A Feminist Reading of Rabbit, Run by UpdikeI don't like Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom. This creation of John Updike, this man who abandons his pregnant wife and young son, and his alliance with the feeling of restlessness and rebellion of the late 1950s makes me angry. Many times throughout this novel my cheeks blushed furiously and I couldn't contain my exasperated sighs. When I read the last sentences of Rabbit, Run and closed the book, I was disappointed. It's not because Updike can't make clear where or to whom Rabbit runs (home to his wife? back to the prostitute?). Surprisingly, I was very disappointed because the novel had come to an end. While my reaction to Rabbit was negative, it was a very strong reaction; I was emotionally involved. Because Updike created this anti-heroic yet charming main character, I was absorbed into his world. I don't like Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom, but thanks to Updike's writing ability, I get it. And by understanding this, I am able to realize the importance of his place among the most influential (particularly American) literary figures. Part of the reason that Updike's novel (and the subsequent three Rabbit novels to follow) has become such an essential piece of literature in the American tradition is Rabbit itself. While not likable, there are various important aspects and depth to Harry Angstrom's character that cannot be overlooked. Some critics choose to look at the surface and explore the nature of Rabbit by comparing it to rabbits (the animal). There are many instances where we see Rabbit behave very similarly to his namesake. For example, when he visits his parents' house, Updike describes him in very rabbit-like terms: The rabbit steals up to him... middle of the paper... ask him anything. Works Cited Detweiler, Robert. John Updike. Indianapolis: Indiana University, 1984. 33-45.Kielland-Lund, Erik. “The Americanness of Rabbit, Run: A Transatlantic Vision.” New essays on Rabbit, run. Ed. Stanley Trachtenberg. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993. 77-94.O'Connell, Mary. Updike and the patriarchal dilemma. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 1996. 13-36.Pinsker, Sanford. “Restlessness in the 1950s: What Made the Rabbit Run?” New essays on Rabbit, run. Ed. Stanley Trachtenberg. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993. 53-76.Stevick, Philip. “The full range of Updike's prose.” New essays on Rabbit, run. Ed. Stanley Trachtenberg. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993. 31-52.Updike, John. Rabbit, run. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1960.