A Critical Review of The Valentine Generation by John Wain

A Critical Review of The Valentine Generation by John Wain

The Valentine Generation by John Wain is about a postman who for the first time in his 40 years on the job meets a person who wants to get back a posted letter. However, in all these years he has strictly adhered to the regulations and he is not about to break one of the ¡¥firmest¡¦ in the book. Despite the young woman¡¦s explanations, he decides to leave with the mail and stick to his work schedule. But, in the end he cannot bring himself to leave her crying and a discussion on love ensues and eventually they strike a deal¡K

The strength of this story lies in Wain¡¦s portrayal of the two main characters, the lively discussion they have and the themes these bring out.

The character of the postman is clearly brought out through the thoughts that he conveys in narrating the story as well as how he expresses himself. From these, we see that he is a down-to-earth and direct character and an experienced p...