Language
Style of language
Raymond Carver’s short story “So Much Water So Close to Home” is written in a simple style. Dialogue plays an important role in the story, as it presents the dynamics between characters. When Stuart talks to Claire, for instance, he comes across as short-tempered and verbally abusive (ll. 13-17). Also, Claire’s vague sentences add to the mystery of the story, as she suggests that the girl who died might have been closer to her than imagined: “ ‘We weren’t all that close,’ I say. ‘But you know?’ ” (l. 138).
The lack of similes and metaphors is interesting, as it seems to be tied to how Claire thinks. Claire speaks literally, showing how much she identifies with the dead girls, to the point that she can no longer tell fact from fiction: “I look at the creek. I’m right in it, eyes op...