Carver, Raymond.“Popular Mechanics.”

“Popular Mechanics”

1 Discus the story’s final lines. What is the “issue” that is “decided”?

The “issue” that is “decided” in the final lines is which parent is going to keep the child. Both parents repeatedly say they want the baby.

3 How do small action take on larger significance in the story’s? Consider the woman picking up the baby’s picture and the knocked-down flowerpot.

Carver says, “She noticed he baby’s picture on the bed and picked it up. He looked at her and she wiped her eyes and stared at him before turning and going back to the living room. Bring that back he said” (276). Carver shows us by her looking at the baby’s photo and the guy wanting it back that they love their child. I think the parents fighting over the baby shows that they have something in common. These parents might decide to stay together for their child.

4 why is this couple splitting up? Do we know? Does it matter? Explain your response.

No, we didn’t know why the couple is splitting. It seems that the girlfriend doesn’t want her boyfriend to leave. The girlfriend is says, “I’m glad you’re leaving” and “you can’t look at me in the face” (276). What she says show she doesn’t want the guy to leave. If the problem is small between them they may solve their differences and stay together for their child.

6 what is the conflict? How is it resolved?

The conflict of the story is which parent is going to keep the child. The parents were pulling the baby back and forth between them. Carver says, “He felt the baby slipping out of his hands and he pulled back very hard” (277). One can infer that this is a physical contest of who is stronger. Whoever can keep ahold of the baby is the one that will keep it.

8 Explain how Carver uses irony to convey theme.

The theme could be that there is good and bad in relationships. The good in their relationship is their child. The irony is that the girlfriend is says, “I’m glad you’re leaving” and “you can’t look at me in the face” (276). These are two conducting statements.

Works Cited

Carver, Raymond.“Popular Mechanics.” The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. Ed. Michael Meyer. 9^th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s 2012. 276-277. Print.