Little Things (short story)
Encyclopedia
"Little Things" is a short story
by Raymond Carver
. It was first published in What We Talk About When We Talk About Love
under the name "Popular Mechanics". It was then published in 1988 in Carver's collection Where I'm Calling From
.
that shows the story of a couple that has been having some marital problems. Raymond Carver uses ambiguity
in the story to describe the situation that is going on between the married couple. Although the problems they are having is not stated specifically, it is clear that the couple is moving apart from each other. The narrator shows us the male getting ready to leave his wife, which turns into a yelling match. The man is packing a suitcase, getting ready to leave, when he demands to take their child with him. However, the couple then argues about the child as well. The wife holds the child, and they begin to argue about who should take care of the baby. The wife does not want him to have the baby, but the husband thinks he should have it. The couple begins grasping the baby by the arms. The wife has one arm, and the husband with the other. Then, the baby begins crying because it is apparently in some pain, due to the actions of the couple. The husband begins forcing his wife’s hands off of the baby, her grip slips off, but she grabs the baby again harder. The wife does the same thing, and the husband grabs the child by the top of his arm underneath the shoulder. The baby was slipping from both people, but they held on harder and pulled in the opposite directions. As the couple pulled on the child from its arms, it is apparent that they harmed the baby in some way, hence the last line of the story, “He felt the baby slipping out of his hands and he pulled back very hard. In this manner, the issue was decided.”
, which the literal meaning hides a secondary meaning. The story plot takes place in regular suburbia, in which Carver spent most of his life. Carver's father, a violent alcoholic, spent most of his time working in a sawmill or drinking then physically beating his wife or kids. These traumatic incidents were the basis of Carver's many short stories. In "Little Things," a husband and wife start the short story off verbally fighting with each other with their baby near. Then, the fight goes to the child. Who will get custody of the newborn infant? They grip, they pull, harming the baby in some way or another. This message is conveyed to the reader because it relates to many relationships today which makes the story very alluring. With Carver's background it is easy to see the underlying meaning: that couples should discuss their problems in their lives; parents should never hurt their child.
Another, less literal interpretation of Carver's message centers on a symbolic understanding of the toll divorce or a couple's separation can take on the entire family. Initially, the couple itself is in turmoil, but their argument quickly escalates to the point that it involves the child. This is not only a logical conclusion to said argument in the story, but also mirrors the timeline of events which would take place if this were a real, ugly separation. When the couple begins to physically fight over the child and even harm it, this could be understood as an overly dramatic and symbolic form of the emotional damage or unmet needs which occur in children when parents are at odds, having left the children powerless in a dispute between the two most important and influential people in their lives. The baby's symbolic physical injury, or even death, is a fitting end to the allegory; accurately describing the family member who is typically, but rarely recognized to be, the most gravely affected during such an unfortunate situation. One might even read further into this final event, and the argument's closing as a result of it, to understand a proposed solution; upon a parent's having recognized that the child's state is of utmost importance, the heated and emotional argument between a couple will quickly reach a logical and peaceful end.
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by Raymond Carver
Raymond Carver
Raymond Clevie Carver, Jr. was an American short story writer and poet. Carver is considered a major American writer of the late 20th century and also a major force in the revitalization of the short story in the 1980s....
. It was first published in What We Talk About When We Talk About Love
What We Talk About When We Talk About Love
What We Talk About When We Talk About Love is the name of a 1981 collection of short stories by American writer Raymond Carver, as well as the title of one of the stories in the collection.-Why Don't You Dance?:...
under the name "Popular Mechanics". It was then published in 1988 in Carver's collection Where I'm Calling From
Where I'm Calling From
"Where I'm Calling From" is a short story by American author Raymond Carver. The story focuses on the effects of alcohol. Throughout this story Carver experiments with the use of quotation and meditates on the healing factors of storytelling...
.
Plot summary
“Little Things” is presented by a narratorNarrator
A narrator is, within any story , the fictional or non-fictional, personal or impersonal entity who tells the story to the audience. When the narrator is also a character within the story, he or she is sometimes known as the viewpoint character. The narrator is one of three entities responsible for...
that shows the story of a couple that has been having some marital problems. Raymond Carver uses ambiguity
Ambiguity
Ambiguity of words or phrases is the ability to express more than one interpretation. It is distinct from vagueness, which is a statement about the lack of precision contained or available in the information.Context may play a role in resolving ambiguity...
in the story to describe the situation that is going on between the married couple. Although the problems they are having is not stated specifically, it is clear that the couple is moving apart from each other. The narrator shows us the male getting ready to leave his wife, which turns into a yelling match. The man is packing a suitcase, getting ready to leave, when he demands to take their child with him. However, the couple then argues about the child as well. The wife holds the child, and they begin to argue about who should take care of the baby. The wife does not want him to have the baby, but the husband thinks he should have it. The couple begins grasping the baby by the arms. The wife has one arm, and the husband with the other. Then, the baby begins crying because it is apparently in some pain, due to the actions of the couple. The husband begins forcing his wife’s hands off of the baby, her grip slips off, but she grabs the baby again harder. The wife does the same thing, and the husband grabs the child by the top of his arm underneath the shoulder. The baby was slipping from both people, but they held on harder and pulled in the opposite directions. As the couple pulled on the child from its arms, it is apparent that they harmed the baby in some way, hence the last line of the story, “He felt the baby slipping out of his hands and he pulled back very hard. In this manner, the issue was decided.”
Analysis
"Little Things" is considered to most as a allegoryAllegory
Allegory is a demonstrative form of representation explaining meaning other than the words that are spoken. Allegory communicates its message by means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic representation...
, which the literal meaning hides a secondary meaning. The story plot takes place in regular suburbia, in which Carver spent most of his life. Carver's father, a violent alcoholic, spent most of his time working in a sawmill or drinking then physically beating his wife or kids. These traumatic incidents were the basis of Carver's many short stories. In "Little Things," a husband and wife start the short story off verbally fighting with each other with their baby near. Then, the fight goes to the child. Who will get custody of the newborn infant? They grip, they pull, harming the baby in some way or another. This message is conveyed to the reader because it relates to many relationships today which makes the story very alluring. With Carver's background it is easy to see the underlying meaning: that couples should discuss their problems in their lives; parents should never hurt their child.
Another, less literal interpretation of Carver's message centers on a symbolic understanding of the toll divorce or a couple's separation can take on the entire family. Initially, the couple itself is in turmoil, but their argument quickly escalates to the point that it involves the child. This is not only a logical conclusion to said argument in the story, but also mirrors the timeline of events which would take place if this were a real, ugly separation. When the couple begins to physically fight over the child and even harm it, this could be understood as an overly dramatic and symbolic form of the emotional damage or unmet needs which occur in children when parents are at odds, having left the children powerless in a dispute between the two most important and influential people in their lives. The baby's symbolic physical injury, or even death, is a fitting end to the allegory; accurately describing the family member who is typically, but rarely recognized to be, the most gravely affected during such an unfortunate situation. One might even read further into this final event, and the argument's closing as a result of it, to understand a proposed solution; upon a parent's having recognized that the child's state is of utmost importance, the heated and emotional argument between a couple will quickly reach a logical and peaceful end.