'Rabbit, Run' by John Updike follows the story of Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom, a former high school basketball star who feels trapped in his mundane life as a husband and father. The novel explores Rabbit's selfish and self-centered nature as he makes questionable decisions, such as leaving his pregnant wife, leading to a series of misadventures and failed attempts at finding fulfillment. Updike's writing style captures the complexities of human relationships and emotions, portraying Rabbit's inner turmoil and the impact of his actions on those around him.
Amidst the backdrop of Rabbit's internal struggles and external conflicts, Updike weaves a narrative that delves into themes of disillusionment, selfishness, and the pursuit of identity and purpose. The novel intricately depicts Rabbit's journey of self-discovery and the consequences of his impulsive actions, offering a poignant reflection on the human condition and the complexities of personal relationships.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings for Rabbit, Run include themes of infidelity, sexual assault, alcohol abuse, domestic violence, and a tragic loss of a child.
Has Romance?
The novel contains significant romantic elements, particularly regarding Rabbit's relationships with his wife, Janice, and his mistress, Ruth.
From The Publisher:
"A lacerating story of loss and of seeking, written in prose that is charged with emotion but is always held under impeccable control."-Kansas City Star
Rabbit, Run is the book that established John Updike as one of the major American novelists of his-or any other-generation. Its hero is Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom, a onetime high-school basketball star who on an impulse deserts his wife and son. He is twenty-six years old, a man-child caught in a struggle between instinct and thought, self and society, sexual gratification and family duty-even, in a sense, human hard-heartedness and divine Grace. Though his flight from home traces a zigzag of evasion, he holds to the faith that he is on the right path, an invisible line toward his own salvation as straight as a ruler's edge.
Ratings (13)
Incredible (1) | |
Loved It (4) | |
Liked It (2) | |
It Was OK (2) | |
Did Not Like (2) | |
Hated It (2) |
Reader Stats (29):
Read It (13) | |
Want To Read (14) | |
Did Not Finish (1) | |
Not Interested (1) |
1 comment(s)
2.5 stars. Well I didn't hate it, I dissliked Harry but I didn't hate the story. I just feelt so so bored because I simply didn't care. I don't need to like characters to enjoy the story but it's need more depts and meaningful content to make the story interesting but I found the story rather bland. I would normally get a series a second chance but with this I'm just not interested, wish I feelt different about it
What can you read after
Rabbit, Run?
About the Author:
JOHN UPDIKE is the author of more than sixty books, eight of them collections of poetry. His novels won the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle, and the William Dean Howells Medal of the American…
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