Essay Questions

How does the near-death experience that Francis Weed has change his life?

After surviving a plane crash, Francis Weed’s life is changed, and that too for the worst as he becomes increasingly disturbed and spontaneous. Perhaps as an attempt to make the most out of his second lease of life, the character becomes increasingly imprudent. Weed is fixated on their maid Anne, which reinforces the problems he has with his wife. The negative happenings in Weed’s life, as well as his troubles after the plane crash, can be argued to be as a result of the notion of living each day to the fullest as if it were one’s last—a kind of making up for chances lost.

Francis Weed is both a lucky and an unlucky character in John Cheever’s The Country Husband. Is this assertion correct?

Surviving the plane crash becomes the most significant symbol of Francis Weed’s luck explored in the short story. Not only does the character view this as a new chance at life, but he also makes the most out of it. In this way, the plane crash survival can be argued as a symbol of luck in Weed’s life. On the other hand, Weed’s unfortunate aspect is brought out when he becomes increasingly troubled by his actions, becomes fixated on the maid, and even gets into arguments with his wife.

Explore the character of Francis Weed as highlighted by John Cheever in The Country Husband.

A predominant character that Weed embodies is impulsivity. After surviving the plane crash, Weed becomes preoccupied with living his life to make up for the second chance, an ideology that comes with being impulsive. Additionally, because the character seeks to have an illicit relationship with the maid, he can also be argued as unfaithful. Weed is also troubled, as can be seen through his visits to the psychiatrist after being obsessed with the maid, which also paints him as obsessive.