ine s s of Ch e e ve r ' s s t o ri e s . " Fi c t i on , "

46
Ch e e ve r say s , " i s m eant t o i l lumina t e , t o expl o d e , t o refresh . "

When t h e read e r s e e s the c r e a t ive and int e rp e n e t ra t ing be ings

o f a J o hnny Ha ke or a Cha rl i e Flint , he b e c o m e s a l i tt l e

more luminous , a l i t t l e " b i gg e r , " and h e i s enc o uraged

to return to hi s " own pre s en c e . "

Th e pl o t s in The Hous ebrea k e r s t o ri e s a r e thus arranged

to fo l l ow l e s s a chrono l o gi ca l s e que n c e of " event s , " than

a pat t e rn o f impre s s i ons and i ntui t i ons . I f t h e read e r

a ppl i e s th e trad i t i ona l , l i near framew ork t o an e xami na t i on

o f t h e plo t s o f " The Co unt ry Hu sband " and " Th e T roub l e of

Marc i e F l int , " for instanc e , he mi ght find t h a t t h e s e

s t o ri e s s e em l i ke the pa s t ing t o g e th e r o f a f ew Ch e e ve r

n o t eb o o k fragm ent s . In the fo rm e r s t o ry , a numb e r o f

s c ene s wh i ch c ould b e f l e shed o ut into full l ength s t ori es

 50

a re intro duc ed and th en ca sua l ly d i s a p pear from c ons i d e ra t i on

i n t h e s t o ry . The l o o s e s t rand s o f th e narrative-- the a i r­

plane c ra sh , th e French maid ' s app ea ranc e , Jupi t e r ' s romping

a round in the t o ma t o pa t ch--are n e ve r t i e d up . The s e e l ement s

d ri ft i n and out o f t h e s t o ry a s p erc e p t i ons floa t in and

out o f the human c on s c i ousne s s .

T h e " fo rtui t o u s " conclus i on s o f th e parti cularly

e pi s o d i c s t o ri e s in T h e H o u s e bre a k e r c o l l e ct i on ( " T h e C o unt ry

Hus band , " " T h e Troub l e o f Marc i e Flint " ) are n o t repre s ent­

a t i ve of a f e e b l e wri t e r who d o e sn ' t kn ow h ow to wrap thing s

up , but a re a re fl e c t i on o f f i c t i on wh i ch i s int e res t ed in

t h e s om e t i m e s fli gh ty qua l i ty o f t h e s ub j e c t i ve wo rld . The

sud d enn e s s o f the e nd i ng s to th e s e s t or i e s is c o n s i s t ent

with the overa l l s t ru c t ure in g e n e ra l . Furt h e rmo re , t h e

chara c t e r who " c ome s around " a t t h e e nd o f a s t o ry - - Cha rli e

F l i n t o r J ohnny Ha ke- - or wh o , i f e ven b ri e fly , b e c om e s more

a t t un e d t o hi s inn e r s e l f- -Mr . Lawt o n o r Bla k e - - i s no t

a c ting implau si bly ; h e i s l iEt eni ng t o t h e d i c ta t e s o f h i s

t rue c o ns c i o u sne s s whi c h rus h e s u p from b e l ow t h e surfa ce

o f Shady H i ll mann e r s and t i m e . B e rg s o n , i n d ebunking

d e t erm i ni sm , wro t e a t l ength about human a c t i on whi c h i s

unre la t ed t o logi c a l mo t i ve s a

I t i s a t th e grea t and s o l emn cri s i s , d e c i s i ve of

our re puta t i on wi th o t h e rs , and yet m o re with

ours e lve s , tha t w e c ho o s e in d e fi a n c e o f wh a t i s

c o nven t i onally ca l l ed a mo t i ve , and th i s a b s ence

of any tangibl e rea s on is th e more s t ri king the

47
deeper it go e s .
 51

Cha rl i e F l int , g i ven th e c i r cums tan c e s o f h i s w i fe ' s

infi d e l it� h a s a l ogi cal " j u st i fi ca t i o n " f o r b e i ng on that

boat t o Europe . S t i l l , h e w i l l r e t urn t o S ha dy Hi ll t o

t h e w i f e and chi ld ren he loves . I t i s i n the e xt end e d

b l ow of th e fogho rn that h e s e e s " t h e i r much- l o ve d fa c e s " ( p . 35 7 ).

