Faces in the Mirror: Raymond Carver and the Intricacies of Looking

Author(s): Christof Decker

Source: Amerikastudien / American Studies, Vol. 49, No. 1, Neorealism Between Innovation
and Continuation (2004), pp. 35-49
Published by: Universittsverlag WINTER Gmbh
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Faces in theMirror:
RaymondCarverand theIntricaciesof Looking
Christof Decker

ABSTRACT
It has repeatedlybeen pointedoutthatneo-realist
textsare characterized
visual
bya particular
notonlywithregardto audiovisualdevicesfeaturedthematically
butalso concerning
their
quality,
literary
style,whichat some pointeven came to be called "TV Fiction."This essayattemptsto
showthat,in orderto appreciatethevisualqualityof neo-realism,
we shouldshiftour attention
fromthepredominance
oftheimageto a morecomplexunderstanding
ofvisuality.
Drawingon the
conceptofthegaze,I suggestthatwe haveto examinecloselyhowtheactoflookingis introduced
howit contributes
to
as thecrucialwayofinterrelating
imageand subject,and,morespecifically,
theemergenceofnewformsofself-knowledge.
Mycase in pointwillbe RaymondCarver'sminibetweenvoiceand eye,speakingand looking.
malrealism,whichis characterized
bya disjunction
Thisdisjunction
has been linkedwiththenotionof postmodern
yetI wouldargue
depthlessness,
doubtthanto theidea ofa crisisofcommunication.
thatitrelatesless to epistemological
Harking
ofthematerialworldis contrasted
withtherealm
backto Americanmodernism,
thesensuousness
ofspeechin orderto stressthatvisualand hapticformsofcontactcan compensateforthefundatelevisumentalinadequacyofspokenlanguage.Threedifferent
typesoflooking-thenarcissistic,
in neo-realism.
al, andcinematicgaze- willbe discussedto elaboratequestionsofvisualization

forcein the
Whenminimalrealismcame to be regardedas a majorliterary
werenoticedwhichhavesinceshapedtheinterest
1980s,twoaspectsofparticular
wereimpressed
of
oreticaldebates.On theone hand,critics
bythepredominance
luciddomesticsubjects;on theother,theymarvelledat the"aggressive
ordinary,
suchas RaymondCarver,AnnBeatity"oftheliterary
styleadvocatedbywriters
In contrast
to theexpansiveness
ofpostmodtie,MaryRobison,or TobiasWolff.
ernliterature
"minimalism"
functional,
appearedto be "likea microchip,
highly
and polishedto precision"(Herzinger14).1Numeroussuggestions
crafted,
finely
shouldbe called,ranging
fromDirty
weremadeas towhatthisnewtypeoffiction
elseemedto agreethatan important
Realismto K-MartRealism,yetmostcritics
on
ementwasa newformofaccessibility
the
drawing
representational
promisesof
it
"'Minimalist'
stories
realistic
As
Kim
summed
generally
writing.
Herzinger
up:
is
acrossthetable,at eyelevel,wherecommunication
positionthereaderdirectly
mostlikely"(15).
refersto thesimplicity
ofdesignprevaThe notionofeyelevelcommunication
or 'user
and
welcomed
as
a
new
reader
orientation
lentin minimalist
writing
formsofcommufriendliness.'
Yet italso alludesto theimportance
ofnon-verbal
nicationcrucialin storieslackingelaboratepassagesof directspeech.In thisre1 On the
cf.Barthand Facknitz("Menace ofMinimalism").
conceptofminimalism,

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36

Decker
Christof

auspect,RaymondCarverhascometo be regardedas one ofthemostimportant

Sincethelate 1970s
as I willargue,frequently
misapprehended.2
thors-though,
been relatedto
thevisualqualityofhisstoriesand literary
stylehas persistently
writor
him
as
a
Whether
critics
saw
neo-realist, postmodern
minimalist,
painting.
Saltzcalled
his
unadorned
lean,
er,theyusually
(cf.Stull,
style"photo-realistic"
man,Fluck,and Nesset).Thisanalogywithphoto-or hyper-realism
grewout of
the sense thatcertainthemesand moodsprevalentin photo-realistic
paintings
Bothartformsdevelopedat roughly
couldalso be discernedin Carver'swritings.
in thelate 1960s,and wereseen as relatedaesthetic
thesamehistorical
moment,
inAmericanculture.
movements
Yet eventhoughnotionsofthemeandmoodseemedto pointto similarpercepCarver
failedtonoticethatintermsofstyle,
tionsofAmerican
manycritics
society,
advocatedradicallydifferent
and the photo-realists
representational
strategies.
Whilepainters
suchas RobertBechtle,RichardEstes,or RalphGoingsstrovefor
ofphotography,
Carver's
ofrealityemulating
thevisualrichness
a representation
and
characterized
on
the
condensed
stories
were,
bycompression
contrary,
highly
to
be
known
as
which
came
a
reduction.3
minimalism,
style,
Paradoxically,literary
defortheirfinely
wasroutinely
associatedwithvisualimagesrenowned
wrought
Criticsfailedto
i. e. theirabundanceofvisualinformation.
tailsand highdensity,
and compressed
mental
see thatCarver'simagesofsuburbiawerehighly
stylized
imagesrelatedto notionsofan alienatedself.
couldbe subsumed
One consequenceof thelinkagewas thatCarver'swriting
to certain
Even thoughhe seemedto return
underthebannerofpostmodernism.
elementsofrealism,so theargument
went,he sharedthephoto-realists'
predilecAs MichaelTrusand theirconcomitant
tionforsurfacestructures
depthlessness.
butis incapable
slerputsit:"Thereaderperceivesthesurface(event,description),
that
the surfaceto discoverthe occludedmeaningor structure
of penetrating
itsshape" (27-28).A closerlook at hisstoriesregrantsthesurfaceitstexture,
thatCarverdid notattemptto reproducetheminutiaeofvisual
veals,however,
moand consequently
was notto be confusedwiththefleeting
surfacestructures
his
of
mentsof pop-art'ssnapshotpaintings.
Rather, representation realitywas
He
followed
an aestheticof abstraction,
and
reductive.
selective
growing
highly
life.
ofeveryday
theexperience
outof,butalso transforming
of
to traditional
forms
a simplereturn
To be sure,Carver'sstoriesdo notsignify
I
would
that
referencYet
of
aesthetic
realism
argue
strategies.
ignorant postmodern
haveobscuredhowandwhyquestions
es tothephoto-realistic
qualityofhiswriting
Carver's
aesthetic.
are at thecenterof hisneo-realist
ofvisualization
Frequently,
that
thisis
it
is
crucial
to
realize
of
but
the
visual
evokes
quality
painting,
writing
andrepresentation.
On theone
forms
ofvisualexploration
achievedbycompeting
conflictoflooking,
hand,hisstoriesaredistinguished
generating
byvariousforms
thetheme
On theotherhand,theyintroduce
inggazesand typesofvisualization.
Since
notas an endinitselfbutas partofa desiretocommunicate.
ofvisualization
as pronetofailureandfrusverbalcommunication
Carver'scharacters
experience
2 On Carver's
cf.Scott.
"blossoming"reputation,
3 On Carver's
style,cf.Campbell,Nesset,and Facknitz("Menace ofMinimalism").

