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When We Talk About Love By Raymond Carver

1278 Words6 Pages

“What We Talk About When We Talk About Love” is a book comprised of multiple short stories by Raymond Carver. The book narrates various scenarios surrounding love and explores the different forms of love expressed. The idea of love is subjective and expressed in different forms. Each individual has a way of expressing their love that could be understood differently, creating misinterpretations of one’s intentions.
“Tell The Women We’re Going” is a short story about two best friends, Jerry Roberts and Bill Jamison, demonstrating contrasting behaviors. Throughout the story, Bill seems to have noticed that Jerry seems frustrated with his life. The narrator begins the story by explaining the context of their friendship and lives. “But once, in …show more content…

Throughout the story, Mel and Teresa, and Nick and Laura explain their experiences of love to each other. “‘What do any of us really know about love?’ Mel said. ‘It seems to me we’re just beginners at love. We say we love each other and we do, I don’t doubt it. I love Terri and Terri loves me, and you guys love each other too” (144). The story begins with Teresa explaining her story about her ex, Ed who exhibited violent and aggressive behavior, as she claimed that he loved her in his own way while the others think otherwise. Mel begins to explain that none of them understand the real meaning of love and that it is a new concept to everyone because he states that he loves Teresa but dislikes his first wife. He questions those feelings and changes about his first wife then discusses how love takes its course of being discouraged and moving on to another partner. While Nick and Laura hear about their stories, Nick is seen reassuring her in his own way to express his care that he won’t bring her or let anything harm her. The definition of love between all these characters seems to be different from one another. Although Teresa’s ex was hostile toward her, she wanted to believe in the good in him even if it hurt her because she knew his intentions weren’t to hurt her. Mel believes that real love is spiritual according to the narrator’s thoughts whereas Nick and Laura believe their relationship is the ideal relationship as readers see throughout the story that he reassures her and how she mentions the idea that they know what love is to

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