Analysis Of 3 Am And The Stars Were Out

German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche once said, “To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.” This quote is exactly what “3 A.M. and the Stars Were Out” is about; going through life, suffering, and moving on. “3 AM and the Stars Were Out” is part of Something Rich and Strange, a short story collection written by Ron Rash. This collection has many stories about hope, but also stories about characters who are struggling to find ways past their melancholy present. Ron Rash’s “3AM and the Stars Were Out” is a story about coping with the sufferings in life and moving on no matter what they are, which is represented through the stressful events of the calf being born, the Korean war the characters were in, and their …show more content…
Carson especially is dealing with loneliness. Although he misses his wife, by the end of the story, it is implied that he has accepted how things are, how he has had a good life even with his challenges, and is living comfortably even though he does not have his life partner by his side. At the beginning of the short story, the tone is dark. Carson is getting out of bed wishing for his wife, Doris, who he lost four months prior (13). Then he continues to talk about all the suffering animals go through when they are not treated when they are supposed to be. As the story unraveled, his life was explored deeper. As he reconnects with his old friend from the war, he starts to loosen up. Carson finally expressed how he was feeling with Darnell, which shows he was starting to move on, and moving on from losing a companion is one of the hardest things a person can do. Darnell lightly joked with Carson about the widows bringing casseroles for him. Then told a story about how a man was remarried in six months after losing his wife. Rash included this to show that life has its challenges, but there is still hope for all. It was 3 A.M., the stars were out, and Carson survived another day to see