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Faces in theMirror

37

tocompensate
serveas insufficient
non-verbal
forms
tration,
yetgenuineattempts
forthislack.4The lessCarver'scharacters
talk,themoretheyobserve.Thus,what
is infactan
to somecriticsappearedto be a variantofpostmodern
depthlessness
Thisinability
to expressthemselves
to communicate.
adequatelyis not
inability
eleitalso represents
an important
suffering,
onlya majorcauseofthecharacters'
mustbe answeredby a searchfor
mentof Carver'sstyle.Lack and insufficiency
as wellas thereadandthissearchshapesthecharacters'
newmeansofexpression,
the
CarverpreIn contrastto
er's activity.
high-density
paintings,
photo-realists'
In
order
to
be
in
need
of
sentssketches
understood,
theymustbe
supplementation.
a
dialogicalimagination.5
completed
by sympathetic
Looking as an Act of Transformation

themein Carver'sstories.
The inadequacyof spokenlanguageis a recurrent
what
to
for
not
Characters
say,orbeingunableto express
groping words, knowing
and serveas a major
themselves
are a commonfeatureofhisblue-collarsettings
in
A
case
of
verbal
communication.
for
the
crisis
pointis thenarrator
larger
trope
of "Cathedral."Hesitantabouta blindmanwho comesto visithis house,he is
to turn
stunnedto hearhimsaythat,as an owneroftwotelevision
sets,he prefers
to say
on hiscolorset:"I didn'tknowwhatto sayto that.I had absolutely
nothing
totelevision
as thestoryproceeds,watching
tothat.No opinion"(205). Ironically,
new
level
of
unthe
to
come
to
a
will
blind
man
and
the
narrator,
both,
gether help
a
to expresshimself
But at thispointtheinability
verballyhighlights
derstanding.
fora
commondilemmaofCarver'scharacters.
Languageis seento be insufficient
and those
formofcommunication.
Talkingcreatesdistance,
genuineand intimate
Carver's
are lookedupon withsuspicion.Consequently,
who talkself-assuredly
at a loss fortherightword,while
as inarticulate,
characters
are oftenportrayed
theactoflookingproducesa kindofknowledgeon whichthesenseoftheirintecan build.
riority
fortheinadequacyof
ofthisnotionofinteriority
Thesignificance
compensating
spokenlanguagewas made apparentin RobertAltman'sfilmShortCuts(1993),
based on a numberof Carver'sstories.In his adaptationforthescreen,Altman
betweenhitherto
unconnected
networkofcross-references
createda fascinating
other
like
an
elaborate
musical
into
each
storiesflowing
piece.Yetsome
smoothly
which
fundamentwonarrative
criticsnotedthatAltmanintroduced
techniques
Instead
of
of
the
character
Carver's
theysawirosympathy
writing.
tallychanged
externalachad
been
translated
into
of
internal
while
the
thought
ny,
subjectivity
tion(cf.Gallagher,Stewart,
Scofield,andBoddy).In TessGallagher'sestimation,
theeffect
ofthesechangeswas"totoughenandspeedup whatis tenderandcircumodeoffilmimages,AltmanseemedinitousinCarver"(11). In thehigh-density
elementsofCarver'smathe
more
meditative
and blurry
of
capable representing
4 On theimportance
ofnonverbalsignals,cf.Gearheart.
5 The crisisofcommunication
in Carver'sstoriesis elaboratedbyGearheartand Shute.

