The NCTE took talks a lot about the minimalist writing style that Carver is famous for. I think we really need to explore this. The book talks about the appeal of minimalist fiction and says, "precisely because it seems so slim and slight, it compels readers to become deeply involved" (17). His style allows reader to fill the the gaps and forces them to "bring to the story their own experiences" (17).
I feel that we should find a good selection of works that highlight Carver's minimalist style and explore what he was trying to accomplish in those pieces.
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I think that the title story would work for that. The prose may seem stark, but I think it ties in with the overwhelming power of the unsaid. So many of Carver's characters are spending so much time avoiding things that are gnawing away at them, I bet we'll have plenty to work with.
There is a part in the NCTE book about Modeling Minimalism. Rubenstein writes: "Minimalist fiction appears deceptively simple in both style and content. I always have students who, having read a few Carver stories, as convinced, "I could do that." I like to put them to the challenge, partly to demonstrate to them that what seems simple on the surface often is complex underneath. But more important, I want my students to model the minimalist style because, in many respects, it's a writing style with all the hallmarks of good writing. I remind them of another maxim of minimalism: "Less is more."
I think that having students try out the minimalist style is a great way to get them writing and understand the style in which Carver writes. Any thoughts?
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