Rabbit, a return

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Rabbit, a return (English: Rabbit Remembered) is a novella by John Updike . It marks the end of the Rabbit series, which began in 1960 with Hasenherz and was continued in 1971 in Under the Astronaut's Moon , 1981 in Better Conditions and 1990 in Rabbit in Peace . The German translation of the last Rabbit volume by Maria Carlsson appeared in 2002. The English text - in contrast to the first four volumes - first appeared in his collection of short stories entitled " Licks of Love ".

action

The antihero of the Rabbit franchise - former basketball star Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom - died ten years ago at the time of the novella.

The story begins with a topic that has been smoldering for decades, namely the question of whether or not the 40-year-old relationship between the now dead Harry and an occasional white prostitute resulted in a child. This fantasy of Harry plays a role again and again in the previous novels and was never clearly clarified. A woman named Annabelle Byer turns to Harry's widow Janice, who has since been remarried, and reveals herself to be Harry's biological daughter. She is looking for some vague help. Her late mother advised her to do so. Annabelle is slowly growing into the family, much to the delight of her half-brother Nelson. His wife Pru has since left him with the children and lives in Ohio again . Harry's grandchildren are 19-year-old Judy, who wants to become a stewardess, and 14-year-old Roy, who mainly communicates with his father via e-mail and who is very interested in computer technology.

A large part of the novella is the discussion within the family about various phenomena in American politics, especially the Bill Clinton affairs . After a visit to the film American Beauty , a heated discussion breaks out in Nelson's car, during which Annabelle tearfully confesses that she was sexually abused by her stepfather. That connects the siblings even more. The atmosphere between Nelson and his wife is also becoming friendlier. A little later, the reader learns through an email from young Roy that his father Nelson has moved to live with his mother in Ohio and that a real family life can apparently be set up again. The narrative ends with Nelson promising his sister to play her bride groom at their possible wedding.

literature

  • John Updike: Rabbit at Rest . 1990.