In One More Thing by Raymond Carver we have the theme of opinion, conflict, violence, control, unity, powerlessness and alcoholism. Taken from his What We Talk About When We Talk About Love collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and begins with the reader being told that Maxine, one […]

In What We Talk about When We Talk about Love by Raymond Carver we have the theme of love and the difficulties that can come with trying to define (through language) what love is. Taken from his collection of the same name the story is narrated in the first person by a man called Nick […]

In Everything Stuck to Him by Raymond Carver we have the theme of identity, commitment, escape, maturity, responsibility, choices and unity. Taken from his What We Talk About When We Talk About Love collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and is a frame narrative (story within a story). […]

In Popular Mechanics by Raymond Carver we have the theme of separation, conflict, struggle and communication (or rather the lack of it). Taken from his What We Talk About When We Talk About Love collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and the tone of the story is one […]

In The Calm by Raymond Carver we have the theme of identity, conflict, indecision, paralysis, acceptance and moving on. Taken from his What We Talk About When We Talk About Love collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator and is written in the form of a frame narrative (story […]

In A Serious Talk by Raymond Carver we have the theme of conflict, control, jealousy, acceptance, separation, letting go and moving on. Taken from his What We Talk About When We Talk About Love collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and very early on the reader realises that […]

In The Third Thing That Killed My Father Off by Raymond Carver we have the theme of isolation, connection, conflict and guilt. Taken from his What We Talk About When We Talk About Love collection the story is narrated in the first person by a man called Jack Fraser and tells the tale of a […]

In So Much Water So Close to Home by Raymond Carver we have the theme of doubt, disconnection, conflict, identity and isolation. Taken from his What We Talk About When We Talk About Love collection the story is narrated in the first person by a woman called Claire and it begins with Claire sitting at […]

In After the Denim by Raymond Carver we have the theme of acceptance, escape, powerlessness, displacement and conflict. Taken from his What We Talk About When We Talk About Love collection the story begins with Edith and James Packer getting ready to go to bingo. What is interesting about the opening scene of the story […]

In Tell the Women We’re Going by Raymond Carver we have the theme of friendship, separation, change and violence. Taken from his What We Talk About When We Talk About Love collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and begins with the reader being introduced to the two main […]

In The Bath by Raymond Carver we have the theme of conflict, uncertainty, helplessness, fear and communication. Taken from his What We Talk About When We Talk About Love collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and is an early version of another Carver short story (A Small, Good […]

In Sacks by Raymond Carver we have the theme of infidelity, conflict, regret, separation, acceptance, moving on and letting go. Taken from his What We Talk About When We Talk About Love collection the story is narrated in the first person by a man called Les Palmer and very early on the reader realises that […]

In I Could See the Smallest Things by Raymond Carver we have the theme of regret, change, control, paralysis and awareness. Taken from his What We Talk About When We Talk About Love collection the story is narrated in the first person by a middle-aged woman called Nancy and after reading the story the reader […]

In Gazebo by Raymond Carver we have the theme of trust, dignity, responsibility, infidelity, memories and separation. Taken from his What We Talk About When We Talk About Love collection the story is narrated in the first person by a man called Duane and in the space of an afternoon Carver details the breakdown of […]

In Mr Coffee and Mr Fixit by Raymond Carver we have the theme of change, conflict, connection, acceptance and alcoholism. Taken from his What We Talk About When We Talk About Love collection the story is narrated in first person by an unnamed narrator and very early on Carver introduces the reader to two of […]

In Viewfinder by Raymond Carver we have the theme of loss, suffering, connection, loneliness, acceptance, letting go and moving on. Taken from his What We Talk About When We Talk About Love collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that Carver may be exploring […]

In Why Don’t You Dance? by Raymond Carver we have the theme of separation, change, connection, appearance, uncertainty and acceptance. Taken from his What We Talk about When We Talk about Love collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises how important […]