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38

Christof
Decker

crucialto his
terial.Mostimportantly,
thetensionbetweentalkingand observing,
role
in
Altman's
film.6
of
a
much
smaller
exploration subjectivity,
played
betweenverbalandnon-verbal
forms
ofcommunication
was
Carver'sdisjunction
in
an
David
Boxer
and
Cassandra
first
Phillips:
acknowledged insightful
analysisby
"IfCarver'seyeis thatofthevoyeur,"
"hisvoiceis thatofdissociation"
theywrite,
as distinct
communicative
(81). Sightand speech,eyeand voiceare differentiated
of
and
levelsinCarver'swriting,
different
kinds
Conknowledge insight.
generating
Boxer
and
introduce
the
term
"to
mean
not
sexusequently,
Phillips
voyeurism
just
idea ofself
al spying,
butthewistful
identification
withsomedistant,
unattainable
on theotherhand,is understood
as "a senseofdisengagement
(79). Dissociation,
fromone'sownidentity
andlife,a stateofstanding
defines
the
apartfromwhatever
self,or ofbeingunselfed"(79). In bothcasestheystressthefeelingofinadequacy:
fromtheself.Yet they
idea ofself,disengaging
verbally
gazingat an unattainable
force:
alsonotethatCarverhasendowedtheactoflookingwitha newexperiential
It
itself
becomes
not
vicarious
is
a
trans"Looking
experience, merely
experience.
ofthatwhichisseen"(79).
act,onewhichchangesthecharacter
forming
thehierarchy
beAs Boxerand Phillipshavepointedout,Carverundermines
tweenverbalandnon-verbal
formsofcommunication
to showthatthestruggle
to
levels.In "A Small,Good Thing,"Ann
expresstheselftakesplace on different
Weissrealizesafterthedeathofherchildthatshe is unableto expresshergrief
She thinks,
"howunfairitwas thattheonlywordsthatcameoutwere
adequately.
thesortof wordsused on TV showswherepeople werestunnedby violentor
suddendeaths.She wantedherwordsto be herown" (76). Yet,as thisdesireto
find"wordsof one's own" is thwarted,
alternative
meansof expressing
theself
while
mustbe foregrounded.
Talkingleadsto alienationfromtheselfand others,
evena senseof
createsa feelingofclosenessand sometimes
lookingor touching
to compensate
fora
visualand haptic,formsare introduced
Pre-verbal,
empathy.
a decommunicative
lack.However,sincetheyare less elaboratetheyhighlight
sireto communicate
ofambiguousor fuzzysemiotic
steepedin thediscrepancies
systems.
Boxerand Phillipsfocussedon thekindofvoyeurism
in storieslike
prevalent
Bill
the
of
his
where
to
Miller,tending
"Neighbors,"
neighbors,
emptyapartment
closely:"He looked
beginsto invadetheirprivacyby observingthe apartment
outthewindow,
andthenhe movedslowlythrough
eachroomconsidering
everyhis
that
fell
under
one
thing
gaze,carefully, objectat a time"(13). However,a
in Carver'sstories:itcan signicharacter's
ofimplications
gaze can havea variety
theprocessofcollecting
and selectingmaterialfor(new) stories;it
fyreflexively
can be partof a voyeuristic
act of spying,
scanningand 'possessing'objectsthat
in
theself;or itcan implythattheselfis placinghim-or herself
helpto transform
thesceneunderobservation.
How characters
look at objectsand people,or how
it also
theyare beinglookedat,providesnotonlyvitalbitsofstoryinformation,
in reunderlines
thatthegaze in Carver'swriting
is an activeprocess,implicated
6 RobertAltman's
adaptationmust,however,also be seen in thecontextof hisownwork.In
thesenseoffarcicalironyand thedepthlessness
ofhischaracters
havebeen persistent
particular,
elementsofhisfilmssincetheearly1970s.

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Faces in theMirror

39

lationsofknowledgeand power.Lookingin itsmostcomplexformbecomesan

actofself-examination.7
Carver'sRegime of Gazes

differentiated
withregardto thequestionas
Carver'sstoriesmustbe carefully
towhatthecharacters
arelookingat,howtheirgazesare qualified,
andwhatthey
see.8Threetypesoflookingareparticularly
relevantsincetheytakeon a reflexive
and closelyobserving
mundane
television,
quality:lookingintomirrors,
watching
motif
ofselfor
scenes.
into
mirrors
is
a
traditional
device
for
the
objects
Looking
in
work.
ProYet
it
is
how
often
it
Carver's
analysis.
striking
figures
prominently
in
can
in
moments
of
stress
or
unusual
environments
their
faces
tagonists
perusing
stories.On hisfirst
visitto theemptyapartment
ofhisvacabe foundinnumerous
Bill Millertendsto thecat and plants,whenslowlyhe is overtioningneighbors,
a
poweredby transgressive
impulse:"Leavingthecattopickat herfood,he headin themirror
and thenclosedhiseyes
ed forthebathroom.
He lookedat himself
andthenlookedagain"("Neighbors"10). He goeson to searchthevariousrooms
is likewakingup in
oftheapartment,
so thatat thispointlookingintothemirror
a strangely
alteredstate,meetingtheselfin a new,morerevealingandfascinating
form.Later,as he putson hisneighbor's
clothes,bothmaleandfemale,he returns
to
stare
into
mirrors,
engagingin the silentpleasureof seeinghis
repeatedly
former
selftakeon multiple
appearances.
whilehe is
is carefulnottojudgewhatBill thinksofhimself
Carver'snarrator
himself
in themirror,
thereaderto speculateon thethrillsof
observing
inviting
look intothemirror
can also denotea decisive
Yet a character's
cross-dressing.
In thissenseAl, themaincharacter
of
steptowarda newlevelofself-knowledge.
andMollyandSam,"whoselifeseemsto be fallingapartandwho,ina des"Jerry
dog,makesa
perategestureto restorea senseoforder,has abandonedthefamily
"Whilehe was shaving,
he stopped
vitaldiscovery
whilelookingintothemirror:
in themirror:
hisface
once and heldtherazorin hishandand lookedat himself
thatwas theword.He laidtherazordown./becharacterlessimmoral,
doughy,
lieveI havemadethegravestmistakethistime"(165; originalitalics).For a brief
7 The

