The Housebreaker of Shady Hill by John Cheever
“The Housebreaker of Shady Hill” by John Cheever tells the story of Johnny Hake, a seemingly ordinary man living in a tranquil New York suburb. After resigning from his job in the plastic wrap industry, Johnny struggles to manage his finances and, in a moment of desperation, commits theft by breaking into a neighbor’s house and stealing a wallet. This act ignites a profound sense of guilt and paranoia, leading him to reflect on his moral standing and the nature of crime in his community. As Johnny grapples with his actions, he experiences personal turmoil, affecting his relationships with his family and friends.
The narrative also critiques suburban life, highlighting the hidden complexities and moral dilemmas faced by its residents. As Johnny faces a turning point during a rainy night, he reconnects with life's simple pleasures and gains clarity regarding his values, ultimately turning away from theft. He reconciles with his past mistakes by returning the stolen money and accepting a job offer in his former profession. Cheever’s story is a poignant exploration of guilt, redemption, and the search for identity amidst societal expectations.
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The Housebreaker of Shady Hill by John Cheever
First published: 1954
Type of plot: Domestic realism
Time of work: The 1950's
Locale: Shady Hill, a fictional suburb of New York City
Principal Characters:
Johnny Hake , the narrator and protagonist, a thirty-six-year-old businesspersonChristina , his wife
The Story
"The Housebreaker of Shady Hill" recounts the process by which Johnny Hake, a stable citizen of a quiet New York suburb, briefly becomes a thief, suffers remorse, and reforms. In the process, it comments satirically on the mores of modern suburbanites. Johnny's career in theft begins shortly after he resigns his job with a company that makes parablendeum—a kind of plastic wrap. Fed up with office politics, Johnny strikes out on his own, only to discover that he cannot earn a living comparable to his old salary. Unwilling to burden his wife with his financial worries, reluctant to borrow from friends or relatives, Johnny one night enters a neighbor's house and steals a wallet containing nine hundred dollars.
Immediately appalled by what he has done, Johnny finds that his crime preys on his mind all the next day. Everywhere he looks he seems to encounter crime, from the stranger in the restaurant who pockets a tip left by a previous customer, to his old friend who tries to cut him in on a business deal that is "just like stealing." The very word "steal" seems to have a powerful effect on him; he suddenly feels he is a part of the force destroying the peace and order of the world. At church the next Sunday he imagines that he hears a rat gnawing away at the floorboards, and he is so distracted that he misses the opportunity to take Communion. He comes to a further crisis when his children surprise him for his birthday with the gift of an aluminum extension ladder. In his new paranoia, Johnny imagines the gift to be an indirect comment on his career as a thief. He becomes sharp with the children, fights with his wife, and has packed a suitcase and left the house before the two reconcile.
A few nights later, Johnny attempts another theft. He enters the house of Tom and Grace Maitland, a wealthy but melancholy couple. Creeping into the Maitlands' bedroom in quest of Tom's wallet, Johnny discovers that Grace is in bed with the boy who cuts the Maitlands' grass. Shocked, he hurries home and reflects on the altered picture Shady Hill presents by night.
The next night, on his way to attempt another theft, Johnny has a revelation that turns him away from his life of crime. As he heads for the home of yet another neighbor, the wind begins to stir and suddenly rain is falling, reconnecting Johnny with his sense of the pleasures afforded by mere existence, and reminding him of his love for Christina and the children. His obsession with money seems to fall away, and he is able to go home and sleep peacefully. He even has a restorative dream of sailing a boat on the Mediterranean. The next day, he is offered his old job in parablendeum, and he accepts. Taking an advance on his salary, he returns nine hundred dollars to his neighbors, the Warburtons, and is finally at ease with himself.
Bibliography
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