Hidden Truths in the Enormous Radio "The Enormous Radio" by John Cheever represents the enormous amount of truths hidden in American society in the 1940s. Society's problems during this period were hidden behind a facade of goodness; however, this false innocence becomes visible through the radio owned by the Westcotts. The radio evolves the Westcotts from an innocent, naive couple who believe everything they see is real, into individuals who realize that appearances are deceiving. Cheever develops the innocence motif with details such as Irene's "broad and beautiful forehead on which there is nothing to which everything had been written" (817). Cheever also includes the fact that Irene "wore a cloak of fitch skins dyed to resemble mink" (817). This is a very dishonest, not innocent, clue to the status of the Westcotts. Jim's youth also represents innocence: Cheever states that he "dressed in the clothes his class had worn at Andover, and his manner was serious, vehement, and willfully naive" (817). These innocent appearances will be recognized and reflected upon once the radio is delivered to your home. The radio, a suitably ugly instrument, seems "like an aggressive intruder" (817). Kendle Burton concludes from this statement that "For Irene, it is a satanic invader of Westcott's world of apparent innocence" (128). Cheever writes, “The powerful and ugly instrument, with its faulty sensitivity to discordance, was more than she could hope to master” (818). This refers to how Irene ignores the ugliness of her life. Jim also tries to ignore these appearances by simply shutting them out. He explains to Irene that she shouldn't listen to the radio. He can turn it off. Jim is explaining that they too... middle of paper... wear a mask of innocence. The Westcotts have lost an illusory faith in themselves and their society. Now they have to start finding a real one with each other. Nowadays this recognition of society's horrible secrets such as drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, racial discrimination, domestic violence, sexism and many others are all too vivid. The only question that remains is whether it is better to recognize these hidden secrets like today, or ignore them like yesterday? Works Cited Burton, Kendle. "Cheever's Use of Mythology in 'The Enormous Radio'". Contemporary literary criticism. Detroit: Gale, 1980. Cheever, John. "The huge radio." Harper's Anthology of Fiction. Ed. Silvano Barnet. NY: HarperCollins, 1991. Rupp, Richard. “Of That Time, Those Places: The Tales of John Cheaper.” Criticism of short stories. Detroit: Gale, 1988.