He m a k e s a d e c i s i on whi c h h e cann.p t r e c onc i l e l o g i ca l l y ,

but t ha t d e e p down h e kn ows intui t i ve ly i s ri ght . W hy

d o e s J ohnny Hake qui t s t e a l i ng? H e i s s t i l l i n d i r e financ i a l

n e e d w h e n h e ' s on h i s w a y t o ro b the P ew t e rs . But J ohnny ' s

l o t i s ma g i ca l ly r e v e rs e d and h e a c c o unt s f o r i t by s a y ing s

..
• • • i t w a s no m o re than t h e ra in o n my h ea d - - t h e sme l l

o f i t f ly i ng u p t o my no s e - - tha t sh ow e d m e t h e e x t e nt o f

my fre e d om • • • " ( p . 31 9 ) •

" ' T ri gg e r ' me c ha ni sms " ( " th e sme l l s o r s o und s o r rand om

p e r c e p t i ons whi ch g i ve ri s e t o an g iven t hought or memory " ) 4 8

u s e d e xt en s i ve l y i n the w o rks o f J o y c e and Proust , are

o ft e n e mp l o y e d by Ch e ev e r i n prodd ing the d o rmant c on s c i o u s -

n e s s , and th e reby increa s i ng t h e l e v e l o f s ub j e c t i vi ty i n

t h e s t o ri e s . B ra c h e r no t e s that " no thing r e c rea t e s t h e

pa s t l i ke a wh i f f o f p e rfume o r t h e s m e l l o f an o l d h o u s e •

i n Ch e e ver ' s w o rks . ( M cLuhan a l s o m e n t i ons t h e impo rtan c e

o f the s e ns e o f sm e l l , say i ng t h a t i t wa s " l ong c o n s i d e red

50
the ro o t of m em o ry and the uni fy ing ba s i s o f i nd i vi dua l i ty . " )

W h e n B lake i s b e ing h un t e d on t h e s t re e t s o f N ew '{ o rk in

''Th e F i ve -F o rty-Eight " he s tops into a ba ke ry shop t o

e l ude M i s s D ent . He buys a c o f fe e ring and the " wh i ff o f

\i t s
i;:::
\ suga ry
-
warmth " relax e s h im ( p . 2 81 ) . Li kewi s e , t h e
 52

s ight o f 1-1.my s i t t i ng on a t ra i n s ta t i on bench " t riggers " i n

M r . Law t o n ' s memory the s pl endorous s i gh t s and s ound s and

sme l l s o f Euro pe .

Rob e rt S labey sumn e d up the c o nne c t i on b e tw e en Ch e e ve r ' s

s t o ry t e l l ing t e chni que and hi s p s y ch o l ogi c a l int e r e s t s in thi s

wa y s

Ch e ev e r c onsi s tently a s s o ci at e s t h e va l u e s o f

nature a n d t h e imagi nat'i on , s impl e phy s i ca l

p l ea s ure s and dream ing be caus e o f the i r

51
c onne c t i on w i th primal real i ty .

The " prima l real i t y , " th e e s s ential s t a t e o f c o n s c i o u sne s s

through whi ch w e c om e to comprehend o u r dura t i on , i s what

Ch e e ve r i s a im i ng fo r .

rlno t h e r way i n wh i ch Che eve r increa s e s h i s r ea d e rs '

awarene s s o f th e s ub j e c t i ve w o rld i s b y n o t r e f e rri ng t o

s o c i a l - c u l tura l e v ?nts o r b y inc luding fi c t i ona l " furni ture "

wh i ch w o u l d pla c e t h e s t o ry in a .pa rt i c ul a r e ra . Th e read er

hears n o t h i ng of pre s id e nt s o r ro ck ' n ' ro l l o r fa s h i o n s or

an�thing very s pe c i fi c abou t what happ ens o ut s i d e t h e w o rld

o f Shady H i l l . A b o ut t h e c l o s e s t the rea d e r g e t s t o a

h i s t ori ca l r e f e r en c e i s i n " Th e T ro ub l e o f Marc i e Flint " when

M r . S el fredge , the c on s e rva t i ve banke r , r e p or t s t o hi s w i fe

that N o e l Ma ckham w orks for "a t extbo o k c ompany i n N ew York

t ha t ha s b e e n a c c u s ed b! a t l ea s t one C ongre s s i ona l c ommi t t e e

o f pub l i shing subv ers i ve Ameri can h i s t o ri e s " ( p . J 5 2 ) . If

i t wa s known tha t the s t o ry w a s f i rs t publ i sh e d i n 1 9 5 7 ,

i t mi ght b e a s sume d tha t thi s wa s a ref e renc e t o M c Ca rthyi sm .

