The Huge Lie Exposed in the Huge Radio John Cheever's 'The Huge Radio' begins with the Westcotts appearing as the perfect "all-American" family. Cheever describes them as “the kind of people who seem to reach a satisfactory average in terms of income, effort, and respectability” (Cheever 817). The ironic thing about this story is that the Westcotts are far from the "perfect family" and the community they are trying to conform to is just as flawed as the Westcotts themselves. One way the Westcotts try to conform to their society is to keep things secret. the fact that they listen to the radio and attend musical events. This is because these activities were not something that members of their community did, let alone talked about. The reader knows this because Cheever says that "the Westcotts differed from their friends, classmates, and neighbors only in their interest in music." They went to many concerts although they didn't tell anyone about them” (817). which shows that the Westcotts are not the "perfect family" and that the society they are trying to conform to is just as imperfect, is the fight between the Osborns. This shows that the community of Westcotts is flawed, as we hear that Mr. Osborn is an abusive husband. Irene tells Jim, "Mr. Osborn beats his wife!" They argued, and now he hits her” (822). This incident also causes the Westcotts to question the "perfection" of their own marriage, and Jim and Irene end up having a disagreement over dishonesty. And it is widely accepted that dishonesty and physical violence are not the qualities of a “perfect” marriage. Another way to show that the Westcotts are not perfect is when Jim gives his angry speech to Irene. This speech shows how "sick" he is of his radio addiction and disgusted by the theft of his sister's jewelry and money and the nonchalant manner in which she went to have an abortion (824). Even his coat is symbolic in showing the Westcotts' true nature. Irene's coat was "of fitch skins, dyed to resemble mink" (817). The fact that the coat was dyed to look like something more high status than it actually was can be used as a metaphor to describe the nature of the Westcotts: they were a way of presenting themselves to (high) society. classy and socially conscientious, as the coat and the Westcotts' marriage both appeared), and in another way when they were in the privacy of their own home (not well done, as the coat and how their wedding actually took place).