Summary

Here is a summary of “Will You Please Be Quiet, Please?” by Raymond Carver.

The story opens by briefly presenting the main character, Ralph, and his path in life, from his college days to his marriage to Marian. At the time when the story takes place, Ralph and Marian have been married for several years and have two children aged five and four. Ralph suspects that Marian cheated on him with a man named Mitchell Anderson during a party a couple of years ago.

One night, Marian asks Ralph if he still remembers that party. Ralph is torn between wanting to learn more about what Marian did at that party and wanting her to keep quiet about it. He remembers hitting her on the night it happened, asking her where she had been, and her answer that nothing had happened. Marian eventually starts to tell Ralph the full story, and ...