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Persistence Of Desire by John Updike

Love Is Not Mean To Be Forced

By Sthefani RenPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
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Persistence Of Desire by John Updike
Photo by 🇸🇮 Janko Ferlič on Unsplash

Love Is Not Meant To Be Forced

John Updike’s short story ‘The Persistence of Desire’ tells a story of a man named Clyde who returns to his hometown in Massachusets, for a doctor’s appointment, and while doing so he runs into his former lover Janet. Clyde is conflicted by his desire and his present life. ‘The Persistence of Desire’ is a story based on what could have been if Clyde had taken a different path. John Updike’s short story is written to introduce that love can not be forced and some things are best to be left behind. He achieves this justification by introducing Clyde the protagonist as a character who is dwelling on the past and as a person who desires someone who no longer feels the same affection for him.

John Updike’s purpose for writing this story is to establish that love is not meant to be forced nor obligated. Love is meant to shine and bright when you look into someone’s eyes. John Updike provides us specific examples of visual imagery that lead to his main point. For example, when Clyde arrives at his doctor’s office and he runs into his former lover Janet he expresses himself toward other people as someone who is judgemental. He thinks, “Poor Janet, Clyde felt; except for the interval of himself - his splendid, perishable self- she would never see the light.” Clyde expresses his true internal feelings towards Janet. He is a man with a lot of feelings left unsaid. And a man with an unsteady judgment. The irony is that he is the one who cannot see the light. He isn’t seeing the truth of what’s in front of him. Clyde is the one who is unable to see the light. He is inflicted by his own emotions. Love is not meant to be forced by uncertain actions of behavior love is meant to run freely. Romantic love is a magnetic field felt by two individuals, love is not a magnetic field if it is only felt by one person. Clyde is wrapped around a romantic love magnetic field only felt by him. Janet is no longer his nor ever will be.

The character Clyde experiences struggle throughout the story. He has a difficult time keeping comments to himself and maintaining his hands to himself. During his encounter with Janet at the doctor’s office, he wandered around from room to room as he used to do so when they were both in high school. “Clyde in high school had become fairly bold in heckling teachers he considered stupid or unjust. He got out of his chair, looked down the hall to where a white splinter of secretary showed and quickly walked past a close to one ajar. His blood told him. “This one.” Clyde is creeping through the hallways looking for Janet while he analyzes the teacher’s performance. Clyde seems to still cling unto the past. He feels that he can finish what he started. Although he is happy with his present life and marriage he isn’t fully satisfied with himself. His intentions might be pure but his actions say otherwise. His own blood and instinct told him where to find Janet. The main concern here is that Janet does not want to be found by him she has moved on with her life and Clyde wants to force a spark that is no longer there. This shows us that Clyde is not aware of Janet’s feelings he is only looking at his own feelings and emotions.

In conclusion, Clyde is often crisscrossed by his personality and actions. Sometimes when we leave feelings unsaid we regret not receiving closure. And that can sometimes cause actions of immaturity and unhappiness. Clyde is left unable to see from his eye dilation. In the same way, he is unable to see what is right in front of him. A girl he used to love and a hometown he used to live in. A different life away from what once could have been.

References

Persistence of Desiser by John Updike (shortstory)

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Sthefani Ren

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