Popular Mechanics

      The short story Popular Mechanics by Raymond Carver leaves the reader with a quite annoying cliff hanger. After the majority of the story being about who will keep the baby, the story simply ends, "In this manner, the issue was decided" (Carver, handout). What?! They do not even tell us who gets the baby. To me, it seems the husband gets it but Carver does not bother to tell us.
    One question following the story asks how we can infer the setting. Carver's use of imagery makes it obvious that the story begins in a bedroom and ends in the kitchen. The fact that the husband is shoving clothes in a suitcase tells the reader that they are in a bedroom. Later, they talk about being by a stove, which makes it obvious that they are in a kitchen. Even though Carver does not tell us the setting specifically, it is easy to infer. His use of imagery and details makes the reader really envision the setting.