A Small, Good Thing Essay - 2003 Words

The short story A Small, Good Thing by Raymond Carver tells of two American parents dealing with their sons hospitalisation and death as the result of a hit-and-run car accident. The insensitive actions of their local baker add to their anger and confusion, yet by the end of the story, leave them with a sense of optimism and strength. With such content, Carver runs the risk of coming across as sentimental; however, this is not the case, and the anguish of the parents and their shock at the situation is expressed with dignity and understatement. It is a story with a broad appeal: the simple prose makes it accessible to a wide audience, while the complex themes and issues make it appealing to the educated reader. Written in Carvers†¦show more content†¦Ã‚‘Hey, Scott, his father said. ‘Hey, son. The failure of communication in the world of A Small, Good Thing is also represented more directly. For example, the parents feel unable to communicate with the hospital staff who treat Scotty. This happens literally, through the two orderlies who take Scotty for his brain scan - the orderlies stood at either end of the gurney without saying anything, though once one of the men made a comment to the other in their own language, and the other man nodded slowly in response. It is also represented through Ann and Howards frustration and confusion, through their sharp questions and angry demands - Why wont he wake up?Â… I want some answers from these people. At the same time, Ann and Howard do not initially allow each other to share the experience of Scottys accident - She realized with a start that, until now, it had only been happening to her and to Scotty. She hadnt let Howard into it, though he was there and needed all along. And yet the trauma of their mutual experience serves to bridge the gap between them and fosters a deeper understanding: They seemed to feel each others insides now, as though the worry had made them transparent in a perfectly natural way. As such, Carver gives an insightful view into the way grief can serve not only to alienate but also to bring together those affected by it. While the parents serve to represent the breakdown of communication, it is the character of the bakerShow MoreRelatedThemes Of A Small, Good Thing Essay968 Words   |  4 PagesThemes in ‘A Small, Good Thing’ Life consists of persistence and lethargy; patience and tragedy; felicity and suffering; experiences and failures; ups and downs; and accepting the good with the bad and the bad along with the good. These details create ‘slices of life’ moments in our lives. As we read Raymond Carver’s short stories, we see these beautiful moments come to pass. 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Read MoreEssay on A Small, Good Thing, by Raymond Carver1956 Words   |  8 PagesThe short story, A Small, Good Thing by Raymond Carver tells of two American parents dealing with their sons hospitalization and death as the result of a hit-and-run car accident. The insensitive actions of their local baker add to their anger and confusion, yet by the end of the story, leave them with a sense of optimism and strength. With such content, Carver runs the risk of coming across as sentimental; however, this is not the case, and the anguish of the parents and their shock at the situationRead MoreA Small Good Thing By Raymond Carver And The Birthmark Essay1877 Words   |  8 PagesA Small Birthmark with Vampiric Communion In the stories â€Å"A Small Good Thing† by Raymond Carver and â€Å"The Birthmark† by Nathaniel Hawthorne there are obvious differences between the two tales. 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