A Story Analysis: The Reunion

The Reunion is a short story written by John Cheever in 1962. The story follows a father and a son meeting after three years. The story covers some dark topics, like alcoholism and possibly, death.

The story follows the protagonist, Charlie, and the last time he meets with his father. After meeting with his father three years after his parent's divorce, Charlie is excited to spend some time with his father. He wants a memento from their time together, like a photo. They go to a bar and his father orders alcohol while acting rude and arrogant towards the bartender. Because of this, they need to leave and go to another bar.

In the second bar, they finally have their drinks. The father wants another alcoholic beverage for himself and his son. The bartender says that he won't serve the boy another drink since Charlie looks, and probably is, underaged. Then, they leave the bar to find another place.

In the third bar, the father ordered alcohol with slurred speech. This caused an argument between the father and the bartender and they leave the place to go to an Italian restaurant. In this restaurant, the father speaks Italian to show off to Charlie but the waiter says that he doesn't understand Italian. The father insists that the waiter understands Italian and keeps speaking Italian. The waiter speaks with the captain and then says that all their tables are reserved. Leaving the restaurant, Charlie says his train is coming soon and they start walking to the station. His father realizes how he put his son below alcohol and starts apologizing. He wants to buy a newspaper for Charlie, as a memento from him, but Charlie refuses, saying he has to go. This becomes the last time he sees his father.

The emphasis of the last time at the start of the story and the end is different and catches the reader unguarded. At first, the reader thoughts that was the last time they met and would be able to do so. The end, however, suggests that Charlie won't be seeing his father again. Considering how his father acts in the story, it wouldn't be wrong to say he is addicted to the alcohol and that may cause an illness, or his death. It is also possible that Charlie cuts ties with his father because he isn't the same person he dreamed of meeting after a long time.

To me, what makes this story dark is the death of the author. The author, John Cheever, also had alcoholism. This makes the father in the story more relatable and real. Maybe, in a way, Cheever put his feelings toward his alcoholism into this story. Also, the brilliant title deserves praise. The bittersweet feeling of staying with the reader would be incomplete without such a hopeful title. Although sad, the story is a great read and has many layers. Maybe, at first, readers would be mad at the father for his need for alcohol prevents him from spending quality time with his son. Or maybe, readers would be mad at the son for not caring about his father's alcoholism. Yet, in the end, only sadness remains. For the father, the son, and the severed bond between them.

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Image from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cheever