Perhaps the most revered Updike novels are his Rabbit tetralogy, comprised of four books that ran from 1959 to 1991, which detail the center of American life, i.e. the middle class. Hence, the protagonist Harry ‘Rabbit’ Angstrom can be regarded as Updike’s most famous character. From his Rabbit series, the first novel Rabbit, Run is without doubt Updike’s most recognized book. In Updike’s own words, Rabbit is a character that is similar to the author. Hence, Updike once told Michael Rogers in an interview that even though he does not have the same social background and sociological circumstances as his character Rabbit, many of his ideas and thoughts enter Rabbit’s head. Thus, one might be justified in claiming that the Rabbit novels are also partly autobiographical.
However, since the novel Rabbit Run has been published, some critics have not held it in great esteem.
Nevertheless, Detweiler also claims that today the novel can be appreciated more fully for its artistic qualities – and these qualities are, in fact, quite numerous. Hence, there are many critics who appreciate Updike’s style and his mastery of language. For example, Rachael C. Burchard calls Updike’s art of writing “superb” and says that “[h]is work is worth reading if for no reason other than to enjoy the piquant phrase, the lyric vision, the fluent rhetoric”.
In the following, it will be analyzed which techniques Updike uses in the novel Rabbit, Run. Hence, it will be focused primarily on the narrative technique. In a second step, the structure of the novel will also be analyzed and the central motif of the quest will be dealt with.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Narrative Technique
3. Structure and Central Motif
4. Summary
5. Bibliography
Research Objectives and Key Topics
This work examines the innovative narrative techniques and structural motifs employed by John Updike in his 1960 novel Rabbit, Run, specifically focusing on how his use of the present tense and the recurring theme of the "quest" create a cinematic experience that reflects the moral dilemmas of mid-20th-century American life.
- Analysis of narrative style and the exclusive use of the present tense.
- Examination of the "zigzag" structural motif in relation to the protagonist's development.
- Investigation into the protagonist as a "non-hero" figure within a dialectical social context.
- Exploration of the quest motif as a search for deeper meaning versus social constraints.
Excerpt from the Book
2. Narrative Technique
A colored girl in an orange uniform that he guesses from the frills is supposed to look South American comes and he tells her two Daiquiris. She flips shut her pad and walks off and he sees her back is open halfway down her spine, so a bit of black bra shows. Compared with this her skin isn’t black at all. Soft purple shadows flitter on the flats of her back where the light hits. She has a pigeon-toed way of sauntering, swinging those orange frills. She doesn’t care about him; he likes that, that she doesn’t care.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces John Updike’s significance in American literature and provides context on the Rabbit tetralogy, while establishing the author's focus on the novel's stylistic and narrative components.
2. Narrative Technique: This chapter analyzes Updike's mastery of metaphor and his innovative, exclusive use of the present tense to create cinematic immediacy and a sense of "presentness" for the reader.
3. Structure and Central Motif: This chapter explores the "zigzag" structural nature of the novel and investigates Rabbit’s flight as both an escape from social constraints and an unfulfilled religious quest.
4. Summary: This chapter synthesizes the previous analyses, concluding that the novel’s power lies in its experimental technique and its portrayal of a protagonist caught in an endless search for truth.
5. Bibliography: This section lists all primary and secondary sources used to support the literary analysis of the novel.
Keywords
John Updike, Rabbit Run, narrative technique, present tense, zigzag structure, moral dilemma, literary quest, non-hero, American literature, Harry Angstrom, cinematic quality, social constraint, metaphor, Rabbit tetralogy, modern fiction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental subject of this publication?
This work is a literary analysis of John Updike’s 1960 novel Rabbit, Run, focusing on how the author uses specific narrative techniques and motifs to convey the protagonist's experience.
What are the primary thematic fields addressed?
The core themes include the conflict between individual freedom and social responsibility, the "zigzag" nature of human existence, and the portrayal of the protagonist as a modern, anti-heroic seeker.
What is the central research question?
The work seeks to analyze the specific literary techniques—such as the exclusive use of the present tense and the zigzag structure—that Updike employs to represent the emotional and social history of the American middle class.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author employs a qualitative literary analysis, utilizing primary text examination and comparing findings with established secondary literature from literary critics and theorists.
What is discussed in the main body of the text?
The main body covers the analysis of Updike’s metaphorical style, the cinematic effect of his present-tense narration, and the structural motif of the "quest" that defines the protagonist’s journey.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include John Updike, Rabbit Run, narrative technique, present tense, zigzag structure, moral dilemma, and literary quest.
How does the "zigzag" structure relate to the protagonist?
The "zigzag" structure reflects Rabbit's restless and aimless movement through life, where his attempts at "zigging" toward freedom are constantly countered by the "zag" of social restraints.
Why is the protagonist often described as a "non-hero"?
He is labeled a non-hero because he lacks traditional heroic virtues, abandons his family responsibilities, and acts driven by instinctual and selfish desires rather than moral duty.
- Quote paper
- Sirinya Pakditawan (Author), 2005, Imagery and technique in John Updike's 'Rabbit, Run' (1960), Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/94548