conceptofthegaze is adaptedfromfilmtheorywhereitwas developedin thecontextof

The
and apparatustheories.For our purpose,two aspectsare mostsignificant.
psychoanalytic
gaze notonlyrefersto thevisualobjectgeneratedbytheact oflooking,i. e. theimage;italso inofa parcludestheactivity
to theconstruction
oflookingas such,i. e. thewaylookingcontributes
of
ticularsubjector subjectposition.To analyzethegaze,therefore,
requiresa close examination
Fordifferent
'image'and 'subject'inorderto discernhowthetextpresentstheirinterrelationship.
theconceptofthegaze in filmtheory,
cf.TheSexualSubject.
approachesconcerning
8 Care mustbe takento
shortstoriesand his longer,
betweenCarver'srelatively
distinguish
cf.Pratt).Mychoice
moreelaboratepieces(foran introductory
genericanalysisoftheshortstory,
ofexamplesrelatesto bothtypes,thoughI have includedonlyfewreferences
to hisvolumeWhat
We TalkAboutWhenWe TalkAboutLove. A criticaldebatehas raisedthequestionto whatextenttheextremebrevity
ofsomeofthestoriesin thisvolumecan be tracedto revisionsexecuted
byeditorGordonLish;cf.Max.

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40

Christof
Decker

Al breaksthrough
moment
hisreluctance
to acknowledge
thatthechaosoffamily
lifeis a consequenceofhisownmaking,
a side-effect
ofhisfaulty
"immoral"
character.In thiscase,then,lookingintothemirror
a
or
moral
triggerspsychological
briefpassagesof interior
monoinsightthatCarverunderlines
by interspersing
The
act
of
the
"immoral"
Al
seems
to
have
word
been
logue.
lookingconjuresup
he
does
not
it
in
with
his
wife.
mention
conversations
Self-knowllookingfor,yet
oftenremainsat thissubjectivelevelwithout
edgegeneratedbymirrors
entering
directverbalcommunication.
as a modeof self-analysis
Still,it shouldbe obviousthatlookingintomirrors
doesnotfollowthe(postmodern)
of
boundless
forms
ofreflection
unableto
trope
locatea senseofself.In Carver'smorecomplexstories(e. g. "Jerry
andMollyand
Sam" or "WillYou Please Be Quiet,Please?"), lookingintomirrors
marksmomentsofmoralor personalinsight,
whilein hisshorter
storiesitusuallytakeson
the qualityof a narcissistic
to
gaze: an exaggeratedformof self-interest
trying
combatthefeelingofemptiness
orblankness.
In bothcasesitrepresents
a formof
intothecharacters'
theiratlookingwhichallowsglimpses
personalities,
revealing
to
what
see
with
what
to
find
the
words
for
feel,
integrate
tempt
they
they
right
imagesoftheself.
WatchingTelevision

Ifwe cancallthenumerous
facesinthemirrors
amongCarver'sstoriesa primaas a wayoflooking
televisioncan be understood
rywayoflookingin,watching
out.Significantly,
itis a wayoflookingoutanchoredin thedomesticsetthough,
andthusservestoemphasizeratherthanovercomethefuntingsofthecharacters
damentalpassivity
intheirlives.It cansignify
theblankstareofan immobileaudiinfront
ofthetelevision
setin orderto killtime,as in thedryingence,gathering
outfacility
of"WhereI'm CallingFrom":"I makeit to a bigchairthat'scloseto
theradiator,and I sitdown.Some guyslook up fromtheirTV. Thentheyshift
backto whattheywerewatching"
(125). In thiscase,whatexactlytheyarewatchnot
is
elaborated
thedegreeoftheirexhaustion,
itdoesn't
on,and,indicating
ing
seemto makea difference.
can
denote
a
routine
television,
then,
Watching
daily
thatmetonymically
alludesto therepetitious
and mechanicalpatternof
activity
everydaylife.Insteadof engagingwithwhattheysee by lookingout intothe
tendto be drawndeeperintotheirdomesticsphere.
world,Carver'scharacters
On theotherhand,watching
has more
television,
justlikelookingintomirrors,
whenintroduced
as a competing
narrative
device
compleximplications,
particularly
andinterrelating
withtheactionin thestory.
As hasbeenpointedout,
influencing
theforceofCarver'sstoriesliesin theirabilityto undermine
thehabitualexperienceofeveryday
lifebymaking
theusualseemstrange:
"Itisthefamiliar,
theseemwhichis thetruemaskoftheterrifying"
ingly'known,'
(BoxerandPhillips83). To
thisend,watching
television
is a constant
ofhowquicklyterror
reminder
generated
in thepublicspherecan invadetheseemingcalmnessoftheprivaterealm.Highthecontingency
ofdeathandviolence,narratives
on television
a
lighting
represent
subtlethreatfromtheoutsideworld,(technically)
receivedinthedeceptiveseclu-

