John UpdikeBy: Cara Hennahane and Miles Jaben

Segment 1 – History• Born in Shillington, Pennsylvania on March 18th,

1932• Only child, lived with parents and grandparents• Loved consumed popular fiction - especially humor

and mysteries, gifted at drawing• lifelong churchgoer, student of Christian theology• Mother was also a writer, encouraged him to write

and draw• Excelled in school - president and co-valedictorian of

his class at Shillington High School• Graduated Summa Cum Laude from Harvard 1954,

majored in English• Wrote stories, drew cartoons for Harvard Lampoon

magazine, was magazines president senior year• Before graduating, married fellow student Mary E.

Pennington• After graduating, spent a year studying art in

England, studied at Oxford's Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art.

• Had 3 children• After England, came back to America, worked at The

New Yorker

Segment 1 – History cont.• First stories appeared at The New Yorker, worked

there for almost two years, remained a regular contributor until death.

• Later in 1950s, left The New Yorker and left NYC with family

• Settled in Ipswich, Massachusetts to become at home, full time writer

• His work achieved through dedicated, steady work.• His books were said to be “the fruit of patience,

leisure, and craft.”• In 1970s, Updike traveled as a cultural ambassador

of the United States• Separated from his wife Mary in 1974• Moved to Boston and briefly taught at Boston

University• Two years later, divorced wife Mary• 1977 he married Martha Ruggles Bernhard• Settled with her and her three children in

Georgetown, Massachusetts.• Spent his last years in Beverly Farms, Massachusetts• Died of lung cancer in 2009

Segment 2 – Awards, Honors and Important Works

• His first novel published in 1958 called The Poorhouse Fair

• Since first novel, not only published many novels and stories but also seven books of poetry, a play, and large store of book reviews and other writings

• Book of poetry - The Carpentered Hen and Other Tame Creatures, published by Harper and Brothers, 1958

• Most admired by some readers as author of the “Olinger” stories

• Readers say a sense of life is found in his stories, novels and poetry

• Wrote 5 childrens books - the magic flute (1962) the ring (1964) a child’s calendar (1965) bottoms dream (1969) and a helpful alphabet of friendly objects (1995)

• Said to be our era’s most sensitive craftsman of personal and social manners

• 1963, received the National Book Award for novel The Centaur, inspired by childhood in PN

• 1964, age 32, became the youngest person ever elected to the National Institute of Arts and Letters

• Was invited by State Department to tour Europe as part of a cultural exchange program between US and USSR

Segment 2 – Awards, Honors, and Important Works cont.

• 1968, novel Couples created a national sensation• Couples stayed on the best-seller lists for over a year• Couples lead to Time magazine cover story featuring

Updike• Rabbit is Rich, 1981 - received many awards, most

notably - Pulitzer Prize for Fiction• 1983, published Bech is Back, prompted second Time

magazine cover story – Going Great at 50• 1991, received second Pulitzer Prize for Rabbit at Rest –

3rd American to win a 2nd Pulitzer Prize in fiction• Famously identified sex, art, and religion as "the three

great secret things" in human experience• Grandson of a Presbyterian minister, all writings had

philosophical questions• awarded Campion Award from Jesuit Magazine of

America ,1997• received National Medal of Art from President Bush• 1989, and 2003 received National Medal for the

Humanities from President George W. Bush. • One of very few Americans to receive both these

honors• 2008, last book - The Widows of Eastwick - sequel to

1984 novel, The Witches of Eastwick.

Segment 3- Summary of John Updike’s “Seperating”

• In this story Richard and his wife Joan’s marriage has been falling apart and they don’t seem to even enjoy each other’s company anymore. The story centers around this couple’s separation. It is never made clear the exact reason for the ending of the marriage; although it is made known that it is Richard’s decision to leave. The story follows the family through the decision of how to tell their kids about their separation up to each of their different reactions. In this story some traits you would associate with a dominant male figure are inherited by Joan, the wife, and some actions you would expect from a female are taken on by Richard. For example at the dinner table Richard starts to cry uncontrollably and his wife, Joan, seems to stay cool, calm, and collected during the whole ordeal of revealing their decision of separating. When they break the news each child reacts differently, his daughters both stayed pretty calm, his son John flipped out and had to be consoled on a walk by his father. Richard picked up his son Dickie from the train station to break the news to him on the ride home. Dickie took the news in stride and went to bed so he could get up early for work. Although right at the end when he goes to kiss him goodnight he whispers in his father’s ear, “why?”. This was like “a knife thrust” to Richard and then he seems to have forgotten why he wanted to separate in the first place.

Segment 3- Analysis of “Separating”

• John Updike’s short story “Separating” focuses on what a modern day family is like, it is just another classic example of how he is such a great writer when it comes to “middleness” in America. This story was very detailed and descriptive when dealing with the character’s emotions and actions. This is a story I am sure a lot of Americans can relate to with either going through a divorce themselves or being a kid and having your mom and dad separate. John Updike is known for taking things that middle America goes through and putting them in a light that his readers can relate to and “Separating” is a prime example of this. He shows the family member’s different feelings and aspects to show how something can affect everyone in different ways.

Works Cited

• The Norton Anthology, American Literature. (2007). New York, London: W.W. Norton and Company. Retrieved March, 23rd 2010

• Liukkonen, Petri (2008). Retrieved March 23rd, 2009. http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/updike.htm