The End

This paper will attempt  to present a strong hypothesis upon which the basis of the topic under study will be developed. In the short story “Popular Mechanics”, Carver introduces the reader to different sets of endings to matters which of them affect individual’s way of living. The story depicts a lesson to the reader that teaches not to allow the feelings or rather emotions impede the logical reasoning that consequently leads to negative outcomes. The main goal of this assignment is to determine the different ways upon which unintended endings bring atrocities to the people involved. The author commences the short story with a description of the setting upon which the event unfolds:

“Early that day the weather turned and the snow was melting into dirty water. Streaks of it ran down from the little shoulder-high window that faced the backyard. Cars slushed by on the street outside, where it was getting dark. But it was getting dark on the inside too” (Carver 1).

This description portrays the end of the day’s activities and, in turn, the ushering in of the dark, a symbol of bad warning which will ensue against the people within the locality. The story proceeds to unfold through a marital relationship gone badly and being on the verge of collapsing miserably. The two unmentioned characters, presumably a husband and a wife, are separating without thinking about there son’s interests. It is so unfortunate that the couple has to end there relationship in such a way. It should be noted that the author left the characters unnamed to indicate that this particular situation facing the couple is popular to each and every family out there. It is a common matter to hear about couples fighting and separating eventually leaving kids as casualties of the break up. It is said that the effects of our actions are whatever we intend them to be, and any potential negative thought or deed in that matter affects those we love and admire. It is so sad that most of our actions continue to be unintended but then fail us when we impact and inflict pain to the people we recognize. In the first paragraph, the wife is portrayed as stereotypical manipulative female when she shouts at her husband to leave while, on the other hand, the husband is portrayed as a stereotypical aggressive man who resorts to violence whenever situations turn unpleasant. The manipulative woman takes the initiative using the baby with an attempt to gain power and control of the relationship. Nowadays, it is familiar for women to holding onto kids after divorce while, at the same time, pushing for child support. This might be the case with this particular woman since she knew that there was never any other way the relationship could be repaired, and her only solace of the terminated relationship was the possession of her son. Although this particular assumption is not revealed, there are also other matters within the story which the storyteller has refused to disclose to the readers. In the last paragraph, Carver ends the story with the words “in this manner, the issue was decided” (1). The suspense brought about by this statement is whether the baby was hurt or, in the worst case scenario, killed. It is with this kind of suspense that the author has managed to allow the reader to read the story over and over again in a bid to formulate individual responses in terms of characters, setting of the story as well as the plot. Readers are thereby bent to fit the role played by active readers whose abilities are not limited to the descriptions presented but are characterized by the respective levels of their imagination.

 It will therefore be wise to indicate that the story does not only limit its readers from playing an active role but also engages them in the events as they unfold to the end. The end is somehow tragic and thus, provides a basis upon which the objective of the hypothesis is concluded.