"The Disposable Rocket" by John Updike (1993)

Visual Source: DIY Workouts
"Any accounting of male-female differences must include the male's superior recklessness..."
-John Updike "The Disposable Rocket"

John Updike wrote an essay about what it is like to live in a man's body. He does this by comparing it to a woman's and also using analogies to express to the reader his thoughts. Within the first sentence, he says that the male body is a lot like "having a bank account" because you do not have to think about it if it is healthy. This analogy, along with several also included in his work, illustrates perfectly to a woman who cannot relate to it. Society always needs to establish the differences between the two genders, and we sometimes have the responsibility to enhance those different qualities. Updike addresses these in a way that makes the reader aware that he knows what he is talking about without appearing as condescending. He argues that men tend to be less careful and are more likely to take hurtful risks or hurt themselves during sports. The author also makes connections between the grueling task of shaving every day and the female's task of giving birth. While men treat their bodies as disposable and really just for reproductive purposes, there is much more to a person than just their body. Also, he describes his personal experience of feeling betrayed when his body was "betraying" him by having a broken bone from playing a sport or growing up. This shows both men and women's fears in changing and getting older, which many people can relate to. His purpose was to make the reader understand what it is like to live in a male body, but also states that the male body is far less complicated than the female body. They do not have to worry about giving birth or preserving their body as much. Updike's humor keeps readers interested in such a unique topic and his analogies provide insight to what he is thinking, because otherwise, his point would have not been made.