I picked Raymond Carver specifically because I know his work and, moreso, because his style and themes are consistent. With few exceptions Carvers work is largely about depression in upper-middle class suburban neighborhoods and Neighbors is no different. Carver's Neighbors centers around a couple who only "were" happy and a short excerpt of their life when they need to watch their neighbors cat.
Their neighbors are an exciting and more importantly, happy, bunch that get to do exciting things like Vacations and the like and from the way our characters react in the house you could tell that they have a sense of inferiority to that family as they spend their time not watching the cat but rather enjoying taking and messing around with their things, getting almost a high out of it that leaves them even sexually aroused. It should be noted, however, that at least the male of the couple notices what he's doing while in their apartment. He stares deeply back at himself, closes his eyes, then stares again. An action seen in a few more of his stories to show that the character doesn't recognize what he's seeing in the mirror. An action to show moreso that he is unhappy or confused with himself even despite all of this.
But, anyway, yes, yes. I'm just ruminating aloud now. I should stop.
Raymond Carvers style, inspired by Hemingway, always caught my attention personally. I don't like taking things in stories for face value and the fact that I have to, in a way, solve the story as it goes on to realize what is going on then it gets me more into the piece and it becomes more interesting to me. That's why I picked to do my presentation on him.
