The Epitome Of The Times

ABSTRACTJohn Updike (l932---- ) is one of the most prolific Ainerican moderndriters. Since the publication of his first story in l954, his literary outpul isinunense. He has done well in stories, poetries, conunents and children's books,and uhat he is good at is novels. So far his qUartet of Rabbit has been regardedas the summit of his fictions.First of all, Updike's set of Rabbit, Rabbtt, Run, Rabbit Redux Rabbit IsRich and Rabbil Al Rest, successfully portrays Haro; a typical anti-hero and theepitome of the times. In the publication and the progress of the story, therehaPpens to be an interval of decade betWeen every two of his Rabbit books froml950s to the end of l980s. Updike not onl}' tells us the story of his hero Hapwith the nicAnaxne of "Rabbit" from vou1h to death. but also makes his herorepresent the spirit of the times and reflect the Ainerican social changes after theSecond World WaLThe author develops his story with his protagonist, an average person incontradictions and conflicts to go further into and refract all the strata of modernAinerican life: politics, the development of science and technology, family life,human relationship, etc. The quariet is fluent, coherent and exquisite, by whichpeople can be much enlightened.Furthermore, "Rabbit" embodies the crisis of existence of thecontemporaries. It concems the dilemma of modem man in relation to hisself identification and the duty as a member of family and society. As aquestionef, Rabbit longs for keeping the freedom and glory When he was playingbasketball and does what he wants to, while as husband and father, his5responsibility binds his hand and foot and traPs him into stereotyped life. Hisfears and wotries are be}rond description. The loss of faith and the futility of hispursuit harass him. The desire aild impuIsion for realizing his self value ofexistence leads Harry to run into snags and is foiled evenwhere as SaulBellow's Augie March. U/ith the change of his age and social position, hispursuit declines. The desire for freedom of personality is still squirming in hisdeep heart, yet he has no choice but to compromise with the reality. He findshimself living in a spirit'Ual wasteland, as T. S. Eliot's epochal poem suggests,where life is meaningless and futile and man feels homeless, estranged andhaunted by a sense of doom. Updike not only describes the alienation amongmodem men and the perplexities. worries. distempers and furies of theAmerican contemporaries, but the unreality of their attempt to escaPe from lifeand the social responsibility.There is an introduction and five chaPters in my thesis. In the introduction,l simply present the author's life. his success in literary careeY, the state ofChinese critics on him and his devotion to the thLree great secret things: sex,religion, art.In the first four chapters I present and discuss how the protagonist becomesthe epitome of the times according to the diachronic order of the publication ofthe four books.In ChaPter One, the hero Hany with the nickname of Rabbit runs betweenhis wife and his mistress in RabbiI. Run because he is dissatisfied with life-----his marriage, his job, his famil}r and his wife's family. He is puzzled andwants to realize hjs self identification and find out "why I am l not the others?"In this chaPtCr I also discuss the process of the loss of his faith.In ChaPter Two Rabbit is back on earth from "space" and becomes a patriotin Rabbit Redus in 1960s. He has no alternative about life, but observing and6exploring through other "astronauts": his wife's elopement uith his friendCharlie, his adoption of "Moon Children" Jill, a White Hippie and Skeeter, ablack leader and the caPabilit}r of his younger sister Mim, a prostitute. Rabbit iswaiting cautious1y and miserab1}' for his chance to realize his dreams.In ChaPter Three, Harry is rich and doesn't run away anyInore because ofhis uife's inheritance in Rabb...