Separating
by John Updike
Conflict
Plot Line
Rising Action: The Maple's have a family dinner with their children (with the exception of Dickie who is at a concert and will be picked up later that night). Richard's tears raise curiosity and Joan decides to announce the separation to their children then and there.
Climax: Richard picks up Dickie at the train station late at night. He must break the news about the separation to his oldest son on the ride home. Lots of tension has built up towards Dickie's reaction this moment and as he is the last child to hear of the separation.
Falling Action: Once Dickie is home and in bed, his parents say goodnight to him. As Richard bends to kiss his face, his child moans one word in his ear: "Why?"
"Why. It was a whistle of wind in a crack, a knife thrust, a window thrown open on emptiness. The white face was gone, the darkness was featureless. Richard had forgotten why" (807).
Resolution: In my opinion, there was no resolution in "Separating". A resolution is a point where the story's conflicts are resolved and loose ends are tied together. None of this occurred at the end the of this short story as the protagonist was left with a very important question that was never answered.