So Much Water So Close to Home

Her er vores study guide til “So Much Water So Close to Home” af Raymond Carver. Her guider vi dig igennem alle de væsentlige elementer i novellen, som kan være relevante i et analytical essay eller andre analyserende opgaver om denne novelle.

Denne vejledning er baseret på den version af novellen som findes i novellesamlingen What We Talk About When We Talk About Love (1981). Teksten findes også i en anden, længere version i novellesamlingen Beginners (2009), som blev udgivet af Carvers kone mange år after hans død.

Præsentation af teksten

Titel: “So Much Water So Close to Home”
Forfatter: Raymond Carver
Udgivelsesår: 1981
Genre: Novelle

Raymond Carver (1938-1988) er en af det 20. århundredes mest berømte amerikanske forfattere med sine minimalistiske noveller om ægteskab, vold, parforhold, druk og mord. Med stærk inspiration fra Hemingway hører Carver til en litterær bevægelse, som er kaldet dirty realism.

Uddrag

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Symbols

Water is the dominant symbol in “So Much Water So Close to Home”. It is symbolic of death and violence against women, as both murders described in the story have taken place next to rivers. Water also symbolizes fear and obsession. When she thinks “so much water so close to home” (l. 100), Claire already identifies with the dead girl and is obsessed with the idea that Stuart was somehow involved in the girl’s death. The phrase also suggests that Claire will have to live not knowing what Stuart did. Claire recognizes in this action Stuart’s cruelty, lack of empathy, and misogyny – perhaps seeing these things clearly for the first time.

Claire’s car symbolizes protection. When she is approached by the stranger in the pickup truck, Claire feels that she is in danger and locks herself in the car: “Then I hear the pickup coming back. I lock the doors and roll up the windows” (ll. 170-172). When she notices how the man looks at her, Claire assumes he wants to abuse her, so the car offers her protection against him.