“The Fourth Alarm” is a short story by John Cheever from his 1973 collection The World of Apples. It’s about an upper-middle class couple with a troubled relationship, and how the husband has responded to the situation so far. Here’s a summary of “The Fourth Alarm”.
“The Fourth Alarm” Summary
The narrator sits in the sun drinking gin on a Sunday morning. Mrs. Uxbridge, the housekeeper, is out with the children, Peter and Louise. His mistress hasn’t been receptive lately. His wife, Bertha, is in the city. She only comes home one day a week, on Monday.
Bertha is young and beautiful with a splendid figure. When the children were young she would always count to three before disciplining them. When they were old enough to go to school, Bertha got a job teaching sixth grade social studies. She joined a theatrical group and played some small parts. The narrator would take her to their parties. Bertha doesn’t really drink.
She learned of a nude show, Ozamanides II, that was being cast in New York. She used her sick leave from work to audition. She undressed for the interview and was told the performance would involve some intimate acts.
Bertha felt like she’d found herself while sitting there unclothed and unashamed in front of strangers. The narrator didn’t know how to react when she told him about it and he still doesn’t. He objected but she said he couldn’t stop her. She got the job and felt that life was wonderful and rich.
Bertha broke her teaching contract, hired Mrs. Uxbridge for the children, and took an apartment near the theatre and started rehearsals. The narrator asks for a divorce but isn’t sure if that’s the right thing to do. He visits a lawyer about it, but there’s no precedent for simulated acts being grounds for divorce, so no one will take on his case. His friends are tactful about Bertha’s new pastime.
The narrator attends the show after a month. The cast of fourteen comes down the aisle naked, except for Ozymanides, who wears a crown. The plot is a bit confusing and the intimacy is basic. It makes him feel a nostalgia for the innocent theatres from his youth, particularly his favorite movie, The Fourth Alarm. It was about horse-drawn fire engines being replaced by motorized ones. He went often and was even escorted out of a show by a police officer his parents sent.
He wonders if Bertha’s nostalgia has been annihilated by the acts in the show. He remembers how nice it was driving home with her after the parties.
The cast commands the audience to undress and join the show. The narrator feels he should in an attempt to understand Bertha. He undresses but carries his wallet, watch and keys in his hand. A cast member tells him to leave his lending behind. The whole cast joins in chanting it at him.
Leaving his things behind would feel like a threat to his identity. Overwhelmed with feelings of being unwanted, he returns to his seat and dresses. The walk up the aisle reminds him of the same walk he’s made after watching regular plays.
Outside, it’s snowing and a taxi is stuck. He remembers he has snow tires and feels secure and accomplished. The experience tonight has made him feel more practical than ever. He walks to the train.
I hope this summary of “The Fourth Alarm” by John Cheever was helpful.