The narrator

The main character in the short story “Collectors” by Raymond Carver is the narrator, an unemployed man who is waiting for the mailman to deliver a letter, presumably with news about a job: “I was out of work. But any day I expected to hear from up north.” (p. 78, ll. 1-2). The story suggests that the narrator’s name could be Mr. Slater but that he might be hiding his identity because he has debts.

His words also suggest that he does not have a telephone (p. 78, l. 10), and that he has no money (p. 83, ll. 7-10). The narrator also says that he does not own a car (p. 80, ll. 34-35), but he could be lying to avoid having his car taken away on account of his debts. The one pillow in the bedroom suggests that he lives alone (p. 81, l. 18). Mrs. Slater’s absence suggests that the narrator has never been married or that he might be divorced or separated.

The narrator’s outer characterization is absent, which underlines the fact that the story is told from his point of view. The lack of details about ...