Talk of the Town

In John Updike’s “Talk of the Town: September 11, 2005”, it begins as if things are being described in a surreal way. It’s like things are happening that just can't be explained or believed. The descriptions one can relate to are mixed and violent but at the same time one can tell that the reality seen by the individual is in conflict with his day-to-day life of things.

It’s somber and almost sad to the point of helplessness. Is it real or is it television. Can this really be happening or is this some trick that is being played on the eyes. Is there some kind explanation for what everyone is witnessing, a war on our country or a disaster that is out of control? It's almost as if the writer doesn't want to believe that what is happening is actually real.

When the south tower comes crashing down in a plume of smoke and debris one can tell that the writer finally believes the impact on his life and what his eyes are seeing is real. The way he describes holding his wife closely in mourning leads me to believe he is maybe afraid of losing her or even his sanity of things around him. The writer then describes the second tower collapsing a little more vaguely, maybe because he witnessed it all on television and not from the real life point of view like earlier. Things apparently can be handled a little less alarmingly when they are on television; although, when the first tower fell, one could tell the writer felt helpless and maybe even a little frightened of the things around him and the outcome of the situation. But when the second tower collapsed the writer shows more of a mundane sense of disillusionment and even a little anger. The twisting emotions felt are great but at the same time placid and robotic when witnessed on the television screen. Over all it is easy to detach ones self when viewed through a looking glass perspective.

The imagery of the things to come; flood in from the writer's perspective. It is easy to tell that