5. The Enormous Radio

This is an open blog forum for Cheever's story "The Enormous Radio". In other words, you are now in control of the comments you post. You may ask questions, provide interpretations of the text, analyse the characters, define vocabulary, closely examine quotations, give your reactions and so on. The choice is yours. I will also participate and provide feedback as usual. Try to make the discussion as interactive as possible. What you write here may be very useful to others in preparing for the exams or the presentation. Happy writing!

4. Media and the erosion of values

TASK ONE
Murrow claims that "No body politic is healthy until it begins to itch" (226). Explain what he means in your own words. How can the media be instrumental in making us "itch"?

TASK TWO
Do you have a "plug-in drug"? (e.g. your mobile, laptop, iPod, etc.?) Do you see any danger in your dependence on this object, or do you see it as just a routine part of your life? Do you agree with Winn that TV is a "plug-in drug"?

TASK THREE
Rushdie's fear is that "our voyeurism will become more demanding" (241), leading to shows that will "feed our hunger for more action, more pain, more vicarious thrills" (241). Has this fear been realised in any way since this essay was published in 2001? Do you think Rushdie is correct to be alarmed, or do you think viewers will continue to be satisfied with the present level of thrills and action? Justify your answer with specific examples.

TASK FOUR
Write a summary of The Truman Show (maximum 50 words).