Carver and Cheever study questions

Due Sunday, April 26th

 Write your name in the document and also name the document with your name
 Aim for circa 150-word paragraphs for each question
 Use the materials in the Dropbox folder for help

1. Trace patterns of similarities in the Carver stories you’ve read. Think about the notion of
the objective correlative. Are there any objects that appear in the stories that bear a
particular significance?
2. Discuss Carver’s style. What “school” does he belong to?
3. What is your favorite Carver story and why did it leave such an impression on you?
4. Discuss the symbols in the Cheever short stories. Are there any similiarities between
these two stories?
5. Explain what you think is happening to Neddy Merril.
6. Trace the similarities and differences between Carver and Cheever. Think about style, but
also content (hints: class).

Answers:

1. Carver’s short stories explore the lives of average, middle class people and the
realistic ways in which they encounter problems in everyday life or deal with
emotions. In his stories the characters often leave things unsaid and instead
discuss meaningless topics as to avoid any kind of hurt or disappointment. In
many of his stories the concept of the objective correlative is represented through
objects, and upon seeing those objects the characters in the story usually come to
a realization about the world or their lives. This is evident in the short story “The
Cathedral” in which the main character begins to see the world differently and
comes to an epiphany on the differences between people upon seeing the
aforementioned cathedral in the distance. Another example is the story “Feathers”
where the exotic peacock that one of the families keeps as a pet represents wish
fulfillment and the desire for something adventurous rather than compliant. The
lives of the characters Bud and Olla, even though seen as ugly in many ways by
 their guests are unique and never dull, a statement that cannot be said for the
characters of Fran and Jack whose lives permeate with disconnect and doubt. In
Carver’s stories the objects seen in the background speak the lines that the
characters dare not say.
2. Carver uses everyday themes and emotions to express the turning points in the
lives of his characters. His style can be associated to the minimalistic style of
writing with concise and simply structured thoughts. There is no use of adverbs,
extended metaphors or internal monologue, but rather a realistic portrayal of
human emotions, such as loss, desperation, grief, compassion, loneliness. Most of
his characters are average, middle class people who deal with these kinds of
emotions in a very realistic, human way, something that any reader can relate to.
Most of his characters lack the vocabulary to express themselves verbally, so they
express themselves mainly through obscene gestures of avoidance, such as within
the story of “The Compartment”, where the absentee father would rather head
towards an unknown direction, rather than speak or see his son. The dialogue
between the characters is clipped, and it is mostly commonplace observations,
leaving the meaningful feelings unsaid and unspoken. Time passes in linear
fashion, the chronology of a given scene marked by one fraught and simple
gesture after another. Most of his settings reflect the real world as well, with him
using dreary living rooms and kitchens which are easily identifiable. He also uses
symbolism to indicate a change or a realization within the character, such as in the
short story “The Cathedral”.
3. The Carver story that stood out to me was “A Small, Good Thing” which is a
story of a tragedy that befalls a family of three. The realistic way in which the
story was told is what grabbed my attention and persisted throughout the
remainder of the story. I related to the characters and their reactions to this
unfortunate situation and the parents' love and worry for their child was very
touching for me, in addition to the way in which the story encompassed and dealt
with emotions such as loss, grief, desperation, loneliness and compassion in a
realistic manner, as real people would. Throughout the story a very dour and
unbearable view of the world is presented, with a sudden hit-and -run that takes
the life of an innocent child and with parents who are left alone wondering how
their lives had suddenly taken such a dark turn in the blink of an eye. Another
small, good element that left an impression on me is the way the story subtly
touched upon the idea of finding compassion among each other in the darkest of
moments, no matter our differences. While her son's life hangs in the balance, the
mother encounters a fellow grieving African-American family in the halls of the
hospital, and immediately relates to their plight, as they are also awaiting news on
their son as he is battling for his life. This is a very human emotion that
unconsciously appears in the darkest of times, and represents how people are not
so different from each other and rely on the comfort and sympathy of others.
4. Both of the stories deal with people becoming disillusioned with their lives and
the world around them. The characters in both stories are flawed human beings
who begin to doubt their seemingly normal and perfect lives through different
external forces or objects being brought into their lives. In both stories there is
also an element of voyeurism and examining your life through the prism of others.
 The Westcott family becomes increasingly entangled into the lives of the other
tenants, especially Mrs. Westcott, who begins to doubt her marriage and the life
that she has build with her husband and all thanks to a foreign object brought
upon their doorstep, the eponymous radio. As for Neddy, throughout his journey
he continuously swims in the pools of his neighbors and watches them from a
distance until he starts talking to them. These life changing moments that
seemingly appear out of the blue and the way they impact and change the
characters are present in both stories. Mr. Westcott buys a new radio which
appears at their doorstep and changes the demeanor and behavior of Mrs.
Westcott from a plain, mild-mannered woman who cares for her family to an
untrustworthy person full of doubts. Neddy Merril begins his long journey of
swimming on a whim one day and changes from a vibrant, energetic man into an
old man whose inner demons and deceitful nature towards his wife comes
bubbling to the surface.
5. The seemingly abrupt journey that the character of Neddy Merrill takes represents
the passage of time and the transition of a young, energetic and vibrant man into
an older man going through a midlife crisis and becoming disillusioned with his
life. The entire story has a very surreal feel to it and through a fantastical and
unique lens presents a man who as his life goes on becomes more and more
isolated from his family and friends, and whose marriage and family life begins to
crumble around him. His inability to recollect parts of his life and learning from
others about his apparent debt and money problems, as well as the state of his
daughters suggests a man growing older. During his voyage, Neddy comes across
an empty, dried up pool, which brings him to a stop just as a midlife crisis
interrupts the previously normal lives of men and women in society. The sudden
change in behavior of his neighbors and friends, as well as his mistress towards
him could further support this theory, as a midlife crisis also brings change into a
person's life that cannot be controlled or anticipated. As the journey continues, his
body begins to fail him as well, and he becomes more and more tired, unlike the
active and energetic man he was when he began his journey on a whim. The
climax of the story arrives when he discovers his house, destroyed and empty,
leaving him bewildered as to what has happened and how his life had taken such a
drastic turn.
6. Both Carver and Cheever discuss difficult topics and emotions such as loss,
longing, infidelity, alcoholism and grief in unique ways, also using symbolism.
They both use objects that appear in the characters lives so as to teach them a
lesson or help them arrive to a realization. From an enormous radio to a cathedral,
both writers employ these objects to express something that the characters are not
able to themselves. Both writers depict typical suburban life, for Carver it is
mostly middle class and for Cheever it is mostly upper class, and set their stories
in regular settings imitating real life. However, differences also exist between the
writers: Carver uses very simplistic and workmanlike ways of describing his
worlds and the characters’ actions, whereas Cheever is far more dreamy and
surreal when presenting the worlds in which his stories are set in. Carver’s style
could be classified as minimalist, where real feelings and meaningful emotions
are hidden behind trivial, commonplace statements. Cheever, on the other hand,
could almost be classified as a maximalist as his characters are unafraid to delve
into their fears and doubts, with Cheever explicitly describing their thoughts and
feelings. In conclusion, both writers use symbols and objects to unveil behind the
curtain and shed light on the difficult matters and obstacles that life can present.

Angela Krstevska