Carver's characters are typically working-class people somewhat down on their luck. ... The characters in Carver's short stories struggle to find a way to express their problems.  ... His stories might look pointless to a casual reader, but critics argue that Carver properly depicts the lives of his characters (King, 2010). Carver's blue-collar characters are crushed by broken marriages, financial problems, and unsuccessful jobs, but they are frequently unable to understand or even communicate their own suffering. ...

• Word Count: 3978
• Approx Pages: 16
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Correspondingly, Patrick contorts other characters' identities as his own. ... When reflecting light from the six stars, the main characters in the novel, Patrick is able to gain a temporary identity. ... When Patrick is without an identity and the light of other characters, he is also lacking love. ... It reveals Patrick's true character. ... As the story progresses, his true character divulges and the readers learn more about him. ...

• Word Count: 3985
• Approx Pages: 16
• Grade Level: High School

The first publication of the short story "Cathedral" was in the March, 1981, issue of Atlantic Monthly. It was selected to appear in "The Best American Short Stories, 1982," and became the title story in the 1983 collection, Cathedral. This volume was very well-received by critics and readers alike, receiving nominations for the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Pulitzer Prize. Many critics note a shift in Carver's work between the publication of What We Talk About When We Talk About Love and Cathedral, and many believe that Carver reached the zenith of his career with this co...

• Word Count: 11148
• Approx Pages: 45
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

In "Hills Like White Elephants" there is a commonplace opinion that the implied meaning of the two characters' discussion is about whether the girl should go through with getting an abortion (Link 4). ...

• Word Count: 3072
• Approx Pages: 12
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The aims of the course are: To introduce you to a range of major authors and works of the period To introduce you to key themes, issues and problems To develop a broad historical understanding prose production at this time To develop literary critical skills of contextualization, close analysis, and argumentation To further develop your research skills and to prepare you for the research paper By the end of the module, students should be able to demonstrate: An ability to relate literary texts to relevant historical, social and cultural contexts An ability to identify central themes in the p...

• Word Count: 2530
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate