Raymond Carvers What We Talk About When We Talk About Love - Free Essay Example

Love is undoubtedly one of the most frequently explored subjects in the literary world. Whether the focus is a confession of love, criticism of love, tale of love, or simply a tale about what love is, such literary pieces force readers to question the true meaning and value of love. Raymond Carver accomplishes this in his short story â€Å"What We Talk About When We Talk About Love. † As the unadorned setting and the personality of each character unfold, the reader realizes that Carver is making a grave comment on the existence of love. Carver utilizes strong contrast, imagery, and diction to ultimately suggest that love cannot be defined concretely and therefore cannot be defined in words, and because of this, it is better off unexplored. As the story opens, the reader is introduced to two couples. Nick and Laura epitomize the stereotypical â€Å"newlywed† relationship, meaning that they are still too fresh in love to realize each other’s shortcomings and que stion their love. Mel and Terri, on the other hand, have been together for five years, and though they still claim to love one another, a mutual underlying resentment for the other becomes evident as the story progresses. Knowing this, Nick and Laura are characterized as the young â€Å"fools in love†, and therefore, their opinions of love are not realistic. Despite Nick being the narrator, he only speaks up a few times to suggest that love is absolute. With such an outspoken narrator, Carver creates a unique situation in which Nick is overpowered in the conversation. This suggests that Nick is inexperienced with love and that his belief in his perfect loving relationship with Laura is just an illusion. Ironically enough, Mel dominates the dialogue of the story, yet he seems to be the most confused about the definition of love. His wife, Terri, speaks about her abusive ex-husband, Ed, and Mel claims that that relationship was not built on love. Several times, Mel scoffs , â€Å"If you call that love, you can have it† (174). However, it is eventually made clear that Mel knows more of what love isn’t than what love truly is. On page 178, Mel states, â€Å"†¦And it ought to make us feel ashamed when we talk like we know what we’re talking about when we talk about love. † In short, Mel is suggesting that none of the characters understand love, and those who think they do (Nick and Laura) are temporarily disillusioned. Additionally, Carver invalidates Nick and Laura’s comments on love by categorizing them as new fools in love, meaning that Nick’s comment about love being absolute is far from true. The contrast of the two couples relationships suggests that there are many forms and stages of love, which further disproves its absoluteness. In conclusion, the contrast of all four characters’ views questions both the existence and the verbal definition of true love. As the story unfolds further, Me l continues to lead the group’s conversation. Carver incorporates significant imagery through this drunken character. First of all, Mel speaks of his wishes to be a knight so that he could have a suit of armor, which is a form of protection. However, on page 181 Nick states, â€Å"I read somewhere that they’d fall off their horses and not be able to get up because they were too tired to stand with all that armor on them. They got trampled by their own horses sometimes. † This is an analogy in the sense that the armor represents â€Å"walls† that people put up to protect and separate themselves from others. The horse represents the creature in which the man confides the most trust, which could also represent a person’s romantic partner. Therefore this image means that people who build â€Å"walls† (represented by the armor) around them actually hurt themselves in the end. In other words, even the animal that is most cared for in the manâ⠂¬â„¢s life may end up killing him, which is the ultimate act of hatred. The horse killing the knight can also be interpreted as Carver explaining that love, whether it be between a knight and his horse or a married couple, is imperfect and does not last. This idea is suggested once more on the final pages of the story when Mel is hatefully talking about his ex-wife, Marjorie. On page 176, Mel admits, â€Å"But sometimes I have a hard time accounting for the fact that I must have loved my first wife too. But I did, I know I did. † However, Mel maliciously speaks of wishing to unleash a swarm of bees on her on pages 184 and 185. Mel’s hateful attitude toward Marjorie, the woman that he once loved, further proves that love is neither absolute nor eternal, and its’ beginning and end cannot be logically explained. In addition to Carver’s use of contrast and imagery, â€Å"What We Talk About When We Talk About Love† is written strategically with s implicity in both the diction and plot. As most of the action in the story revolves around drinking and replenishing the gin, a mental image of four characters drowning their sorrows and confusion concerning love is formed (yet this is never admitted). Nick, the narrator, limits his comments to physical movement and appearance of the characters, which at first glance suggests a skin-deep story about two couples; yet with a deeper analysis, it actually adds mood and overall importance to the meaning of Carver’s story. The setting is described at the beginning of the story very plainly. On page 170, Nick describes the scene as, â€Å"The four of us were sitting around his kitchen table drinking gin. † The simplicity found in Nick’s descriptions is reflected in all aspects of the story, as the setting remains still and static throughout. The lack of movement or excitement among the characters suggests that their love is also stagnant, or will soon be lifeless in Nick and Laura’s case. The combination of the lack of movement and the continuous intake of alcohol create a melancholy and creepy mood at the conclusion of the story. By the time the gin is polished off, the upbeat conversation in the first few pages has died down to an awkward, lonely silence. On page 185, Nick says, â€Å"Eat or not eat. Or keep drinking. I could head right on out into the sunset. This line illustrates a sudden loss of motivation and want- not only for food, but also for love itself. After hearing Mel and Terri’s gloomy stories about love, it seems that Nick and Laura silently realize that their destiny as a couple is doomed and that their infatuating love will not and cannot last. Mel and Terri are also immersed in this silent, drunken, and dispirited mindset, as if realizing that they are stuck in this rut of â€Å"love† that, at its core, is lacking passion. Also, on page 185, Nick narrates, â€Å"I could hear my heart beating. I could hear everyone’s heart. I could hear the human noise we sat there making, not one of us moving, not even when the room went dark. † Carver’s powerful use of diction in this closing line creates an idea for the whole story. Ironically, Nick mentions the heart of each one of them. Since the heart is the body part most associated with love, Nick hearing the characters’ hearts in the dark is a reflection of his emotions; Nick understands that each person can love, yet in the dark, the definition of love cannot been seen or understood. The diction in this line also ends the story ironically in that the characters are more confused and hopeless about love than they were in the beginning. With this understanding, Carver is implying that love is not absolute, and it should not be defined or analyzed. In conclusion, Carver’s â€Å"What We Talk About When We Talk About Love† insinuates that the individual is better off embracing love with his/h er heart rather than mind, as the mind will only spoil any potential true beauty that love may offer.

