“Popular Mechanics” by Raymond Carver Review

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Table of Contents

Changing Weather
Picture of the Baby
The Flowerpot
Conclusion
Work Cited

The short story “Popular Mechanics” by Raymond Carver is centered around a recently divorced couple who fight over their single baby child. The story contains three major symbols, which are changing weather outside, the mother’s picking up the baby’s picture, and the breaking of a flowerpot. The message of Carver’s work is focused on the sacrifice of non-compromise, which means that if two parties are not willing to give up something to reach a compromise, the sacrifices will be taken from elsewhere. In the case of the story, the sacrifice was the baby, the most precious individual in both parents’ lives.

Changing Weather

The story begins with a detailed description of the weather outside the house. The author writes, “early that day the weather turned, and the snow was melting into dirty water. Streaks of it ran down from the little shoulder-high window that faced the backyard” (Carver 277). In other words, the author uses the description of the external environment in order to set the overall mood and feel of the story. He also writes, “cars slushed by on the street outside, where it was getting dark. But it was getting dark on the inside too” (Carver 277). Therefore, the symbol of changing weather also foreshadows the fact that the story will be dark as well.

Picture of the Baby

The interaction of the two parents begins with the father’s disinterest in the mother, while the latter emotionally expresses her thoughts on his leave. The second symbol is the picture of the baby, which is taken by the mother. The author writes, “then she noticed the baby’s picture on the bed and picked it up. He looked at her, and she wiped her eyes and stared at him before turning and going back to the living room” (Carver 277). In other words, after both parties expressed their attitudes and perceptions of each other, the picture was a reminder of the fact that the baby is the only thing that connects them, even if they are unwilling to be together. The father does not acknowledge the mother, while the latter is hateful of the former, but their child is what binds them together.

The Flowerpot

The last symbol is a flowerpot, which breaks as a result of the parents’ fight with each other. The author writes, “the baby was red-faced and screaming. In the scuffle they knocked down a flowerpot that hung behind the stove” (Carver 277). The flowerpot foreshadows the ending of the story, where it is implied that the baby is fatally hurt or killed due to the selfishness of the parents. As in real life, it is impossible to point out which particular parent is blameworthy of a child’s death, but it is clear that both of them were selfish enough not to let go of the baby. A truly loving parent would have released his or her grip on a child, especially since both understood how irrational and incompetent the other parent is, which evidently led to their divorce.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Carver’s short story is a universally applicable and relatable message on the concept of compromise. Although the narrative presents an extreme outcome, such as the death of a baby, its implications encompass a multitude of daily situations. An individual can make sacrifices he or she is willing to make, or life and fate make the sacrifices for them in places, which can be the dearest of all.

Work Cited

Carver, Raymond. Popular Mechanics. PopMech, 1981.

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“Popular Mechanics” by Raymond Carver Review

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