"Popular Mechanics"
-by Raymond Carver
Analysis, Summary,
and Themes
"Popular Mechanics"
tells the story of a separating couple who argue, and the situation quickly
escalates. At just under 500 words, the story leaves room for speculation and
interpretation. It is often read by older students.
Summary:
It's snowy outside and getting
dark. Inside, a man is in the bedroom, hurriedly packing his suitcase. A woman
says she's glad he's leaving. She starts crying. She takes a picture of the
baby from the bed and leaves the room. He wants the picture back. He finishes
packing, puts on his coat, and turns out the light. He goes to the living room.
The woman stands in the kitchen doorway, holding the baby. He wants to take the
baby. She refuses. The baby starts crying. He moves toward her. She retreats
into the kitchen, standing in a corner by the stove. He grabs hold of the baby.
They argue over him. The baby is screaming. They knock down a flowerpot. He
crowds her, trying to break her grip on the baby. He grips the baby under an
arm and tries to pull the woman's fingers apart. She feels her grip loosening.
As the baby slips away, she screams and grabs for the baby's other arm. She
holds one wrist and leans back. The man pulls very hard.
The issue gets decided. What
happens to the baby? This is the main point of speculation in the story. We
can't say for sure what happens. The two likely possibilities are:
• The baby gets injured either
from a fall or the pulling.
• The baby is killed either from
a fall or the pulling.
The last sentence of the story
reads, "In this manner, the issue was decided." To figure out what
happened, we need to answer two questions:
1. What is the
"manner"?
2. What is the
"issue"?
The "manner" refers to
how the couple fights over the baby. Specifically, it involves the physical
actions they take at the moment the story ends. The woman is determined not to
lose this battle: "She would have it, this baby." Her last action is
to lean back while holding the baby's wrist. The man is equally determined:
"But he would not let go." His last action is to pull back very hard
while holding the baby under an arm near the shoulder. The "manner"
of the argument suggests the baby either gets injured or is killed.
The "issue" is about
who gets the baby. This part adds to the uncertainty of the baby's fate. It's
crucial to understand that they are fighting over who gets the baby that night.
This wouldn't settle their disagreement. A custody dispute is a matter for the
courts. If the baby was injured or killed, it would resolve the
"issue" of who gets the baby right now: neither of them.
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