What Good Thing?
In the story "A Small, Good Thing" by Raymond Carver, he refers to a family who has to go through very difficult times when they are faced with their eight year old son's death while walking to school. Throughout the story the characters display lack of communication, helplessness, and isolation in order to convey the overall themes of "A Small, Good Thing".
The lack of communication is easy to find in "A Small, Good Thing" Carver begins by presenting Ann Weiss, a mother who is ordering a birthday cake for her son's eighth birthday. She is at the bakery, where Carver refers to the baker and says, “he kept his eyes down on the photographs and let her talk" (Carver 116). This shows that there is not good communication because …show more content…
Scotty’s parents live in what might seem as an almost perfect life before Scotty’s accident. This becomes evident when Howard drives home and is a reflecting upon his life “until now, his life had gone smoothly and to his satisfaction” (Carver 117) he had a good job, a family, his parents were also living, his brothers and sisters as well as friends were doing great. There was nothing for him to worry about because everything was fine, until Howard is faced with this accident which he does not know how to handle. Even though Howard mentions his parents, brothers, sisters, and friends the author never brings them into the story and this could be in order to show that a perfect life could also be filled with isolation. Because even though they are well and alive they are not there to support him during his difficult times. As Ann and Howard stay in the hospital no one ever goes and visits Scotty or the parents, not even Howards family and friends. This brings to the point that his parents, brothers, sisters, and friends were never really connected to him in any way, Howard’s true connection was with Ann and Scotty, and now the concerning situation is bringing that connection to an end. Because instead of the accident uniting Ann and Howard it is separating them making both of them feel isolated. Isolation is also present with the hospital, especially with Dr. Francis, who only comes in to talk to the parents and most of the time he mentions about the child waking up at any time. The reader never gets the opportunity to read about Dr. Francis talking to a nurse and any other staff members until the end after Scotty’s death, which shows the isolation within the hospital members which is expressed by the lack of
In the story "A Small, Good Thing" by Raymond Carver, he refers to a family who has to go through very difficult times when they are faced with their eight year old son's death while walking to school. Throughout the story the characters display lack of communication, helplessness, and isolation in order to convey the overall themes of "A Small, Good Thing".
The lack of communication is easy to find in "A Small, Good Thing" Carver begins by presenting Ann Weiss, a mother who is ordering a birthday cake for her son's eighth birthday. She is at the bakery, where Carver refers to the baker and says, “he kept his eyes down on the photographs and let her talk" (Carver 116). This shows that there is not good communication because …show more content…
Scotty’s parents live in what might seem as an almost perfect life before Scotty’s accident. This becomes evident when Howard drives home and is a reflecting upon his life “until now, his life had gone smoothly and to his satisfaction” (Carver 117) he had a good job, a family, his parents were also living, his brothers and sisters as well as friends were doing great. There was nothing for him to worry about because everything was fine, until Howard is faced with this accident which he does not know how to handle. Even though Howard mentions his parents, brothers, sisters, and friends the author never brings them into the story and this could be in order to show that a perfect life could also be filled with isolation. Because even though they are well and alive they are not there to support him during his difficult times. As Ann and Howard stay in the hospital no one ever goes and visits Scotty or the parents, not even Howards family and friends. This brings to the point that his parents, brothers, sisters, and friends were never really connected to him in any way, Howard’s true connection was with Ann and Scotty, and now the concerning situation is bringing that connection to an end. Because instead of the accident uniting Ann and Howard it is separating them making both of them feel isolated. Isolation is also present with the hospital, especially with Dr. Francis, who only comes in to talk to the parents and most of the time he mentions about the child waking up at any time. The reader never gets the opportunity to read about Dr. Francis talking to a nurse and any other staff members until the end after Scotty’s death, which shows the isolation within the hospital members which is expressed by the lack of