Symbolism in Popular Mechanics

A detailed Summary of Symbolism in Popular Mechanics


The adage goes "Say what you mean and mean what you say," however, symbolism plays an important role in literature. In Raymond Carver's "Popular Mechanics" details are used to symbolize the lives of the characters and the changes in their lives during and after the break up between the man and woman. Carver uses four details as symbols in the story: the dark and dreary details of the weather, the woman's picking up the picture, the knocking down of the flower pot, and the pulling on the baby.

The dark and dreary details of the weather both inside and out: "Early that day the weather turned" and "Cars slushed by on the street outside, where it was getting dark. But it was getting dark on the inside, too" (238), represent the relationship between the man and the woman. The weather


Carver, Raymond. "Popular Mechanics." The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. 5th ed. Ed. Michael Meyer. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2000. 238-239

turning is symbolic of the change in their relationship from good to bad. The statement, "it was getting dark on the inside, too" (238), is representative of the feelings of the couple, which are changing from those of happiness and enjoyment to those of hatred and anger.

While the weather symbolizes the relationship between the man and the woman, the woman's picking up the picture of the baby is also very symbolic. In the story, the picture was on the bed, put there by the man. When the woman entered the bedroom, "She noticed the baby's picture on the bed and picked it up," then "stared at him (the man) before turning and

Some common words found in the essay are:
Popular Mechanics, , breaking baby, Introduction Literature, Bedford/St Martin's, getting dark, woman's picking picture, dark dreary details, dark inside 238, physical breaking baby, getting dark inside, flower pot, woman's picking, dark inside, details weather, picking picture, dark dreary, pulling baby, dreary details,

Approximate Word count = 533
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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