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Faces in theMirror

41

sionofthehome.In thegin-soaked
socialgathering
of"WhatWeTalkAboutWhen
We TalkAboutLove,"cardiologist
Mel McGinnissummarizes
a horrible
highway
accident:"Drunkkid,teenager,
plowedhisdad'spickupintothiscamperwiththis
television
canhavethesimilar
effect
ofinterjecting
oldcoupleinit"(146).Watching
a
visionsofsuddendeath.As Jackand Franvisithisworkpal Bud in "Feathers,"
ontelevision:
stockcarraceisrunning
"'Maybeone ofthosedamncarswillexplode
and
infront
ofus,'Fransaid.'Or elsemaybeone'llrunup intothegrandstand
right
hotdogs'"(9).
smashtheguysellingthecrummy
Franimaginesscenesmoreviolentand brutalthantheones actuSignificantly,
to theintrospective
theworst.In contrast
quality
allyshown,obviouslyexpecting
creates
a different
levelofvisuoflookingintomirrors,
television
then,watching
seemsto block
alization.On theone hand,television'sregimeof audiovisuality
an
outmoredirectand open formsofcommunication,
ritualizing emptyformof
in relationships
thathavelosttheiremotionalbasis.As Jackremarks
interaction
withFran:"She and I talkless and less as itis.Mostlyit'sjust
abouthismarriage
televisionis tornbetween
theTV" (23). On theotherhand,theact of watching
Bothreemotionalstates:ignoranceand hypersensitivity.
tworadicallydivergent
theworstto come,
actions,staringpassivelyat thetelevisionset or anticipating
feela need to protectthemselves
indicatethatCarver'scharacters
againstoverinto
reIn
like
this
mirrors,
sense,
television,
watching
looking
images.
powering
volvesaroundthethemeof a splitsubject.Unable to findwordsto expressthe
also seem to lack an adequate emotionalreactionin
self,Carver'sprotagonists
disinterestthefaceof disaster.Tornbetweenextremes-silenceand small-talk,
thenotionofa splitsubjectpointsto thecentrallack
ednessand sentimentalitythe inability
to expressand integrateambiguousfeelingsand
of his characters:
emobetweenradicallydivergent
fearofshifting
theconcomitant
uncontrollably
tionalstates.9
theSelf
Analyzing
Theexploratory
natureoflookinginandlookingoutcanpartlybe explainedby
whose
ofvisualization
andtelevision
screensaretechnologies
thefactthatmirrors
The
third
of
is
an
intrinsic
of
their
reflexive
regime looking
aspect
design.
quality
thatI wantto focuson goes beyondthiselementof technological
design.It inwithan "unidentification
cludeswhatBoxerand Phillipsdefineas a voyeuristic
or solelybe seen as voyattainableidea ofself"(79). Yet it need notnecessarily
in secrecyand fueledbyforbidden
desires.Morefittingly,
i. e. performed
euristic,
itcan be characterized
as theactofgenerating
bya carefulobserself-knowledge
characters
oftengain
vationof mundaneobjectsor scenes.Carver'sinarticulate
marriedArnoldBreit,theintheirfirstinsights
simplybylooking.Middle-aged,
9

OscillatingbetweenanObviously,neo-realism la Carveralso createsa 'new psychology.'

or wholebut
tagonisticstatesof feeling,the subjectdoes not see him-or herselfas integrated
to variousstimulifromthe outside.The concomitant
ratheras responding
"povertyof spirit"is
viewedcritically
byFacknitz("Menace ofMinimalism").

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42

Christof
Decker

hibitedprotagonist
of"AreYou a Doctor?"visitsa womanwhohas mysteriously
calledhimat homeandwantsto see him.Arriving
at herapartment,
he findsthat
shehasgoneoutandwaitsforher:
He looked around.The roomwas lightedby a gold floorlampthathad a largeashtray
and a magazinerackaffixedto thepole. A televisionset stood againstthefarwall,the
The furpictureon,thevolumelow.A narrowhallwayled to theback oftheapartment.
nace was turnedup,theair close witha medicinalsmell.Hairpinsand rollerslay on the
coffeetable,a pinkbathrobelayon thecouch.(36)

The passageservesas a descriptive

introduction
to theunknown
woman'saparta moodthatreflects
Arnold's
ment,yetit also sketchesvitaldetailsestablishing
hesitant
stateofmind.The "pinkbathrobe"foreshadows
thathe willclumsily
try
to kissthestranger,
confusedovertheirmeetingin an atmosphere
of intimacy
without
each otherbutemanating
a similarfeelingofrepresseddisconknowing
tent.Thus,intently
a particular
theprotagonist
becomesaware
observing
setting,
ofa sexuallychargedobject,whichcorresponds
withhishiddendesires.Otherexhowwatching
a scenecan generateself-knowlamplesshowevenmoreexplicitly
In
"Will
You
Please
Be
Please?"
Quiet,
edge.
RalphandMarianare experiencing
a maritalcrisisaftersheadmitsto a sexualaffair.
thetimewhen
Ralphremembers
were
in
Mexico
and
he
watched
his
wife
they
honeymooning
leaningmotionless
on thebalustrade
oftheirapartment:
She worea whiteblousewitha brightredscarfat herthroat,and he couldsee herbreasts
pushingagainstthewhitecloth.He had a bottleof dark,unlabeledwineunderhis arm,
and thewholeincidentputRalphinmindofsomething
froma film,an intensely
dramatic
momentintowhichMariancouldbe fittedbuthe couldnot.(229).

a brief,
Again,as in thepassagefrom"AreYou a Doctor?",observing
"intensely
dramaticmoment"introduces
But in thiscase
imageswithsexualconnotations.
theobserveris notonlycharacterized
as sexuallyintimidated
in(and ultimately
adequate),he evaluatestheact of lookingas a painfulflashof self-recognition.
SinceCarver'snarrator
froma film"itis temptqualifiesthesceneas "something
to
call
act
of
a
cinematic
ing
Ralph's
looking
gaze helpingto establisha particular
modeofnarration.
of
Carver's
stories
are
characterized
Many
bytheseprolonged
of
observation
a
and
thisdepassages
introducingparticular
setting combining
with
subtle
reflections
about
How
does
the
character
fit
scriptive
passage
place:
intothescenehe or she is watching?
Visualexploration
ofspace thuscreatesan
shotofthesetting
also servesas an assessand,at itsmostdistinctive,
establishing
mentofhowandwheretheselfcan be placedintothescene.
Towardtheend ofthestorya scenemirroring
vision
Ralph'searlierflashback
ofthehoneymoon
underlines
thisnarrative
device.Aftera nightofdrinking
and
tohishome,stillundecidedhowhe shouldact.He watchgambling,
Ralphreturns
es hiswifesleepingand,justas in Mexico,puzzledand insecure,
triesto cometo
termswithhisplaceinthescenebeforehim:
She was sleeping,herhead offthepillow,turnedtowardthewall,herhairblackagainst
thesheet,thecoversbunchedaroundhershoulders,
coverspulledup fromthefootofthe
bed. She was on herside,hersecretbodyangledat thehips.He stared.Whatafterall,

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Faces in theMirror

43

shouldhe do? Take his thingsand leave? Go to a hotel?Make certainarrangements?

