Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

John Updike’s poem "Back Bay" explores a poignant, personal narrative that unfolds in the historic neighborhood of Boston. The poem captures a father’s reflections and emotions as he spends time with his unemployed adult son, searching for a birthday gift. The poem is not only about their day in the city but also delves into deeper themes of family, memory, and the passage of time.

The narrative begins with the practical goal of finding a leather jacket for the son, leading them through various stores where they encounter only seasonal clothes inappropriate for their needs. This quest through the Back Bay serves as a backdrop for the father’s deeper reflections on his son's appearance and his own memories. The son’s disheveled and worn appearance triggers the father’s memory of his own father, who expressed his fear of poverty through his clothes, wearing "dead man’s shoes." This memory connects three generations through their attire and perceived social status, hinting at deeper familial insecurities and legacies.

As they move through the city, the father recalls the geographical and historical context of the Back Bay, once a marsh filled in with landfill from Beacon Hill. This transformation of the landscape mirrors the changes in the characters' lives and the ephemeral nature of existence. The father is haunted by the memory of a woman he once knew who lived in the area and loved to shop. Her death from cancer and the fate of her cherished clothes underline the impermanence and futility of material possessions as a defense against the inevitability of death.

The father’s concern for his son is palpable—he is desperate to buy him something, anything, to perhaps improve his circumstances or just to offer a gesture of care. The detailed descriptions of their surroundings and the stores they visit paint a vivid picture of their environment and the stark contrast between the affluence of the area and the son’s current state.

Eventually, they find a leather jacket, but its high price and the son's dismissal of it as making him look like an Italian movie director underscores a mismatch between aspiration and identity. The son settles for more practical items, but the father hesitates to suggest new shoes, which are as worn out as those of his father, linking back to the theme of familial connections and legacies.

The poem ends with the father still looking for the ghost of the woman he remembered, unable to fully grasp her absence. This search highlights the human struggle to understand and accept mortality. The city, vibrant and changing, contrasts with the personal losses and memories that the father carries with him—a panorama of life continuing in the face of individual disappearances.

"Back Bay" is rich with literary and emotional depth, exploring themes of memory, loss, and the poignant beauty of human connections against the backdrop of a historic urban landscape.

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