Major Issues
Author Links
Essay Questions

Major Issues

John Cheever’s probing presentation of the surface details and underlying depths of upper-middle-class suburbia has attracted considerable critical attention. He has been labelled the "Chekhov of the exurbs." Critics have commented on his characters’ psychological vulnerability, and their anxiety over the inadequacy of the facades that protect them from the underlying chaos: houses, jobs, marriages, social etiquette. The chasm between material and spiritual fulfilment has been identified as a major theme in Cheever’s work. Scholars have examined the focus on spousal and fraternal relationships in Cheever’s fiction, and the many father figures who appear there. The subtle shift from comic to tragic mode in many of his stories has also been noted.

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John Cheever (1912-1982)
A Short bio-critical essay which outlines Cheever’s literary development, major themes, and portrayal of suburban America.

John Cheever: Parody and the Suburban Aesthetic
Four scholarly essays examining Cheever’s portrayal of suburbanites, Puritanism, children, and wives.

Personal Best: The Swimmer
Author Michael Chabon reflects on his favourite short story, Cheever’s "The Swimmer."

Criticisms of John Cheever
Excerpted quotations showing the wide range of critical response to Cheever’s work.