John Updike Writing Styles in The Slump

This Study Guide consists of approximately 39 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of The Slump.

John Updike Writing Styles in The Slump

This Study Guide consists of approximately 39 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of The Slump.
This section contains 636 words
(approx. 2 pages at 400 words per page)
Buy The Slump Study Guide

Monologue

This story is constructed as one continuous monologue given by the ballplayer experiencing the slump to an unidentified audience. Unlike most stories, it is not constructed in individual scenes, and it does not contain dialogue between individual characters. Instead, all of the action occurs in the head of the speaker. It is not shown to readers but is rather told to them.

Narrative

Because the action is set so deeply within this one person's consciousness, the narrative flow of the story shifts freely, more like a person's rambling thoughts than like a structured story. In some cases, this can confuse readers, making them feel that they have stepped into the middle of a situation that has not been adequately explained. For instance, the first paragraph begins, "They say reflexes," without providing any background about who "they" are or why they say this. The second paragraph starts off with...

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This section contains 636 words
(approx. 2 pages at 400 words per page)
Buy The Slump Study Guide
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Gale
The Slump from Gale. ©2005-2006 Thomson Gale, a part of the Thomson Corporation. All rights reserved.