Rabbit, Run by John Updike. Short summary

5 seconds

Harry Engstrom, nicknamed Rabbit, finds family life frustrating. He is torn between his wife and his mistress. Unable to make up his mind, he runs away from his problems.

1 minute

Harry Engstrom, nicknamed Rabbit, is married and raising his son Nelson. Family life weighs on him. Memories of his high school athletic successes only add to the feeling of a failed life.

After another quarrel with his wife, Harry leaves. He returns and spends the night at the house of his former coach, who introduces Bunny to Ruth Leonard. An affair begins between them.

Harry learns that his wife Janice is in the maternity ward. Bunny leaves Ruth and goes to see his wife. The family is reunited.

Soon the couple quarrels again, Harry leaves. Janice begins to drink. While drunk, she drops her daughter in the bathtub and the girl dies. At the funeral, the couple quarrel and Rabbit runs away.

He arrives at Ruth’s house. The girl is pregnant and Rabbit says he loves her. But he doesn’t know how to leave his wife and keep his son. Rabbit realizes that he needs to make a decision. But instead he runs away from his problems.