Contents

Acknowledgments

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 Introduction to Raymond Carver-1

1.2 Introduction to What We Talk about When We Talk about Love-1

1.3 Research Status of the Novel-2

1.4 Composition of the Thesis-3

Chapter Two Minimalism-4

2.1 Origin and Development of Minimalism-4

2.2 Narrative Techniques of Minimalism-5

Chapter Three Carver’s Minimalist Narrative Techniques in the Novel-7

3.1 Omission-7

3.2 Vacancies-8

3.3 Open Ending-9

Chapter Four Analysis of the Characters in this Minimalist Novel-10

4.1 Characters with Mental troubles-10

4.2 Characters with Communicating Problems-11

Chapter Five Conclusion-13

References-14

Abstract

Raymond Carver, a famous contemporary American writer and poet, is recognized as “the most important novelist of the United States in the later 20th century” and “the most influential short story writer of America after Ernest Hemingway”. He is also called “the father of Minimalism” for his contribution to the revival of the short stories of the United States. What We Talk about When We Talk about Love tells a series stories of ordinary people who found them struggling to survive and unable to attain the goal of life like ordinary people, showing the marginalization of human beings and the fragile self-consciousness of people in modern American society.

Taking Raymond Carver’s novel What We Talk about When We Talk about as an example, this thesis explores the narrative techniques on Carver’s minimalism novel and tries to present the artistic essence of his minimalism writing. Besides, this thesis also interprets the characters in his works from simple plot and ordinary life fragments, revealing the dilemma of modern love and the alienation, loneliness.

Keywords: Raymond Carver; minimalism; What We Talk about When We Talk about Love