Torch Song by John Cheever Excellent

 Torch Song by John Cheever

Excellent

 

 

This is an excellent story about a friendship between a man- Jack and a woman- Joan.

This relationship has ups and downs, which is only natural, but the exceptional thing is that they stay in touch for so long.

They have not been very close, unless I am wrong in assessing this companionship that goes through marriages and other lovers.

Jack is married twice and has a child.

But Joan on the other hand has a series of lovers.

There is a count first, who comes from Switzerland if my memory is not failing me, and he is a drug addict.

Then we meet Hugh who has another addiction, this time to drink.

The series is continued with a nasty German named Franz.

Franz is arrogant, nationalistic and abusive, one would say like all the other men in the life of this strange woman.

At a party where Frank and his first wife are present, the German talks with his friends about the superiority of the German system.

Education is mentioned first and then the culture of Germany in general.

After that, we move on to lower interests and the violent man becomes very upset and then violent over…some chipped cup.

In the kitchen, from the sound of it Frantz hits and slaps his girlfriend.

After this odd incident where Joan tries uselessly to explain that a cup has arrived with a small denture, Joan calls Jack.

She is accused by some neighbors that she is immoral and then the landlord has her evicted with this stain on her reputation.

Jack is very nice and helps his friend get into another place, although the neighborhood is unpleasant and grim.

There is another encounter and Jack passes Joan ion his way, with the latter being yet again abused by a man she was hanging out with.

Jack marries again, but it does not last long.

There is a demonstration of Americans originating from countries invaded by the Nazis, who call for their adoptive country to join the war.

Jack is sent to the war.

Joan has a new friend, but by now we know the pattern.

She sells the jewelry inherited from her grandmother to help the British Pete start a new advertising business.

But as soon as he gets the money, he runs off with a woman that has a convertible car.

Now back from the front, Jack is for a while doing well.

But after a while he gets sick and is down on his luck.

He is left with no money; he has no job and has to borrow money from friends.

In this sorry state, there is only one person that comes to see him.

Joan found her friend and comes to help him.

However, the meeting offers some big surprises and an interesting, if awkward interpretation of Joan’s attitude in the tale.

Great story, but this is the usual astounding standard of John Cheever.