Perspectives
To have a deeper understanding of “Chef’s House” by Raymond Carver, we encourage you also to consider the literary period when the story was written, as well as similar work…
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Literary period
Published in 1981, the short story fits the literary movement we call Minimalism and what is sometimes considered a variation of it, Dirty Realism. Minimalist works are recognized through their minimal use of words, which describe events and characters in a less than straightforward manner. In “Chef’’s House”, we recognize the minimalistic style in the simple language that Edna, the narrator, uses to recount the summer she spends with her estranged husband, Wes.
Also, minimalist writers use subtle observations and various hints in their effort to engage readers into forming their own opinions about the action and the characte…
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Works with the same theme
You should also consider comparing “Chef’s House” to one or two other short stories with the same themes.
For example, you could look at “Mr. and Mrs. Elliot” by Ernest Hemingway, in which a recently married couple are trying to conceive a baby but without much success. Mrs. Elliot is unhappy until her friend comes to live with them, and Mr. Elliot goes to sleep in a separate bedroom. Both stories deal with the themes of isolation and relationships; in “Mr. and Mrs. Elliot”, the characters have a dysfunctional marriage, just like Wes and Edna. However, rather than trying to make it work between them and then separating, Mr. and Mrs. Elliot find a solution that involves staying married…
