CARVER,WHATWETALKABOUTWHENWETALKABOUTLOVE

1.Howwouldyoudescribethetwocouples?(Inadditiontolookingcloselyattheirdialog,
considertheirgesturesandinteractionswithoneanother.)
ForMelandTerri,mostoftheiractionsanddialoguesinitiallysuggestthattheyarereally
closetoeachotherandmaybe,eventothepointthattheyvecompletelyunderstoodeachother,but
asthestorygoeson,someargumentstookplacebetweenthem,castingdoubtsastowhetherthey
trulyknowwhatloveisornot.Forexample,afterMelrejectsTerrisviewthatEdlovedher,he
showsanapologeticgesturebylovinglytouchinghercheekwithhisfingers,andalsowhenMel
wastalkingabouttheoldcoupleandthetwoofthemkissed((303,307).Lateron,whenMelhad
gottensomewhatdrunk,weseethathebecameveryirritableandfickle.WhenTerriquestionedhis
usingthewordvesselinsteadofvassalandwhenshemadethejokeabouttheoldcouple,Melwas
infuriated(308).
AsforNickandLaura,throughoutthestory,theywerequitetheepitomeofacouplein
love,reflectedintheirmanyinteractionswitheachother.Theymeteachotherwhileworkingand
soonbecamecouple,andNickdescribedherassomeoneeasytobewithandthatthey
enjoyoneanotherscompany(304).Lauraevenwentonaiftoflauntthelovetheyhadforeach
otherbysayingtheybothknewwhatloveis,andNickfollowupwithakissonherhand(305).
Bothcouplesshareasimilaritythatistheyhadallbeenmarriedbeforeandlovedother
peoplebeforefindingtheirotherhalf(306).
2.Whatdifferentdefinitionsanddescriptionsoflovecomeupduringtheconversation?Howdo
the(sometimesgraphic)anecdotescontributetoyourunderstandingoftheme?
First,TerriisveryadamantofthefactthatEdtrulylovedheralbeithavingsufferedhis
brutaltreatment,suggestingthatloveandviolencearecloselyintertwinedwitheachother,andthis
canalsobeinterpretedfromMelsdepictionoftheknightandthebeekeeper(303.308,310).
Personally,Idsaythattheknightrepresentsthefrailtyanduncertaintyoflovebecauseeven
thoughtheknightwearsanarmorandall,heisstillboundtosomeoneandthismightoffsetthe
invulnerabilitythatthearmorbrings.ThebeekeeperisalsoanotherdepictionofviolenceasMelis
showntobeconstantlyprayingforherexwifetogetmarriedagainorbestungtodeathbybees.In
anotherattempttodescribelove,Meltriestorelatewhathesawwhenhetreatedanoldcouplethat
washospitalizedduetoanaccident,buthesomewhatlostittotheendofthestoryanddidnottruly
definewhatloveissaveforsayingthattheoldmanwasundergreatpainbecausehecouldnotsee
hiswife(307309).ThisuncertaintyisalsopresentwhenMelsaysthathelovedhisfirstwife
morethanlifeitself,butnowhateherguts.(306).Alloftheseindicatethatloveistooprofound
suchthatititselfisaconundrumthatishardtosolve.
3.Howdosetting(location&time)andatmosphere(themoodoremotionaleffectofthesetting
andevents)contributetoyourunderstandingofthestory?
Initially,Nickdescribestheplacetheyweredrinkingtobefilledwithsunlightthatis
filteringthroughthewindow(302).Thisgivestheimpressionthattheywerehavingalivelyand

somewhatlightheartedconversationbythekitchentable.ThisisfurthershownwhenNicktalks
abouttheafternoonsunwhichisakintothespaciouslightofeaseandgenerosityofthe
room,andthattheywerelikechildrenplanningtoplaypranks(305).Then,themoodshiftsas
sunshineintheroom[changedandbecame]thinner.,embodyingthegrowingtensionandthe
darknessthataccompaniesthedialogues(308).WhenNicktalksofthelightdrainingoutofthe
room,itisasifalltheinnocentconversationstheyhadonlovewerenomore,thatloveis
anythingbutpure.Lastly,Nickmentionsthathecouldhearhisandtheothersheart,thesound
theyweremakingasnoneofthemmove,notevenwhentheroomwentdark.(310).This
suggeststhatsomething,orinthiscase,theinitialgoaloftheirconversationhasmetadeadend,as
nonewasanyclosertodefiningwhatloveis.
4.Whatdotheimagesofthebeekeeperandtheknighthavetodowithlove?Inwhatwayarethe
imagesconnected?(MelMcGinnismightnotbeawareoftheconnection,butthereadershould
be.)Whatdoyoumakeoftheconfusionofthewordsvesselandvassal?
Inmyopinion,theknightandthebeekeeperbothrepresenttheviolenceandresponsibiliy
thatcomeswithlove.Althoughtheknightwas,toanextent,protectedfromexternalassaultsand
injuries,butaknightoweshis/herallegiancetosomeoneelse,andthisisnotwithoutanysacrifices
aswasmentionedbyNick,inwhichknightsstillhaveproblemssuchasfacingrisksofpossible
heartattacksandbeingtrampledbyhorsesastheyfightfortheirindividualcauses(308).The
beekeeperisalsoanotherfacetofviolenceoflove.MelknowsthatMargerie,hisexwife,is
allergictobees,andconfessesthatheoccassionallythinksofkillingherbymasqueradingasa
beekeeperandlettinglooseahiveofbeesinherhouse(310).AsforMelsconfusionofthewords
vesselandvassal,Ibelievethatitismainlyduetohisprofessionasaheartsurgeonthatheusesthe
formeroverthelatter(308).Possiblybecausevesselsthemselvesarelikevassalsinthesensethat
heyservethehumanbody.