Gazebo

This study guide will help you analyze the short story “Gazebo” by Raymond Carver. You can also find a summary of the text, as well as inspiration for interpreting it and putting it into perspective.

Presentation of the text

Title: “Gazebo” (1981)
Author: Raymond Carver
Genre: Short story

Raymond Carver (1938-1988) was an American short story writer. His most important works include the short story collections What We Talk About When We Talk About Love (1981), Cathedral (1983), and Elephant and Other Stories (1988). His works explore ordinary settings and people. He mostly focuses on the everyday life of working-class characters and the reality of romantic relationships.

Extract

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Symbols

The gazebo that Holly is reminded of can symbolize the happy memories that she and Duane have together. It could also allude to her wish for a stable marriage. She remembers how the owners of the house told her that “men used to come around and play music out there on a Sunday, and the people would sit and listen”. Therefore, the gazebo could also represent harmony and understanding in the relationship, two things that Holly and Duane do not seem to have anymore.

The pool is a symbol of Duane and Holly’s relationship. In the beginning, when Duane and Holly work well as a team, Duane keeps the pool clean. After Holly finds out about the affair and the relationship is damaged, Duane stops cleaning the pool and...