How shoulda manact,giventhesecircumstances?
(249)

In a mildsubversion
ofgenderstereotypes,
Ralphrealizesat thispointthathetheman- precisely
does notknowhowto act.The experienceofa personalcrisis
oftenleads Carver'smale protagonists
to retreatand a heightened
stateof selfthe
through
pityratherthandecisiveaction.Earlier,as Ralphwandersaimlessly
his
is
on
"A
bell
over
of
evoked
a
store:
night, feeling vulnerability
entering liquor
thedoortinkled.Ralphalmostweptfromthesoundofit" (241). How theselfcan
be includedina scene,therefore,
oftenleadsto a notionoflackand inconclusiveness- inthiscase thelackofmarital'normalcy'
andtheconsequentemotionaldeYet thecrucialpointaboutthepassagewith
stabilization
ofthemaleprotagonist.
and selfregardto theanalysisof different
typesof lookingis thatobservation
the
are
linked
and
take
on
an
active
which
(male)charanalysis intimately
quality,
actersare incapableofina moreliteralsense.
betweenthreebasictypesthatI havetentatively
Thus,we can distinguish
(and
the
andcinematic
called
narcissistic,
televisual,
gaze.Whatthecharheuristically)
their(self-)
actersare lookingat,howtheirlook is qualified,and howit affects
of
a
becomes
the
vitallyimportant
against background pervasivefeelknowledge
In
work
thegaze takeson numerousforms(more
of
Carver's
ing speechlessness.
two
are
thanmentioned
above),yet
aspects crucial.Firstly,
gazinginvitesa considerationofplaceandself.It revolvesaroundtheissueofhowtheobserverfitsinto
itis presented
as an acthescenehe orsheis watching
(and describing).
Secondly,
the
the
or
a
bond
between
observer
and
object
person
tivitycreating special
and distance,
involvement
lookedat.Thus,thegaze negotiates
levelsofproximity
The narcissiswhichhavebothmetaphorical
and literalimplications.
and retreat,
far
ticgazeis a closeformofself-perusalwhilethetelevisualgazeis (bydefinition)
removedfromthescenebeingwatched;yetbothformsoflookingcan lead to surdiscoveries-e. g. thatclosenessuncoversa feelingofalienationwhiledisprising
tancemayigniteemotionalinvolvement.
thenarcissistic
Still,thevarioustypesoflookingcan thusbe summarized:
gaze
a formofintrospection,
thetelevisualgaze signifies
lookingoutat the
represents
formof
(mediated)worldwhilethecinematicgaze establishesa (self-reflexive)
ina narrative
theobserveras a participant
sequence.
lookingwhichacknowledges
formofcommuAll typesindicatethatinCarver'swriting
eyecontactas a specific
discussion
in
"WhatWe Talk
nicationis of centralimportance.
as
the
However,
thismaynotalwaysbe clearto the
AboutWhenWe TalkAboutLove" suggests,
In theaftermath
ofthedreadfulhighway
accident,havingsavedthe
protagonists.
Mel
old couple'slifeinnumerous
cardiologist McGinnisfindsoutthat
operations,
theold manis notsuffering
so muchfromtheaccidentbutfromhavinghisfieldof
visionimpaired.Unbelievingly,
he recalls:"I'm tellingyou,theman'sheartwas
he
couldn't
turn
hisgoddamnhead and see hisgoddamnwife"
because
breaking
(151).

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44

Decker
Christof

Looking and EverydayLife

In its movementbetweenimagesof extremeviolence,notionsof love, and

statesofdrunken
stupor,"WhatWe TalkAboutWhenWe TalkAboutLove" esbalancebetweenthedomesticsphereand a hostileoutside
tablishesa precarious
withthe
world.The notionofhomeas an enclosedand protective
space together
is
chaland
self
and
between
community,constantly
relationship
private public,
threatthe
one
it
is
undermined
communication
On
hand,
by
technologies
lenged.
eningto invadethehomewithvisualand verbalmessages.On theotherhand,
to hide
Carver'sprotagonists
usuallycometo realizethattheeviltheyare trying
in themidstoftheirmostintimate
It
after
fromresurfaces
relationships.signifies,
that
desireorviolenturgeoftheirdissociated
all,thesuppressed
selves,indicating
to
into
a
must
be
seen
as
the
ultimate
form
retreat
longing
protected
privatespace
ofself-delusion.
ofthecommonplace
is an important
Still,thepredominance
aspectofCarver's
the
of
the
minimalists
in
It
and
domestic
fiction
writing,
general. harksbackto the
modernist
artcapableofaddressing,
and situatedwithin,
projectofa democratic
life.LikeWilliamCarlosWilliams
orCharlesSheeler,Carver
therealmofeveryday
to discoverpatthe'thingness'
ofordinary
investigates
experiencein an attempt
ternscapableofstructuring
thatworldin meaningful
To thisend,looking
ways.10
Yet in conbecomesan exploratory
act in pursuitofexperienceand knowledge.
witha pervasivesense
trastto theearliermodernists,
Carverframesthisattempt
faculties
andthesensuofimpoverishment,
bothintermsofthesubject'sintuitive
ous qualityof his or her environment.
Urban landscapesand technological
havedegenerated
intosuburbanparkhallowedsymbolsofmodernity,
progress,
shadesof lightare notfeatured
inglotsand "Styrofoam
cups."Colors,textures,
in Carver'sstories.Rather,the impoverishment
of suburbiacorreprominently
an
of
stimuli
for
the
senses.
with
sponds
impoverishment
theexperience
ofeveryday
androutineaspects,is
life,initsritualized
Similarly,
or evendepressing.
Yet at thesametimeitis highly
oftenportrayed
as frustrating
is the
valorizedas theonlymodeofexistencethereis.Thus,although
ordinariness
discontent
to
cause of thecharacters'
and suffering,
theydesperately
cling it as
existentialist
soon as it is beingthreatened.
this
constitutes
Carver's
Frequently,
hischaracters
nevtwist:caughtinsidea stifling
andpointlesseveryday
existence,
erthelesspanic as theyfeeltheirmiserableexistenceslippingfromthem.And
a senseofmenacethatcreatesa
Carvermakessurethatitdoesslipbyintroducing
momentsof destabilization
demonstrating
feelingof shifting
ground:temporary
or to changethe
to thecharacters
theirhelplessness
andinability
to actdecisively
courseof theirfate.11
The struggle
of Carver'scharacters
to find"wordsoftheir
artfinding
itinown"is,therefore,
situatedin thelargercontextofa democratic
difficult
to identify
theextraordinary
withintheordinary
or to assign
creasingly
valuesto mundaneobjects.Anchoring
aestheticexperienceintheeveryspiritual
10CarvercallsWilliamsone ofhis
and Gregory.
On thehistory
'heroes',cf.McCaffery
literary
ofSheelerand Williams,
cf.Marling,Orvell,Rourke,and Lucie.
11On the
prevalenceofthissenseofmenace,cf.Powelland Carver("On Writing").

