A Small and Good Thing When reflecting on the daunting uncertainties of life, a man cannot but be sure that it will be filled with suffering. The quiet and pleasant periods of life may give it a semblance of conviviality, but a person will always be forced to face the onerous trials of his journey. In these times of misfortune, he thirsts for human affection and understanding. Having deeply evolved with their own lives, people find it difficult to battle their self-esteem in order to empathize with others, especially when it comes to sharing happiness. However, misery is so pervasive that it fosters a sense of kinship even with the most hostile individuals. Raymond Carver captures the dichotomy between apathy and sympathy in his short story “A Small, Good Thing.” By juxtaposing isolation and intimacy, Carver paints tragedy as a force for camaraderie and unity. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Although individuals put up defenses to support themselves, they feel compassionate toward the afflictions of others. Through the evolution of his characters, Carver demonstrates the power of hardship to bring people together. This concept is captured by the contrasting behavior of Dr. Francis and a patient's family toward Ann, the protagonist, before and after learning of her son's untimely death. While he believed Scotty's condition to be stable, Dr. Francis was distant, although cordial, toward Ann. He reassures her and her husband without becoming emotionally invested in their situation, often brushing aside Ann's fear and calling her "little mother". Carver even mentions several times that Dr. Francis doesn't know Ann and only offers handshakes to her husband. This subtle detail suggests that Dr. Francis can relate to her husband because they are both men, but fails to connect with Ann because of their gender difference. The dynamic of their relationship changes after Scotty's death. He becomes warm and offers his sincere condolences. His grief over their loss is so great that he can only say, “I’m sorry.” My God, how sorry I am” (8). This paradigm shift in his personality illustrates the struggle between the feeling of confinement and connection, which persists throughout the play. Ann's meeting with the patient's family also illustrates this concept. Carver's use of internal dialogue and use of the word "nigger" suggests that the initial detachment came from the difference in race between Ann and the patient's family. At first, the patient's mother makes a fallacious assumption, based on Ann's ethnicity, that Ann was a nurse. However, once she realized her mistake, she immediately “…let her head fall to her shoulder and look away from Ann, no longer interested” (5). However, they bond after sharing their mutual suffering, thus the walls that separated them began to crumble and they are able to establish relationships with each other. By using these events in the story, Carver juxtaposes the emotions of isolation and understanding, reflecting his belief that although individuals are alone in their experiences, they can share the difficulties of others and use their mutual misery to bring them together. . Carver uses the relationship between Ann and her husband throughout the process of dealing with their child's injury to promote the idea of ​​alienation versus compassion. While Ann longed for the company of others during this fragile time, Howard, her husband, only desires the peace of his own company. Their experiences..