The Enormous Radio

The story "The Enormous Radio" by John Cheever is a thought provoking story in that sense that I did not quite understand how significant the radio was at first glance. However, as a reader my expectations forced to believe me that there has to be something very eerie about this radio. The eeriness begins with the radio's ugly gumwood cabinet that stands out inside Irene’s handpicked furniture. After reading it the story a second time through I realized the radio is not just an expensive piece of equipment.

At the beginning of the story the Westcott’s are described as music lovers attending the theater on a regular basis with a love for "serious music". To Irene Westcott’s surprise the interference that the radio was picking up was somehow picking up the conversations of other people living within her apartment complex. Irene begins the story as a perfectly sane individual but there is something about this new found ability to spy on her neighbors that fascinates her. The conversations that the radio is intercepting are not regular dinner conversations it seems as if the radio only transmits the moments on par with Mr. Osborn's beating his wife. Irene is so obsessed by this point that she has become very distant from Jim and cuts the luncheon date short to make sure she doesn't miss any of the "Reality Radio" going on throughout the apartment building. Irene insanity is clear at this point due to lines such as "On the way home, Irene speaks of the stars like a little candle throwing its beam as to "shine a good deed in a naughty world." which I believe refers to the Westcott’s perfect exterior being observed by all the terrible things taking place within the apartment complex. The radio is essentially the focal point to the demise of the Westcott’s both financially trying to balance the cost of the radio, and the clothing Irene had neglected to mention. Coupled with the strain of the emotional detachment Irene ungo from both her husband and her children enviably put an end to the Westcott’s perfect life.

A lot is revealed about the character of Irene the most interesting in this story. Just for the drastic change in character. In the story you get a sense that she probably isn't the most caring mother by how much the maid tends to the children. At the end of the story however it takes it to a whole different level when she is accused of treating an abortion like trip to Nassau, Bahamas. A phrase as bold as that almost makes your jaw drop. I’m still left with questions however, concerning how a radio could intercept a signal that isn’t being transmitted or is this merely a result of a supernatural?