John Updike- The Persistence of Desire

Quote 1:
“Clyde become so lonely watching his old street that when, with a sucking exclamation, the door from the vestibule opened, he looked up gratefully, certain that the person, this being his home town, would be a friend.”
Here Clyde is lonely in his home town. He is watching the streets were he grew up. He is so excited to here the door open because he is so lonely, he is hardly living a good life because he is so lonely yet you get the sense that he thinks he is better than most around him. He like others in the time is putting on a front and is acting in society and his hiding what is really going on.

Quote 2:
“He would wear eyebrow-style glasses, be a griper, have some not quite negotiable talent, like playing the clarinet or drawing political cartoons, and now be starting up a drab avenue of business… poor Janet, Clyde felt…”
I find this ironic because here Clyde is talking about his ex’s new husband. He is kind of talking down on him and making him see much better than him. He feel sorry for his ex for being with him. The ironic thing is Clyde may be looking down on him, but he is the one with Janet and is not lonely like Clyde. This proves that Clyde has this sense that he is much better, when really he is the lonesome one.