link to the story:
https://genius.com/John-cheever-reunion-annotated
Reunion” by John Cheever that I would like everyone to write a reflection on for this week. You will remember I made a point of saying that Charlie the narrator of the story is not the young boy telling it but the man looking back. Character is always important in short stories; often there is a protagonist, one who is changed in some way by the action of the plot; there is also often an antagonist, one who provokes the change. “Reunion” has both a protagonist and an antagonist. Many short stories also have what is called an exposition, a usually brief description of the scene and events that bring us to the story. “Reunion” has that too; it is the first paragraph of the story.
Identity the protagonist and antagonist in “Reunion.” What happens to the protagonist? In what way is he different at the end of the story? What does the antagonist do to the protagonist? What does it say about him?
Lastly, identify something the narrator says in the exposition that sheds light on the meaning of what happens in the story; quote his exact words. What is the impact of that meaning on the protagonist? What does it possibly say about the narrator? Remember the narrator is not the same as the author. What might the author be saying to us his readers by writing this story in this way?
Sample Solution