Characters

The main characters of Raymond Carver’s short story “Neighbors” are Bill and Arlene Miller. Their neighbours, Jim and Harriet Stone, are secondary characters, whom the reader gets to know primarily through Bill and Arlene’s voyeurism of their home and possessions.

Bill and Arlene are regular, white-collar Americans, with regular jobs. They often feel envious of the more exciting lifestyle of their neighbours, the Stones. Bill and Arlene look after the Stones’ apartment while they are away on holiday. Bill, in particular, develops a fascination with spending time over there. By the end of the short story, both Bill and his wife wish their neighbours will never return so that they can continue to live a more exciting life by invading their privacy.

You can find a full characterisation of Bill and Arlene on the following pages.