Separating
by John Updike
Conflict
Richard Maples
Joan Maples
John Maples
Plot Line
- Exposition: The story begins with immediately begins with the plan of telling their children that they are separating. With some time before all the children are assembled Richard remembers the main event that led up to them going to separate, them having the tennis court built, and relates it's disarray like his mood is currently because of having to tell the children. Richard then proceeds to go over the plan of telling the children, while in the process getting to learn all the names of the children. Finally the exposition ends with Richard fixing a lock, thinking about how before he leaves he must repair everything that needs repairing, like a magician making sure everything is right before they escape.
- Rising Action: The start of dinner is when the tension really starts to build up in the story, because this is also the part when Richard begins to cry, all the emotions that he felt before hand built up just seem to burst out right near the beginning of dinner. Also, soon after the crying ensues the separation is revealed before the parents even say anything, because Margaret made the accident of letting Richard and Joan find out that they knew. Now that the separation has been revealed to most of the children, a discussion happened because they wanted were curious why. Then John starts to throw a fit because he is a bit tippy from the champagne and he needs to vent, he made a scene at the dinner table and then stormed out of the house. Once Richard finally calmed John down the party went on without Richard. Finally, a car ride to go pick up his other son, Richard Jr., he is filled with reluctant thoughts to tell this child all through out the car ride and the build all the way up to Richard Jr. stepping into the car.
- Climax: Finally, the time comes when Richard is finally telling his son about his separation, and you find out one of many reason that Richard and Joan decided to separate; there was another women that he loved. A moment of extreme build up has finally passed and the major conflict resolved.
- Falling Action: After the ride home with idle chit-chat about how the revealing went with the rest of the family reacted to the the separation, they finally go home and into their own bedrooms. Then Richard goes to bid goodnight to Richard Jr. and is met with the surprise with his oldest son in tears asking one word about the separation, "Why" (8). Finally the revelation dawns upon Robert, he didn't remember why they were separating.
- Resolution: There really is no closure, it leaves the reader in though wondering my Richard can't remember.
Figurative Language
Why does a marriage break up?
This theme really makes the story appealing and worth the read - though just a eight page story the author put in these ideas that most people may or have experienced in their own lives, like falling in and out of love with another person and dealing with the downfall. In this case the downfall for this is Robert having to inform his and Joan's children of their separation. Besides the reflection that makes it interesting and really make you think, the way the story is written has its own unique style that I enjoyed to read. It had a very nice mixture of imagery, which is a necessity in really any story, and the plot was something simple, yet something you don't think that much about so it really brings it to your attention. Also writing about telling children that your separating could be boring to read, but Updike really make this a intresting read and I highly recommend it.