"Popular Mechanics" by Raymond Carver

After reading "Popular Mechanics", I can honestly say that it was the first time the term "short" story has truly applied in this class. I couldn't believe that it was only a page! But now on a more analytical note, I'd like to address the style of this story. Carver narrated this story in the third person objective point of view, meaning that it gave the effect of distancing the readers from the characters. By doing this, Carver's lack of detail and ambiguity between dialogue and action demonstrate the lack of identity of the characters and also the universality of the story. The biggest concept I took from this piece was just how common physical and verbal fights have become between separating couples, and oftentimes, how they use their children as ammunition in the process. I thought the story was a good piece for illustrating divorce or separation, especially since it is becoming more customary by the day.