An Analysis Of Harry’s Identity Crisis In Rabbit Redux

John Updike, best known for his "Rabbit" tetralogy, is one of the most brilliant novelists in contemporary America. Rabbit Redux, published in1971, is the second in a series of novels about the adventures of Harry Angstrom. With reference to a variety of social events, such as the flight and landing of Apollo11, the War of Vietnam, the counterculture movement, the sex revolution and so on, this novel offers the strongest indictment of contemporary America in crisis. Updike gives his response to the1960s by describing in detail Harry’s and his family’s contradictions.This thesis examines how Harry’s attachment to personal freedom, which appears in Rabbit, Run, transfers to his definition of the nation and identity in Rabbit Redux. It examines Harry’s idea of freedom and how its derivative meaning constitutes the American identity under the frame of traditional values. It analyzes how Harry reflects Updike’s confusion and ambivalence towards the social and political changes that beset the United States during the post-war time.By giving the definition of identity and identity crisis, this thesis studies Harry’s spiritual state and his surviving predicaments, and points out that he is suffering from identity crisis. The main part of this thesis examines relevant social events which have influential impact on Harry and his family, such as the landing of Apollo11, the counterculture movement, and the woman liberation movement, in order to explore how his identity crisis comes into being and why he lacks masculinity. The last part tries to analyze possible solutions to Harry’s identity crisis by connecting it with Updike’s three main themes.It is safe to conclude that by depicting Harry in identity crisis, Updike shows his deep reflection on the America society in the1960s. Through Harry’s identity crisis, he reveals that the society and its culture based on traditional values were confronted with challenges and contradictions. His recurring themes of religion, sex, and death are through the whole work, respectively intensifying or relieving Harry’s identity crisis.