Minimalism by Raymond Carver Essay - 3013 Words

Literary Criticism Minimalism by Raymond Carver English 210 P. Fishman Research Paper Literary Criticism on Minimalism by Raymond Carver Raymond Carver was a master of the short story during the mid nineteenth century due to his unique minimalistic style. Carver has his own artistic signature when it comes to writing, he tells his stories using the least amount of words possible to get a point across. This method leads to a creative piece of literature with strategically placed vocabulary to stimulate hidden meaning and different forms of communication throughout the plots as shown in†¦show more content†¦This self-evaluation helps the characters overcome their crisis of communication, which progressively transforms them throughout the story. Minimalism simultaneously affects the different forms of communication in Carvers writing. The literary critic Bryan Aubrey further discusses Carver’s work in a â€Å"Critical Essay on a Small, Good Thing†. The critical analysis explores how Carver uses minimalism to emphasize menace in people’s lives. The short and condensed sentences provide a realistic and serious tone for the reader, a good example of this is shown in the short story â€Å"A Small, Good Thing†. The tone that is present throughout the story is sadness. Sadness helps create the theme of the story that the world we all live in is a tough one. Carver use’s this theme as a reminder to his readers that life can be cruel at times, and the only thing people can do is reach out to each other as the Weiss family did with the Baker after their son’s death. The minimalistic style used in this short story synthesizes the underlying reality that bad things can happen to innocent people at any given moment. No matter who you are and how many good deeds you may have done, we s till all share the same fate called death. Carver use’s death as his source of hidden menace because many people are paranoid that their lives may suddenly end, no one fully understands what life and death is. This is a smart way to provide a necessary tensionShow MoreRelatedThe Most Important American Fiction Writer1661 Words   |  7 PagesRaymond Carver has been called â€Å"the most important American fiction writer in the second half of the twentieth century† and â€Å"the most influential American short story writer since Ernest Hemingway† (Kleepe vii). He was very successful despite his many difficult life experiences. Carver grew up during a very difficult time in America. However, early on, Carver and his wife believed their hard work would eventually pay off despite the challenges in the world around them. They thought it would fix almostRead MoreAnalysis Of Raymond Carver Cathedral1260 Words   |  6 PagesRaymond Carver is often known for his writi ng style known as minimalism, a style that often uses short phrases or sentences that convey a great amount of meaning. Carver’s â€Å"Cathedral† is full of minimalism, whether it be short and repetitive dialogue or brief thoughts that go through the narrators mind. These intentionally precise sentences are full of meaning, whether it be the importance of communication, or the lack of, the underlying tones of death and jealously, or even the psychological connectionRead MoreCathedral By Raymond Carver Analysis1631 Words   |  7 Pages Cathedral is a short story written by American writer and poet Raymond Carver. (2017) The story was first published in The Atlantic Monthly in 1981 and appeared in The Americas Best Short Stories in 1982. (2012) In the short story cathedral, the narrator’s wife’s blind friend is coming to visit. The narrator isn’t thrilled about his wife’s blind friend coming to visit nor is he happy that the man is blind. Later in the evening the narrator experiences a life changing realization of the true meaningRead MoreMasculinity And Style In Hemingway And Carver1604 Words   |  7 PagesMasculinity and Style in Hemingway and Carver. The following will present the themes of masculinity in relation to style in Raymond Carver and Ernest Hemingway. Both are major figures of 20th century US fiction, and both write about characters that struggle with male or masculine identity and social expectations. These struggles often mean that other characters in their stories are the victims. In other words, the problems that the characters experience, are both internalized but also externalizedRead MoreAnalysis Of Raymond Carver s Cathedral852 Words   |  4 PagesIn Raymond Carver’s short story â€Å"Cathedral,† a blind man named Robert visits a man and his wife in their home for a short period. In the beginning, the husband is very rude to Robert due to his inability to see. However, by the end of Robert’s stay, the husband realizes that he is quite far from being a blind fool. By analyzing the theme, character, and conflict of the short story, the reader will be able to better understand what me ssages lay within Carver’s writing. First, by analyzing the themeRead MoreSo Much Water so Close to Home1493 Words   |  6 PagesSo Much Water So Close To Home, Raymond Carver explores the hardships that society brings upon us by using dialogue and character development to reveal that men and women alike have difficulty reconciling the differences in ethical and moral values. Carver is able to do this by relating to topics that demonstrate the character’s difference in morality. These include such things as death, gender stereotypes, and relationships. While discussing these topics, Carver reflects upon society’s social standardRead MoreAnalysis Of The Story Cathedral 1734 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Cathedral is a famous short story by American writer and poet Raymond Carver. The story was first published in The Atlantic Monthly in 1981 and appeared in The Americas Best Short Stories in 1982. In the short story cathedral, the unnamed narrator’s wife’s blind friend is coming to visit. The narrator isn’t thrilled about his wife’s blind friend coming to visit nor is he happy that the man is blind. Later in the evening the narrator experiences a life changing realization of the trueRead MoreThe Use of Selective Exposition in The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson1315 Words   |  6 Pagesby Shirley Jackson however does not follow these conditions, as the reader is left to interpret a majority of the story on their own as it progresses. Jackson is not the only writer to incorporate a style of selective exposition in their work; Raymond Carver is widely recognized for his rejection of explanation and the use of characters that do not always communicate with one a nother, both of which are elements which Jackson incorporates into her own story. Initially, a lack of exposition may seemRead MoreThe Two Sides Essay1379 Words   |  6 PagesSides The views we have are what shapes us, sometimes we have vast knowledge of ideas. Other times we are limited in what we can understand. We are given the choice of seeking out more of said idea or choosing to remain as is. Cathedral by Raymond Carver is a story that gives us a look into what it is like to have our views challenged through experiencing them first hand. We are introduced to the story by narration and we are given a brief summary of how his wife and the blind man had met fromRead MoreSelective Exposition in The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson1003 Words   |  5 Pageswere only about three hundred people...† (235). It’s obvious that this is not a world driven story, since so few details are given about the village it takes place in. However Jackson is not the only author to incorporate a lack of exposition. Raymond Carver, wrote in a similar fashion, using very little details under the realization that: â€Å"...it’s possible, in a poem or a short st ory, to write about commonplace things and objects using commonplace but precise language, and to endow those tings..