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Faces in theMirror

45

ofitsmaterialtexture,
whilemass
dayworldis hamperedbytheimpoverishment
threaten
mediateddisasters
tooverpower
theperceptive
faculties
pivotalfora dislook.
criminating
Carver's
neo-realist
aestheticis ultimately
moreconcernedwiththelongThus,
in
for
discoveries
the
world
than
the
actual
ing
ordinary
depictionofthediscoveries themselves,
sketches
of
moments
of
truth
or insight.
Yet itcould
offering
only
be arguedthatthisfeelingofunfulfilled
desireconstitutes
a crucialaspectofhis
storiespointing
beyondthe"smallnessofvision"thatCarverfoundfaultwithreIn hisearlystories,
theactoflooking
the
term
minimalism
(cf.Herzinger).
garding
in
the
order
to
overcome
generatesself-knowledge
inadequacyof spokenlanIn hislaterwork,a subtle
that
is
guage
undermining
interpersonal
relationships.
ofnon-verbal
shiftseemsto occuras to thesignificance
formsofcommunication.
forthe
Nowtheyareintroduced
as a remedy,
howeverephemeralandincomplete,
of humaninteraction.
As Carveropensup themaritalsettings
of his
difficulties
morecomplexstories,
theactoflookingnotonlyenhancesintimate
relationships,
artistic
creationas such.
italso comesto denote,metaphorically,
theHaptic
Discovering
thestoryabouta blindmanvisiting
a
Thisshiftis mostobviousin "Cathedral,"
marriedcouple (cf.Facknitz["HumanWorth"],Brown,and Gearheart).Years
Aftermovago thewomanworkedforhim,readingfromcase studiesandreports.
in
touch
as
he
is
about
to enter
she
has
Now,
byexchanging
tapes.
ingaway
kept
husbandtellsthestoryoftheirmeettheirhome,theprejudicedandapprehensive
hiswife'sformer
ing,revealinganxietiesandjealousyconcerning
acquaintances.
In contrast
to "WhatWeTalkAboutWhenWeTalkAboutLove,"theimportance
factorofintimate
relaofeyecontactis acknowledged
as a crucialcommunicative
blind
In
the
narrator
his
the
fact,
justifies apprehensiveness
concerning
tionships.
visitorbyimagining
whatitmustbe liketo be marriedto a blindman:
Imaginea womanwho could neversee herselfas she was seen in the eyes of herloved
one. A womanwhocouldgo on dayafterdayand neverreceivethesmallestcompliment
fromherbeloved.A womanwhosehusbandcouldneverreadtheexpressionon herface,
be itmiseryor something
better.(200)

The scornful
who at the beginning
of theirmeeting
ignoranceof the narrator,
wishestheblindvisitor
wouldweardarkglasses,changesinthecourseofthestory.
Slowlyhe comesto realizethatnotbeingable to "read"a woman'sfacedoes not
meanbeingunableto communicate
Whilethethreeofthemendthe
non-verbally.
television(thewifefallingasleep),the
eveningsmokingmarijuanaand watching
narrator
a documentary
on thehistory
offamous
happensupona channelshowing
on
cathedrals.
At lengthhe triesto describeto theblindmanwhatthecathedrals
televisionlook like.However,aftera fewfutileattempts
and finding
hisexpreshe finally
theblindmansugsive(verbal)powertoolimited,
givesup.Ingeniously,
and at thispointa newlevelofunderstanding
gestshe shoulddrawa cathedral,
foundedon an attemptat non-verbalexdevelopsbetweenthe two strangers,

