The Wapshot Chronicle (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: John Cheever
- First Published: 1957
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Family
- Time of Work: The 1890’s to the 1950’s
- Setting: St. Botolphs, Massachusetts; Washington, D.C.; and New York City
- Genres: Long fiction, Social realism, Regional fiction, Family literature, Satire
- Subjects: Family or family life, New York, North America or North Americans, Northeast, U.S., United States or Americans, Tradition, Love or romance, Suicide, Twentieth century, Nineteenth century, New York City, New England, Washington, D.C., Life, philosophy of, Eccentrics or eccentricities, Boats or boating
- Locales: New York, NY, Washington, D.C., St. Botolphs, MA
Characters Discussed
Moses Wapshot, the handsome, promising elder son of Leander and Sarah Wapshot. His quasi-idyllic life in St. Botolphs, a formerly prosperous Massachusetts river town, comes to an abrupt end when his aunt Honora discovers his affair with Rosalie Young. In the same way that earlier generations of young Wapshot males were sent to sea, Moses is sent out into a tempestuous modern America. In Washington, D.C., he loses his government job because his affair with a singer named Beatrice makes him a security risk. Immediately afterward, a chance meeting leads to a...
[The entire page is 1205 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
See Also
