When We Talk About Love Analysis

“If that’s love, you can have it” (306). In Raymond Carver’s short Story “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love,” the four main characters openly discuss the physical and mental variations of love. In this story, each character has their own view on love, but coming from failed marriages and deranged relationships, they all have pessimistic outtakes on true love.

Nick, the narrator, holds the most optimistic view on love out of the entire group. After a failed first marriage, Nick marries fellow divorcee, Laura. Although he rarely speaks, Nick allows the reader an inside look at his thoughts by interjecting opinions and memories throughout the story. When he exposes the thought of, “In addition to being in love, we like each other and enjoy one another’s company,” (305), he reveals that he believes love is a physical action, rather than a feeling. He also proves this with his response to Laura saying they were in love, “‘Well, Nick and I know what love is’ […] For an answer I took Laura’s hand and raised it to my lips” (306). By kissing Laura’s hand, Nick shows us his true thoughts, that love is physical, and enjoying her company is simply an added bonus. Although little is known

With a history of an abusive ex-husband, Terrie is adamant in believing the abuse was out of love. “It was love […] he was willing to die for it. He did die for it,” (306). Although the rest of the group strongly disagrees with her, she holds onto that idea throughout the story. Even though Terrie moved on from the abusive relationship to be with Mel, she still carries feelings and a sense of obligation for her ex. “I was in the room when he died, he never came up out of it. But I sat with him. He didn’t have anyone else,” (306). Terrie hides her guilt well, but after staying with him during his last moments, we can tell that she feels responsible for his death, after all, all he really did was love