 53

On t h e o t h e r hand , M r . S e lfredge c o ul d j u s t a s l i kely have

s p o ken tho s e w o rd s w i th reference to the poli ti cal c l i ma t e

o f 1 9 84 . Ch e e ve r says that s t o ri e s wi th such t o p i cal r e f er�

e nc e s w e r e " apt t o b e worst . " 52 "A s � n s e of t i me tha t

revo l ve s around t h e s inking o f s h i p s and d e c l a rat i on s of

wa r s e ems t o m e a s en s e o f t i m e d eba s ed . W e l i ve a t d e e pe r
5J
l e v e l s than th e s e and fi ct i on . s h o ul d mak e t h i s c l ea r . ..

A t t enti on i s th e r e f o r e n o t d i ve rt e d from t he s ub j e c t i ve

w o r l d , whi ch , th o ugh l e s s " pra c ti ca l " t o t h o s e i n S hady

H i l l o r th o s e i n c onta c t w i th the r e a l w o rld , i s mo s t

important in th e w o rld o f Che e ve r ' s s t or i e s .

 54

PA RT V

I n T h e Hou s e b rea ke r o f S hady H i l l and O th e r S t o ri e s ,

the rea d e r s e e s th e c o n s tant i n t e ra c t i o n and c onfl i c t

b e twe en the cha ra c t e r s ' i nn e r s e ns e o f time and tha t o f the

l i n ea r c o mmuni ty of S hady Hi l l . O v e r and o ver aga i n in

th e s e s t o r i e s a ma j o r chara c t e r is c onfront ed with s om e

s i tua t i on i n wh i ch th e s en s e o f t i m e h e u s e s t o und e r s tand

h im s e l f and h i s wo rld i s threa t e n e d .

F o r t h e chara ct e r wh o i s fi rmly ent rench ed i n t h e

me chani ca l t i m e a nd r e gula ri ty o f Shady Hi l l , th e s e cha l ­

l enge s a r e m o s t o ft e n qui c kly rebuffed . Mr . Law t o n i n

" Th e S o rrow s o f G in , " f o r i n s tanc e , fe e l s a fl i c k e r o f t h e

dura t i on e x p e ri enc e - - i n whi ch hi s c on s c i o usne s s b e c ome s

fl o o d e d w i t h aff e c t i ve m em o ry- - i s c onfus ed by i t , and r e t urns

to h i s s h ad ow s e l f . He and many o t h e r S hadJ Hi l l i t e s s tay

away from the i r i nn e r s e lve s and rhy thm s and pro j e c t t h em­

s e lve s outwa rd to th e c ommuni ty wh i ch wi l l provi d e them w i th

a s ingl e linear s en s e o f t i me . Blake and F ranc i s W e ed ,

tho ugh having two c ompl e t e ly d i f f e rent d i s po s i t i on s ( t h e

form e r , a d e s p i ca b l e charac t e r , a nd the la t t e r , t h o rough l y

l i k eabl e ) , a l s o t u rn a w a y from p s y c h o l o g i cal growth a n d a

rea l i zati on of a s en S:? o f cont inu i ty in t h e i r r e la t i o n s h i p s

wi th t ime .

Wha t i s impo rtant t o n o t e a s thi s d i s c u s s i o n o f Ch e ever

 55

and time c om es t o a cl o s e i s tha t the aut h o r g i ves h i s

p ro tagoni s t s a cha n c e t o e xp l ore the i r s ens e of s e l f and

t i me . T h e re aren ' t anj s t ri c t l y drawn cari catur e s i n

th e s e s t o ri e s ; no o n e chara c t e r repre s ent s c o m p l e t e ly

any on e s en s e of t im e . Hi s c h a r a c t e rs are huma n b e i ng s

and play o ut the i r s t rugg l e s w i th t ime w i th fre e will .