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Community Service as a Graduation Requirement - 1680 Words

Jasmine Santos Mrs. Shafer IU English 19 December 2011 Community Service as a Graduation Requirement A wise person once said, â€Å"If you light a lamp for someone else, it will also brighten your path.† This particular quote has helped me realize that not enough teenagers are helping their community become a more desirable place to live. Implementing community service into the senior project outline as a requirement would ultimately benefit the students and the community. Not only will the students become more aware of the activities that occur in their community, but they will also have a greater sense of self. Each student has his own reason for volunteering. Many volunteer for the joy of helping others, and some volunteer to seek†¦show more content†¦What is not understood is the difference between offering assistance, and creating a co-dependent relationship (___). Instead of pushing someone everyday to change their life around, one can give something small and still make a big difference. Community service gives su pport and relieves the negative energy directed to the less fortunate from society, while attempting to develop better habits for a better life. The process of transforming an unknown human being into a person with importance is time consuming. â€Å"The time it takes to help someone else in a small way is not wasted when it improves someone else’s well-being† (Brannagan). Once the volunteer feels as though he has improved the life of another person and there is evidence to show that the other person is no longer living in disadvantaged conditions, then the frequency of giving and the amount given from the volunteer is increased. To witness the improvement is a priceless matter and should give the volunteer the feeling of unconditional giving. Making a difference in someone’s life gives personal satisfaction and helps teens develop a better appreciation for the little things in life (Keeler). Community service is the voluntary work intended to help people in a p articular area. It should never be mistaken with a paid job or a guaranteed career. Volunteers can help communities save money by allowing them to spend the money on local improvements rather than using the funds toShow MoreRelatedShould Community Service Be Mandatory Graduation Requirement? Essay1382 Words   |  6 Pagescontinuous debate that is currently receiving much attention is whether community service should be a mandatory graduation requirement. Preparing students to effectively function in the real world is an important aspect of our education system. Today more than ever, there is an emphasis on having experience before beginning work. Most jobs are now focused on looking past your resume to see what you have given back to the community. 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Community Hospital’s mission is to provide exceptional primary care. However, with the declination of profitability in primary care, Community Hospital has had to compete with Shore University Medical Center (SUMC) and University Hospital (UH) for revenueRead MoreHow to Better a Community; Step One: College Students1711 Words   |  7 PagesJacob Schekman Julio Leal English 1A 6 July 2009 How to Better a Community; Step One: College Students â€Å"I went to a large state school – the University of Illinois – and during my time there, I became one of the best two or three foosball players in the Land of Lincoln. I learned to pass deftly between my rigid players, to play the corners, to strike the ball like a cobra would strike something a cobra would want to strike. I also mastered the dart game called Cricket, and the billiards

