Stepping Into Someone's Shoes Analysis

The phrase ‘Stepping into someone’s shoes’ is a common saying many people hear as children and it exists for a reason. Although it is a seemingly simple concept, it scratches the surface of a much grander and deeper conversation about how people think and understand. David Foster Wallace and Raymond Carver both explore the inner workings of perspective and understanding through looking at the very concepts that create and shape an individual 's personal views; such as awareness, love and abuse. While Carver takes a more traditional approach to the topic by using a conversation between four characters to convey his thoughts, Wallace’s dialogue takes the form of a lecture, directly addressing his audience with what he sees as the key to the truest

This concept mainly focuses on Terri and her previous relationship with Ed. From Mel and Terri tell their friends and the reader, Ed seemed to have mostly communicated through violence and abuse. This is another example of how perspective can become important in understanding people. Although Mel was not as close to his wife 's former lover, the abusive relationship had a big impact on his life as well. For example; “"You should have seen the way we lived in those days. Like fugitives. I even bought a gun myself. Can you believe it? A guy like me?"” (27) Perhaps it is because Mel feels that Terri cared more for her violent ex than she did for him that he is able to hold such a prejudice against the man. It could also be how Terri is able to consider his violent treatment as his own way of showing affection that causes Mel 's negative reaction. Either way, from Mel 's outsider perspective he shows a common and understandable view of an abusive man. Terri, on the other hand is a bit more complex. Despite all of what he did, she did feel something deep for Ed at some point in time, whether it was as he abused her or when he was no longer able to harm her. Terri does not make it clear if her emotions towards the man are either love or pity, as she is only able to safely be around him when he is unable to harm her. Yet by the way she talks about Ed she completely believed that he loved her “"Then Terri said, "He beat me up one night. He dragged me around the living room by my ankles. He kept saying, 'I love you, I love you, you bitch. He went on dragging me around the living room. My head kept knocking on things." Terri looked around the table. "What do you do with a love like that?"” (138). At this point, the reader can come to the conclusion that Terri 's relationship with Ed could possibly have been her first and closest exposure to an actual