Critical Overview
Critics approach Carver's work from a variety of perspectives. Many critics knew Carver personally, and these critics usually focus on the ways in which Carver's characters related to Carver's own experience.
- Biographical and Psychological Criticism:
- Writers, especially those who knew Carver, often take a biographical approach to Carver's work. In the textbook, Tess Gallagher (Carver's widow) and Tom Jenks discuss the autobiographical sources of "Cathedral." Critics also consider the role of addiction in Carver's stories, and the influence of Carver's alcoholism and recovery on his characters.
- Formal Criticism:
- Carver's minimalist style has been extemely influential in contemporary fiction. Critical study of Carver's technique is extremely interesting because of his distinctive style.
- Sociological Criticism:
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In addition to its formal elements, Carver's minimalism can be considered in terms of social and literary trends, as Paul Skenazy does in the textbook. Arthur Saltzman examines Carver's characters as the beleaguered product of "proletarian America."
Additional Resources: The eighth edition of Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama includes in-depth critical analysis of Carver's fiction by Tess Gallagher, Tom Jenks, Paul Skenazy, and Arthur Saltzman. Please refer to your textbook.
The Bibliography includes an extended list of writings about Raymond Carver. Continue your Web Explorations by visiting Carver Links.