Hospital Budget free essay sample

Over the years financial management has been a concept that is flourishing in the world of health care. â€Å"Until the 1960s, financial management in all industries was generally viewed as descriptive in nature, with its primary role being to secure the financing needed to meet a business’s operating objectives† (Gapenski, 2008, pg. 26). However, today, financial management holds a more significant role in the management of businesses overall. Now, the primary role of financial management is to plan for, acquire, and utilize funds (capital) to maximize the efficiency and value of the enterprise† (Gapenski, 2008, pg. 26). Similar too many happenings in health care, the specific goals of a business’s management financially is highly dependent on the nature of each particular business. Overall, financial management is a practice that will provide the theories, tools, and concepts needed in order for a company to make better decisions. The Patton-Fuller Community Hospital is one of these companies that take advantage of the financial management practices in order to make better decisions. Recently, a 2010 budget was developed using the 2009 projections, assumptions, and figures. The purpose of this paper is to analyze that budget and discuss which financial management practices will be most effective for this organization as well as which practices will be the least effective. The 2010 budget developed for the Patton-Fuller Community hospital projects that there will be a slight increase in total revenue, total expenses, and net income that will allow the organization to continue to make its turnaround in the following year. There are several financial management practices that will be helpful for the Patton-Fuller Community Hospital. The first financial management practice that will be effective for this hospital is evaluating and planning. This involves evaluating current operations of the organization and evaluating their financial effectiveness in order to plan for the future. This can be anything from the organizations requirements in areas of managing cash to budgeting and reporting financial results. Continuing to produce projected budgets and assumptions for following years will ensure that Patton-Fuller Community Hospital is evaluating their financial situation often, and producing and expectant budgets for analyses. These projections will also allow them to plan for future increases or decreases in areas such as patient volume, utilities, supplies, salaries or ash on hand, so they do not come as a surprise. Giving the hospital an opportunity to plan for future events and accommodate for situations and operations that are either working for or against them, will help to keep the hospital from experiencing unexpected negative effects. The next financial management practice that will be most effective is long-term investment decisions. These decisions will focus on acquiring new facilities and equipment, as well as the implementation of new strategic pl ans in the future of this organization. As far as equipment is concerned, the new budget specifies that new high-cost equipment has been installed within the last year. Air conditioning, telephone systems, all patient beds, and headwalls were replaced in 2009. It also states that depreciation rose sharply, however it is going to remain the same in 2010. Knowing that these improvements will not cost this organization money this year will allow them to plan ahead for capital investments, and possible expansion of the facility that will bring in more money for following years. Financial decision practices are going to be effective as well. â€Å"All organizations must raise funds to support operations. Such decisions involve the choice between internal and external funds, the use of debt versus equity capital, and the use of long-term versus short-term debt† (Gapenski, 2008, pg. 27). Applying this practice to the Patton-Fuller organization will help them to decide if the number of fundraisers needs to be increased, or whether more short-term or long-term investments will prove to be more useful. Despite only a slight increase in revenue, the Patton-Fuller Community Hospital must still support facility upgrades as well as maintenance and costly health information technology. The income that investments provide is typically viewed as an extra source of funding that this organization cannot go without. This type of practice will also be useful for the marketing department who projected in the 2010 budget that donations will be increased by 15%, which will also add to the hospitals expenditures in a capital budget. A financial management practice that may prove less effective for this hospital is contract management. â€Å"In today’s healthcare environment, health services organizations must negotiate, sign, and monitor contracts with managed care organizations and third-party payers† (Gapenski, 2008, pg. 28). The complexities that come with third-party repayment means that a large amount of time and resources are being spent on burdensome accounts, bills, and collection processes, instead of focusing on activities that will bring revenue into the company. Historically, the practice of finance had been driven by the Medicare program, which demanded that providers (primarily hospitals) churn out a multitude of reports both to comply with regulations and to maximize Medicare revenues† (Health Care Finance, 2012, para. 6). In order for a company to be financially functional, they must support cost containment efforts as well as be able to lead their company into the future, not just record what is happening and may be in the past. Spending less time negotiating with third-party payers will open up more time and resources that can be focused on increasing hospital revenue. When an organization is in a time of high profitability and is experiencing an abundance of financial resources, the function of financial management tends to decline in importance. In an effort to control this decline, â€Å"Providers have been redesigning their finance functions to recognize the changes that have been occurring in the health services industry† (Health Care Finance, 2012, para. 9). That way they do not experience a time of fall because of their disregarding of these practice. Recently, a 2010 budget was developed using the 2009 projections, assumptions, and figures for the Patton-Fuller Community Hospital. The purpose of this paper was to analyze that budget and discuss which financial management practices were most effective for this organization as well as which practices were the least effective. Having strong financial management practices is vital to any organization as well as the economic well-being of the health care industry as a whole.