F o r the sake o f c o n s i s t ency , C h e ever c ould very ea s i ly

have wri t t en th e f i na l s c en e i n " Th e S o rr o ws o f G i n " i n

whi c h M r . Lawt on c o m e s t o t h e s tati on d runk and y e l l s at

Amy f o r brea king a rule o f o rd e r ( l eaving th e h ou s e w i th out

p e rm i s s i on ) , whi c h i s s o m eth i ng that h e c on s tant ly d o e s when

s h e ' s a t home . Ch e e v e r g i ves him the o p p o rtun i t y t o use

wha t li tt l e l o ve h e ha s t o a s s e rt - - i f o n l y fo r a s d c o nd - ­

h i s own i nne r s elf and s en s e of t i me . S imi l a rly , B lake

c o uld have b e en an even m o r e d e sp i ca b l e c h a ra c t e r than

he appears if Che e ver had dropp e d all r e f e renc e s t o h i s

memo ri e s . Ch e ev e r g i ve s J ohnny Hake and B la ke a l i ke the

chan c e t o feel wha t i t m e an s t o be a l i ve and c ons c i o u s o f

a c on t i nuo u s changi ng exi s t enc e ; h e d o e s n o t pre s ent his

chara c t ers as aut o ma t o n s , l i ving a s m e r e ad j un c t s o f Shady

H i l l and i t s m e ahani cal t i m e .

The l i near c h a ra c t er S hady H i l l c e rt a inl y ent e rs int o

ea ch s t o ry i n s ome wa y , but Che ever a lwa y s s i d e - s t e p s

any d i re c t c ri ti c i sm o f i t o S hady H i l l ' s empha si s on o rd e r

and regula rity and i t s en c o ura g ement o f t h e s e l f that i s

p ro j e c t e d outward , c o nfo rm i ng to i t s one rhythm , a re well

known . I n th e mi d s t o f c o nf i nement , s ome o f Ch e e v e r ' s

 56

cha ra c t e rs d o find m eani ng and ha p pi n e s s and wh o l ene s s in

S hady H i l l . They s e e the mom ent s o f the i r l i ve s a s inter­

rela t e d and s t ri ke a happy ba lance be tw e en th e s u b j e c t i ve

w o rld o f a multipl i c i ty o f rhyt hms and the o b j e c t i ve

l in e a r wo rld .
 57

NOTES

1 J . B . Pri e s t l y , Man a nd T im e , ( N ew Y o rk s D e l l Pub l i shing

C o . , 1 9 6 4 ) , p . 98 .
2 Pri e s t ly , p. 98.
J Lin e a r t i m e ha s b e en d ef i n e d by S eba s t ian d e G ra z i a

i n O f T ime and L e i sure ( N ew Y o rk : Th e Tw e nt i e t h C e ntury

Fund , 1 962 ) a s fo l l ow s a " T im e d o e s n o t r e p ea t i t s e l f , i t

t i c k s o f f i n a s tra i gh t line , go e s from t t o t 1 , i n a

c onti uum , runs in an e ve n flow o r i n a s t ream w i t h gradat e d

s t e el banks , mo ve s l i ke t h e a s s embly l i ne o r th e t i c ke r

tap e . E s s en t ial ly i t r e s em bl e s t h e p i c ture N ew t on d r ew o f

t i me i n hi s Princ i p i a a real and mathema t i ca l , flo wing

uni f o rm ly , embra c i ng a l l ob j e ct s and phenomena but a l o o f

f rom t h e�, k e e p ing i t s own ini ep end ence , i nd e s t ru c t i b l e ,

uni ve rsal , n o t h ing happening t o i t y e t e nve l o ping a l l l'B.p­

p eni ngs of the un i v e r s e as s pa c e e nve l op s all o b j e c t s ,

e ve ry i nd i vi s i b l e i n s tant o f i t t h e same eve r,Ywh ere . " ( p . J 1 8 )

4Pri e s t ly , Po vi i i . T h e t e rm " T i m e -haunt e d " i s Pri e s t ly ' s .
5 L e o n E d e l , T h e M o d e rn P S .'/Ch o l og i c a l N o ve l , ( N ew Y ork :

T h e Uni ve rsal Library , 1 9 64 ) , p . 2 9 .

6
Edel , p . 9J .

?Ed e l , p . 1 0 0 .

8Ge o rg e s P oul e t , S t ud i e s in Human Time , trans . Ell i o t t

C o l eman, ( Ba l t imore : T h e J ohn H o pkins P r e s s , 1 95 6 ) , p. J4 .

