updike

John Updikes “Ex-Basketball Player”
John Updikes poem “Ex-Basketball Player” describes the simple and unfulfilling life of a once promising high school athlete who chose the wrong path in life. The poem is about Flick Webb, who in high school was a gifted athlete with a lot of potential but is now living a sad and unrewarding life as a gas attendant at Beth’s Garage. The poem uses irony and symbolism to illustrate the life of Flick. It explains what Flick used to be and could have been and how he fell to where he is today.
In high school Flick played for the Wizards and was not only good, he was the best. He held many records that still stand today and had unlimited potential to succeed in life. Even with the promising future Flick was ...