I denne study guide får du hjælp til at analysere novellen “Tell the Women We’re Going” af Raymond Carver. Du finder også et summary af teksten samt hjælp til at fortolke og perspektivere den.
Præsentation af teksten
Titel: “Tell the Women We’re Going” (1982)
Forfatter: Raymond Carver
Genre: Short story
Raymond Carver (1938-1988) var en amerikansk forfatter, som skrev noveller og digte. Hans skrivestil er minimalistisk og ordknap. Carver regnes som del af en gruppe forfattere, der gik under betegnelsen “the dirty realism literary movement”. Navnet dækker over en form for minimalisme, der fokuserede på hverdagen og de mindre pæne sider af menneskers natur.
Novellen “Tell the Women We’re Going” stammer fra hans anden novellesamling: What We Talk About When We Talk About Love (1981).
Uddrag
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Title
The title of the story “Tell the Women We’re Going” by Raymond Carver echoes the line spoken by Bill to his friend, Jerry, in response to Jerry’s suggestion to go out: “Then Jerry said: ‘How about a little run?’ ‘Sounds good to me’, Bill said. ‘I’ll tell the women we’re going.’ ” (p. 183, ll. 34-35). The line comes across as patronizing towards the women, suggesting the misogyny of the two main characters from the very start.
Referring to a group of people using the definite article “the” in front of it could indicate that the speaker is stereotyping the group, highlighting their “otherness” and distancing themselves from it. By not referring to Carol and Linda by name, Bill comes across as dismissive and objectifying.
The line also implies that there are times when men should not be accompanied by women. This idea is supported by a remark from Jerry: “ ‘Guy’s got to get out’ ” (p. 184, l. 5). This is further evidence of misogyny and a feeling of entitlement.