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46

Christof
Decker

change.The narrator
gathersroughpaperand enthusiastically
beginsto drawthe
himself
intoa kindofcreativefrenzy.
All thewhile,theblind
cathedral,
working
man'shandis ridingon topofhistofeeltheshapesandforms
"I tookup
evolving:
thepenagain,andhe foundmyhand.I keptat it.I'm no artist.
ButI keptdrawing
justthesame"(213).
thathe is no artist,
thenarrator
stressestheartlessness
andlackof
Byremarking
refinement
ofthedrawing,
it
is
obvious
thattheactofcreationis thecrucialexyet
forceofthisscene.The unleashing
ofcreativity
periential
opensup newformsof
communication
and thus,almosttoo obviously,
the
highlights roleofartas a tool
forindividualand interpersonal
After
thedrawingis finished,
theblind
growth.
man encourageshis hostto look at the result.But he prefersto keep his eyes
on thevergeofa discovery
thatrequirestheblocking
outofeyeclosed,seemingly
were
still
closed.
I
in
was
house.
I
knew
that.
But
I
didn'tfeel
sight:"Myeyes
my
likeI wasinsideanything.
'It'sreallysomething,'
I said"(214).
of"Cathedral"movesfromignoranceto insight,
fromprejuThus,thenarrator
diceto openness,frompassivity
to creativebreakthrough
also to
and,apparently,
a kindofspiritual
revelation.
Mostimportantly,
thestorydemonstrates
howCarver
communication
as thecrucialfactorinhuman
expandson histhemeofnon-verbal
In
the
final
means
scene,
relationships.
looking
lookinginward.Thus,themotifof
a
gathering
(self-)knowledge
through particular
gaze is supplemented
bytheidea
of seeingwitheyesclosed.On theone hand,thiscan be understood
as a philosophicalexpansionof earlierthemes,pointingtowarda moregeneralnotionof
On theotherhand,andprobablycloserto Carver'sconceptualclaims,
perception.
ithaspalpableimplications.
theimportance
of
Seeingwitheyesclosedintroduces
ifunderstood
Furthermore,
hapticformsof communication,
primarily
touching.
itrelatesto thepoweroftheimagination.
Whilein thebeginning
metaphorically,
of"Cathedral"thenarrator
pitiestheblindmanforbeingunableto reada woman'sface,he ultimately
comestoappreciatethatthisdisability
canbe overcomeby
and artistic
creation.Hapticformsofcommunication
establishnewlevtouching
els ofintimacy
andexchange.
thiscelebration
ofconcreteness
refersbackto AmericanmodernSignificantly,
istmovements.
the
televised
cathedrals
inCarver'sstorythenarrator
ultiAmong
buttresses
anditsspires
matelyfocuseson "thefamousone inParis,withitsflying
reaching
up to theclouds"(209). By accidenthe has comeacrossimagesofChartresCathedral,
a
yetbychoosingit as themodelforhisdrawinghe incorporates
which
was
the
of
a
famous
series
of
Charles
building,
subject
photographs
by
Sheeler.Sheelerfoundthatbyabstracting
certaindetailsofthebuildinghe could
structural
similarities
betweencathedrals
and industrial
highlight
buildings,
especiallyFord'sRiverRougeplant.Carverinvokesa similaraesthetic
process.Transan objectfromone mediumto another-in thiscase froma visualrepreferring
sentationon televisionto a roughand tactileimageon paper- createsa new
novelinsights
and newformsofhumaninteraction.
objectcapableofgenerating
Artistic
creationinbothcasesincludesa dematerialization
ofobjectsfromthereal
worldin orderto changewaysofperceiving
and lookingat them.Itsmainobjectivebecomesa changeofperspective
fortheviewerand,consequently,
also the
reader.

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Faces in theMirror

47

With"Cathedral"as ourreference
pointwe couldconcedethatCarver'sneonotionof a "moralconrealiststoriescontinueto spellout MalcolmBradbury's
(24). Yet ithas been arguedthat,ingeneral,theyare charceptionofhumanism"
ofrealityin a moral,
to createa coherentrepresentation
acterizedbyan inability
themfromclassicalrealism(cf.
or conceptualsense,differentiating
psychological,
ofmanystoriesand
fromtheinconclusiveness
Stull,Fluck,and Nesset).Judging
valid.Howoftruth,
thisobservation
is certainly
ofepiphanicmoments
therarity
modeofnarration
thefeelingoflackandhelplessness
ever,due to theirparticular
"one of
As Herzinger
also becomesa sourceoftheirstrength.
rightly
emphasizes,
with
is
its
uneasiness
of
'minimalist'
thecrucialcharacteristics
writing
profound
a
coherent
The
to
create
of
as
a
mode
represen(14).
inability
irony
presentation"
notframedbya smartor ironicnarrator
tationofrealityis,therefore,
reflecting
oflanguage,perreasons(e. g. limitations
or socio-cultural
uponepistemological
deseento be an individual
vasivenessofmass-mediated
images)butis ultimately
defect.
a
ficiency,personal
ofironyensuresthat,at itscore,Carver'swriting
Thus,theeschewing
conveys
Lack of coherenceis notunderstoodmeta-ficof
an authentic
feeling suffering.
- as doubtconcerning
thereferential
statusoflanguage.Rather,itis cause
tionally
and
desire
to
find
newwaysofself-expression
and
the
forindividual
genuine
pain
I
would
into
the
communication.
sentimentality,
lapses
Notwithstanding frequent
is crucialfor
ofa deep feelingofsuffering
arguethatthis(realistic)representation
It epitomizeswhathisstories
and successof Carver'swriting.12
theaccessability
at the"eyelevel"oftheirminimalistic
design,following
manageto communicate
As
sketches.
and
than
from
lessfroma high-density
fragmentary
incomplete
style
ironical.
be
1970s
and
1980s
could
of
the
neo-realism
out,
highly
Bradbury
points
thestruggle
offinding
ofspeaking,
Yet in Carver'scase we findthatthedifficulty
of
ithighlights
theseriousness
On thecontrary,
words,is notmeantto be amusing.
desireto overcomethecrisisofcommunication
an individual
bydrawingon,but
ultimately
goingbeyond,hapticandvisualformsofcontact.
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streakis notedbySaltzmanand Fluck.

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48

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Decker

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