 58

9 P o ule t , W• J J -4 .

1 0Ma rgaret Churc h , T im e and Rea l i ty a S tudi e s i n

�ont emp o ra ry F i c t i on , ( Chap e l H i l l a Uni vers i ty o f North

Ca ro l i na Pre s s , 1 9 6) ) , p . 9 .
1 1 Ed e l , p . 2 9 .

1 2 Henri Be rgs on , T i me and Fre e W i l l , trans . F . L . P o g s o n ,

( 1 91 0 ; New Y o rk s Harper & Row , 1 9 6 0 ) , p. 1 07 .

1 3 B e rgs o n , p . 1 96 .

1 4 B e rgson , p . 1 2 8 .
1 5B e rgs on , p . 1 2 9 . H o w th e wri t e r- -the us e r o f that

language , the c o rrupt e r o f pure d ura t i on- - ca n a c c ompl i sh

pre s ent i ng sta t e s o f c o n s c i o u sn e s s i s l at e r d i s c us s ed by

B e rgs on . I wi l l a d d re s s t h i s probl em i n Pa rt I V of t hi s

th e s i s .
1 6 B e rg s on , p . 2 1 .
3
1 7 Church , p. 1 5 .

1 8wy l i e Syphe r , Lo s s o f t h e S e lf , ( N ew :
- o rk 1 Random

H o us e , 1 9 6 2 ) , IP • 5 8 -9 .
1 9Lynne '1/a lde land , J o hn Ch e e ve r , ( Bo s t o n , Ma s s . s Twayne

Pub l i s h e rs , 1 9 7 9 ) , p . 6 5 . Sh e a l s o ment i on s that wi t h the

exc e pt i on o f " T he S o rrow s o f G i n " and " The T roubl e o f Marc ie

Fl int , " " th e s t o ri e s are n o t only � suc c e s s ful but nearly

flawl e s s " ( p . 6 4 ) , and that t h e y repres ent " s ome o f t he

f i ne s t Ame ri can sh o rt s t o ri e s o f t h e tw ent i e t h c e n tury " ( p . 6J ) .

I ha b Ha s san in Ra d i cal I �n o c e n c e ( Princ e t on N . J. s P rin c e ton

Uni ve r s i ty Pre s s , 1 96 1 ) says tha t t h e vo lume is a " fine work , "

whi le Eugene Ch e s n i c k pra i s e s Ch e ever for hi s s t o ryt e l ling

 59

a b i l i ty , " fine c ontro l o f n a rra t i ve pa c e and c on s i d e ra b l e

t e c hni c al inge nui t y " ( p . 12 9 ) . Th e Hous ebrea k er o f S h a d.y

wa s pub l i sh e d in 1 95 8 , and each st o ry has be en c o l l e ct e d

i n T h e S t o r i e s o f J o hn C h e ever ( s e e b e l ow ) o
2 0wa lde land , p . 6J .

2 1 J o hn Ch e eve r , T h e S t o ri e s o f J ohn Ch e e v e r, ( N ew Yo rk ;

B a l l an t i n e Bo o k s , 1 98 0 ) , p. 2 5 5 . A l l s ub s e quent ref erenc e s

t o Ch e e ve r ' s s t o ri e s � i l l b e inc ? rp o ra t ed i n t h e t e xt .
2 2 Poul e t , p . 1 4 o
23
Ma rshall M c L uha n , Und erstand i ng M e d i a , ( N ew
·. Y o rk s

S i gne t B o o ks , 1 964 ) , p . 1 J 8 .
24
J o s e ph Frank , T h e W i d en ing G.v re 1 Cri s i s and Ma s t ery

I n Mod e rn Li t e rature , ( N ew Brun sw i c k , N . J . : Rutg e rs Unive r.i t y

P re s s , 1 9 6 3 ) p . 2 J .
2 5 J ohn Che ev e r , " T a l k with J o hn Ch ever , " With J ohn

H e r s e y , N ew Y o rk T ime s B o o k Revi ew , 6 Ma r c h 1 9 7 7 . p . 2 4 .
26
sa m u e l Coal e , " Ch e ever and Haw t h o rne : The Ame ri can

Romancer ' s A rt , " C ri t i ca l E s says on John Che eve r , E d .

R . G . C o l l �ns , ( B o s t on , Ma s s : G . K . Ha l l & C o . , 1 9 82 ) , p . 2 4 1 .
27
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