The Country Husband

Content Warning: This section references domestic violence and alcohol addiction.

“The Country Husband” is a prototypical example of American realism. Through intricate psychological portraits, subtle symbolism, and a detailed exploration of the enclave of Shady Hill, Cheever crafts a layered narrative that invites readers to question whether authenticity is possible within the confines of American suburbia and whether people are capable of Redemption and Change.

Francis Weed experiences three significant events that spur his emotional awakening and develop these overarching themes. The first is the plane crash that opens the story. Although physically unharmed, Francis undergoes a profound emotional shift in the aftermath of the crash. He desperately wants to relay the experience in a meaningful way and experience a resulting emotional connection. However, the people he encounters back in Shady Hill remain indifferent to the event, and the very environment seems to prevent Francis from speaking about it. When he meets his neighbor, Trace Bearden, on the train back from the crash, for example, he struggles to convey the experience: “Francis had no powers that would let him re-create a brush with death—particularly in the