Commentary on What We Talk About When We Talk About Love Essay

What We Talk About When We Talk About Love

The short story called What We Talk About When We Talk About Love written by Raymond Carver takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico. There are four main characters. The friends are all sitting around the table drinking gin before they head out to have dinner. There are two couples, Mel McGinnis, Terri McGinnis, Nick, and his wife Laura. These couples speak about love and what it means to them. Each one of their views of love is very different from the other.

Mel McGinnis is a cardiologist. Seeing that he is a heart doctor it would be believed that he knew the most about the heart and how it works. Mel McGinnis was the one who spoke the most throughout the story however wasnt always correct with what he was saying. Mel is touchy and doesnt seem to take a joke well. Mel stands out. He seems to be a leader. Mel is very individualistic. Mel McGinniss job creates for good stories. Mel is telling stories throughout this whole short story. He will start to tell a story, get sidetracked, and argue all of his points, and then go on to the story again. He is constantly talking. It seems like there would not be much of a conversation between Mel, his wife Terri, Nick, and Nicks wife Laura if it was not for Mels constant babbling. He surely leads the group. The problem is that he never clearly expresses his ideas. I think that this is due to the Gin that they are drinking. Mels opinion of love is nothing less than spiritual. He is far from an expert one love due to his desire to kill his ex-wife with swarms of bees. Mel knows absolutely nothing about love.

Terri McGinnis was once married to a man named Ed before she married Mel McGinnis. The marriage of Ed and Terri was an abusive relationship. Ed tired to kill himself when Terri left him. Which Terri thought was an example of Ed truly loving her. Ed also threatened Terri and Mel. However Ed ended up killing himself by shooting himself in the head. Ed seemed crazy but Terri believed that he truly loved her. Mel would call Terri a member of the kick-me-so-Ill-know-you-love-me school. But Terri still believes that she loved Ed and Ed loved her. Terri was the only character that had a solid idea of what love was.

Throughout the short story, Nick and Laura barley speak. Nick comments on the changing in light, asks two questions, and makes one comment on how he and Laura are lucky because their love is absolute. Laura states that she and Nick understand love and are happy. Nick and Laura dont have to express the way they think about love because they are in love. The couple holds hands, touches knees, and kisses. Their friends may feel the need to talk about their ideas of love but Nick and Laura can just express it and are happy about their love.

Love can be spoken about, but it is difficult to express the meaning or actions can be taken to express love. Mel and Terri McGinnis try to explain love by speaking about it. However that did not work. Nick and Laura stay quite throughout the short story and are very much in love and it is clearly shown. Some may think that Nick and Laura go on their rant about love because of all the alcohol they were drinking or it could be how they really feel. But we never were able to see these characters sober. That goes the same for Nick and Laura who are extremely affectionate throughout the short story but it is unknown weather its due to the alcohol or due to the fact that they are really in love.