In "Agreeable," the first chapter in Jonathan Franzen's novel Freedom and a standalone short story published in The New Yorker, the language is ironic, and symbols and motifs relate to sports.

Throughout "Agreeable," the language is funny and brings together events and ideas that a reader might not expect. Early on, Franzen explains how Patty was so bored standing in the outfield during softball that she came into the infield and chased a runner into the outfield. Even when the story pivots to Patty's sexual assault, Franzen sticks to the flippant, ironic language. Patty feels "cruelly deprived" that she can't watch her TV show because she has to talk to her dad about the rape.

As for sports, they're a motif because they appear throughout the story. Patty seems to view life through the lens of competition. She processes her rape in the context of sports. She's upset that she, a star basketball player, was raped by a lowly "golfing boy." Additionally, sports seem to symbolize her toughness and resilience. As Franzen writes, Patty "had done wind sprints that hurt as bad as being raped."

Another motif and symbol to discuss is money. Money allows people to fight for justice. At the same time, money helps people avoid accountability. Patty's dad warns her against bringing charges against Ethan because his family has so much money and could hire top lawyers. Meanwhile, Ethan's family helps raise money for prominent politicians advocating human rights and social justice.