Introduction


Raymond Carver

Raymond Carver was a man of few words. Often characterized by an economy that bordered on austerity, Carver’s stories were short and plainly written, and his terse prose lent itself perfectly to his favorite subject: working-class America. Aside from poetry, which was written in the same no-frills style, Carver devoted himself exclusively to short stories. What really set Carver apart from other authors, however, was his exploration of the dark side of Americana. In the simple lives of small town folk, Carver uncovered the violence, rage, and loneliness lurking just beneath the surface. Like many writers, his posthumous reputation has grown exponentially, and it is impossible to imagine any serious study of the short story that does not include the extraordinary work of Raymond Carver.

Essential Facts

  1. The alcoholism that figured prominently in Carver’s work was a sad reflection of his own battles with the disease.
  2. Among Carver’s many influences was the author Anton Chekhov. One of Carver’s last stories, “Errand,” took place during the final hours of the Russian writer’s life.
  3. The economy of Carver’s writing was not a purely aesthetic choice. He often worked day jobs and thus had less time to devote to his writing.
  4. Carver’s low-key approach and focus on everyday life is evident in one of his most famous stories, “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love,” which depicts a simple conversation between two couples.
  5. Carver’s short story “So Much Water So Close to Home” has been adapted to film twice: first as one of many interlocking Carver tales in Robert Altman’s mosaic Short Cuts, and then as the 2006 film Jindabyne.
 

Recommended Resources

  1. A Small, Good Thing Study Guide (eNotes)
  2. Cathedral Study Guide (eNotes)
  3. Raymond Carver - Critical Survey of Poetry
  4. Raymond Carver - Critical Survey of Short Fiction
  5. Theory of Short Fiction - Critical Survey of Short Fiction
  6. What We Talk About When We Talk About Love Study Guide (eNotes)

All Resources

Display as: Categories, List
  1. A Small, Good Thing - Masterplots II: Short Story Series
  2. A Small, Good Thing Study Guide (eNotes)
  3. All of Us - Book Review
  4. All of Us Criticism
  5. Cathedral - Masterplots II: Short Story Series
  6. Cathedral Study Guide (eNotes)
  7. Cyclopedia of World Authors
  8. Errand - Masterplots II: Short Story Series
  9. Errand Study Guide
  10. No Heroics, Please - Book Review
  11. Raymond Carver - Critical Survey of Poetry
  12. Raymond Carver - Critical Survey of Short Fiction
  13. Raymond Carver - Identities and Issues in Literature
  14. Raymond Carver - Poetry Criticism
  15. Raymond Carver Criticism
  16. Raymond Carver Criticism
  17. Reading Raymond Carver
  18. Short Cuts (1993)
  19. Short Cuts - Book Review
  20. The Cobweb (1955)
  21. The Cobweb Study Guide
  22. The Oxford Companion to American Literature Article on Raymond Carver
  23. The Oxford Companion to English Literature Article on Raymond Carver
  24. Theory of Short Fiction - Critical Survey of Short Fiction
  25. What the Doctor Said - Masterplots II: Poetry
  26. What We Talk About When We Talk About Love - Identities and Issues in Literature
  27. What We Talk About When We Talk About Love - Masterplots II: Short Story Series
  28. What We Talk about When We Talk about Love Criticism
  29. What We Talk About When We Talk About Love Study Guide (eNotes)
  30. Where I'm Calling From Study Guide