raymond carver they re not your husband pdf

The ants can also symbolise the invasion that the narrator would feel if someone was looking at her undressing. It is also possible the Carver is using the food that the narrator lays out on her kitchen table as symbolism.“WHAT IS IT?” EXPLORING THE ROLES OF WOMEN THROUGHOUT RAYMOND CARVER’S SHORT FICTIONĪ Thesis by Brian Charles Seemann MA in English, Wichita State University, 2006 BA in English, Stephen F.

The ants that appear to be invading the house (not only by the garbage can) but in the narrator’s imagination too, mirror in some ways the invasion by the narrator and Vern of their neighbour’s privacy. You don’t know.’ This statement may be important as Vern may be suggesting that both he and the narrator need to add some excitement to their own lives. What further suggests that Vern is excited by his neighbour’s actions is the fact that he tells the narrator that his neighbour’s husband ‘Maybe he has something there. If anything Vern wishes to continue to look at his neighbour’s wife undressing herself. What the hell would you do that for?’ It is possible that Carver is suggesting that Vern is afraid that the only excitement that he has in his life (spying on his neighbours) will stop should his wife say something to their neighbour’s wife. In many ways Doreen’s physical appearance is an extension of Earl himself, at least in Earl’s eyes. He is allowing the men’s opinion of Doreen reflect on him. It is possible that Earl’s fear of what other’s think of Doreen is really an internal insecurity within Earl himself. Though Earl doesn’t confront the men, to defend Doreen, it is later when he is at home that the reader notices that the men’s comments have had an effect on Earl.

There is a sense that Earl is somewhat embarrassed (for himself) by the reaction of the two men when they are discussing Doreen’s appearance as she is getting them ice cream. Taken from his Will You Please Be Quiet, Please collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story Carver appears to be exploring the theme of appearance, insecurity and embarrassment. In They’re Not Your Husband by Raymond Carver we have the theme of embarrassment, appearance, acceptance, control, obsession, selfishness and insecurity.

Raymond carver they re not your husband pdf