Reunion

Most of the dialogue in the story is between Charlie’s father and the waiters. However, Charlie, too, is present in these moments. What does Charlie’s lack of dialogue reveal about Charlie’s relationship with his father?

Although not a character in the story, Charlie’s mother is briefly mentioned in the first paragraph. Analyze how her presence in the narrative contributes to one or more of the themes. Look closely at word choice to support your thinking.

Given that the title “Reunion” is ironic, what would be an effective alternative title for the story and why? Support your thinking with evidence from the text.

Some would argue that there are parallels between John Cheever’s life and this story. How does knowing the author’s context help us understand and evaluate “Reunion”? What new interpretations or inferences come to light in reading the story from this perspective?

How would this story change if it were written from a third-person omniscient point of view? How would this impact the themes and symbolism present in the story?

The title of the story can be considered ironic, or the opposite of what’s expected, due to the connotations of the word “reunion.” What else in Cheever’s narrative could be considered ironic and why?

Symbols are not just limited to objects or places. People, too, can be symbolic of ideas or concepts. Given this, what might Charlie represent in the story? What about his father?

Although written from his perspective, Charlie is nearly invisible in the middle of the narrative, except for him following his father into and out of each restaurant. Evaluate Cheever’s decision to write the story in this way. How would the narrative change if Charlie shared his internal thoughts in these moments, or if he interjected?