Marriage break-ups, especially where children are involved, can be stressful for all concerned. John Updike’s Separating is written from a self-absorbed husband/father’s point of view. Ironically, despite Richard’s inferred infidelity, Updike reverses traditional gender roles by painting him as the weepy, emotional victim and his wife Joan as the heartless, unforgiving partner pushing for separation. The children demonstrate varying levels of understanding and acceptance. Older son Dickie’s “romantic” kiss highlights the confusion among them, and Richard’s shallowness finally shows through in his inability to answer Dickie’s obvious question. Themes: family, marriage, separation, anguish, guilt, confusion, regret.
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