Terri

Outer characterization

Terri is a character in the short story “What We Talk about When We Talk about Love” by Raymond Carver. She and Mel have been married for four years (p. 115, l. 20), and she is Mel’s second wife (p. 111, l. 5). She was previously married to Ed. She is described as a “bone-thin woman with a pretty face, dark eyes, and brown hair that hung down her back” (p. 111, ll. 20-21). She also likes “necklaces made of turquoise, and long pendant earrings” (p. 111, ll. 21-22). 

Inner characterization

Terri strongly believes that her relationship with Ed, her ex-husband, was real love. She admits to being abused by Ed, who was a violent man, but she explains it matter-of-factly: “He beat me up one night. He dragged me around the living ...