Compare Raymond Carvers What We Talk About When We Talk About Love to Homers The Odyssey - Essay Example

Compare Raymond Carver’s “What We Talk about When We Talk about Love” to Homer’s “The Odyssey.” Introduction Both Raymond and Homer are talking about the issues revolving around love. Both authors utilize the characters in the stories to pass their vital message on love. Furthermore, they employ diverse styles to portray what people go through as they satisfy their intrinsic romantic urge. They both concur on the dangers brought by love. In addition, they also agree on tough times people are willing to go through to achieve the desires of their heart.

According to how they are portraying the theme of love, it is quite unfortunate that love makes people do what is viewed as unlikely things. The two authors themes rotate around love and the impacts that come along with it, with the close use of ideal characters.Comparison In his short story book, “what we talk about when we talk about love”, Raymond Carver presents several situations where different characters have trouble in expressing their feelings. The story is revolving around two couples who are talking about love’s nature while drinking gin.

The theme is revolving around love. The narrator is Nick, and ironically is the one who is less known in the story. He narrates the discussion on what is true love according to them. The central focus of the story being narrated is provided by the different theories about love. Despite the fact that love is a strong sentiment in the story, there is no passion in these people.The characters are engaging in drinking spree, and the situation is made even worse by alcohol. Towards the end, the narrator concludes by stating even when the entire room plunged into darkness he could still hear the human noise even though they were motionless.

“I could hear the human noise we sat there as none of us in motion, even when the room went dark.” A conclusion can be made that the lives of the characters seems to have been in darkness and emptiness and probably it was going to be.On the other hand, in Homers “The Odyssey” story the main theme is revolving around the theme of love just like Raymond’s short story. The Odyssey by Homer is a poem containing several themes, which changes thus helping in changing the outcome of Odysseus long journey when traveling back home.

Several times in the story, Odysseus actions are done with much thought, but he does not realize what probable outcome it may be. The suitors stayed in Odysseus place, seemed a bit welcomed, and wanted. In many scenarios in the book, the suitors often believed Penelope would take their hand in marriage. Penelope then told them to flourish her with several gifts from where she would pick the best suitor who gave her the best gift. With her sly actions, Penelope she received the gifts that she wanted but also managed to make her suitors stay longer.

She was entertaining the suitor’s actions. At times, she made her suitors feel enjoyed and special. They faced uncalled and tragic death in the end.What can be said about the two stories is the role of romance is not helping individuals escape from undesirable situations. Penelope lied to the suitors that her husband was dead and long gone so she could keep them around. The desire for romance is seen to be hindering the plan of escape in Homers “The Odyssey”. The suitors desire to marry Penelope made them not realize their lives were in danger.

On the other hand, in “what we talk about when we talk about love”, the characters are aware of what true love is. This is why they are reluctant to engage themselves in love. The reason being, they know the shortcomings coming along with love and are willing to maintain their status quo.From the two stories, one can summarize the main theme of love to be making the center stage of the characters. In both, the characters seem to know what love is all about, and they are in pursuit of it but in the end, none gets to achieve love itself.

The stories end in a tragic manner with the characters failing to satisfy their desires of their hearts. In conclusion, in “what we talk about when we talk about love”, the characters are in deep solitude and their status quo is maintained at the end of the story. On the other hand, in “The Odyssey”, the story ends with the murder of the suitors before they achieve their ultimate objective of marrying Penelope.