Where I'm Calling From

Although much of the story focuses on J.P., the narrative’s governing point of view belongs to the unnamed first-person narrator. In fact, while the narrative even includes some direct quotes from J.P. in his story, all this material is ultimately mediated through the narrator, who is retelling the retelling. This technique offers even greater characterization to the narrator than to J.P.; while the narration reveals some things about J.P. through his chronicled actions and feelings, the truly telling details are in the narrator’s reactions and how he chooses to retell the story. When the narrator recounts J.P. cutting up Roxy’s wedding ring with wire-cutters, his narration offers an aside to readers: “Good, solid fun” (213). Such sarcasm at a serious moment like this exemplifies his dry humor. By putting J.P.’s story in the narrator’s words, Carver can reveal truths about both characters.

Carver uses figurative language to reflect the natural speech patterns of his narrator. Several times, the narrator uses such language so organically that its figurative quality is scarcely noticeable because it represents how the narrator actually talks.