Raymond Carver
Throughout "Popular Mechanics," symbolism is used to help convey the emotional struggle between the story's two main characters.
The first symbolic representation is in the form of the snow at the beginning of the story. "The snow was melting into dirty water." Snow, in its fresh state, is white. The color white carries the connotation of purity with it. This purity comes from the origin of the marriage, hinting at an earlier time of happiness and freedom from emotional distress. However, now, the snow, like the marriage, is becoming polluted. It is losing its purity, losing its innocence, and instead becoming contaminated by the world around it.
The next main point of symbolism is also the climax of the story. The physical fight over the baby is symbolic of the emotional fight existing between his parents. As the man and woman fight over the child, pulling him in different directions, they are giving a physical representation of the emotional distress that is tearing the child apart from the inside. By presenting the audience with a visual altercation, the author is able to illustrate an otherwise intangible struggle. Both of the parents continue the struggle, and the child is unable to do anything to shield himself from the consequences. Likewise, he is helpless in the prevention of the emotional challenges experienced by his parents.
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