Perception of Carver's Neighbors

Matt Casey

Sarah Hauer

English 1102

29 January 2008

Perception of Carver’s “Neighbors”

In “Neighbors,” Raymond Carver gives a very ambiguous narrative viewpoint of the Stones’ lifestyle. At the beginning he describes them as, “always going out to dinner, or entertaining at home, or traveling about the country somewhere in connection with Jim’s work,” which emphasizes the idea that the Stones are somewhat of an “antonym” to the Millers (70). Also, the Stones “seemed” to have been living a brighter life, according to the Millers. When the Stones set off on yet another trip, the Millers are responsible for the Stones’ apartment. As the Millers are watching their apartment, they start to take on the persona of the Stones, as well as leave behind their boring perceptions of themselves. I believe that as the Millers attempt to imitate the Stones while apartment sitting, they are only imitating their perception of them.

The first time Bill goes in to feed the cat and water the plants, he inspects the medicine cabinet in the kitchen to find Harriet’s pills. Carver never goes into very much detail about the pills, other than they are Harriet’s and she is directed to take them once a day. This event gives the reader the understanding that Bill does not know what the pills are for, giving Bill the capacity to imagine what they are for. He also takes Jim’s cigarettes, and he carries them around with him throughout the rest of the story. It is interesting that Bill is never seen smoking cigarettes before he finds them in the drawer; nevertheless he carries the cigarettes wherever he goes.

Immediately after he leaves the Stones’ apartment he makes love to his wife, which is an indication that he is still his perception of Jim Stone even after he leaves the apartment. Before the next time they make love, he also looks at the Stones’ door before entering his on home to perhaps receive the mindset of Jim Stone. As all of this is happening, the Millers are taking on more and more of their perception of the Stones, as well as leaving behind whom they see themselves