So much water so close to home
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Questions and Answers

Why did the men initially hesitate to immediately return after finding the body?

  • They feared getting lost in the dark if they tried to leave immediately.
  • They believed the girl might still be alive and needed immediate assistance.
  • They were concerned about preserving the scene for investigators.
  • They cited fatigue, the late hour, and the belief that the body wasn't going anywhere. (correct)

What specific action did the men take to prevent the body from drifting away?

  • They buried the body near the riverbank.
  • They tied a nylon cord to the body's wrist and secured it to a tree. (correct)
  • They moved the body to a more sheltered location away from the river.
  • They weighted the body down with rocks.

What detail suggests the men were trying to maintain a sense of normalcy despite the situation?

  • Their solemn and respectful handling of the body.
  • Their detailed documentation of the scene and the body's condition.
  • Their decision to immediately report the incident to the authorities
  • Their routine activities of cooking, eating, fishing, and playing cards. (correct)

Gordon Johnson made which comment related to the trout they’d caught?

<p>The fish were hard because of the water's intense coldness. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What action did Stuart take that indicated a sense of responsibility or guilt?

<p>He made the phone call to the sheriff to report the incident. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the narrator's husband do upon returning home that suggests he is troubled by the experience?

<p>He leans against the refrigerator with a beer and is restless in bed. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the woman's statement, 'Well, they got him... They arrested him this morning,' in the context of the story?

<p>It highlights the cyclical nature of violence, suggesting that even in grief, society continues to deal with crime and punishment. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the narrator's reaction—clinging to a parking meter and observing 'polished hoods and fenders'—symbolize in the passage?

<p>A moment of dissociation and overwhelming emotion, using mundane details as anchors in a disorienting reality. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the husband's reaction to the phone calls suggest about the situation they were in?

<p>He feared being implicated in a crime. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the concluding scene between the narrator and Stuart suggest about their relationship and their way of coping with grief?

<p>It implies a dysfunctional dynamic where physical intimacy is prioritized over emotional connection, used as a distraction from addressing deeper grief. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the narrator doing as the story concludes?

<p>Sweeping up broken dishes and observing her husband. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The phrase 'I can’t hear a thing with so much water going' is likely a metaphor for what?

<p>The narrator's emotional turmoil and mental distraction, preventing them engaging with Stuart. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the detail of the woman baking cookies for the child 'in front of the TV' contribute to the story's themes?

<p>It heightens the sense of innocence lost and the shattering of a safe, nurturing past, contrasting with the present violence. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the most likely reason Stuart suggests getting beer at the roadside market?

<p>To avoid a direct conversation with Claire about her anxieties. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

When Claire mentions the Maddox brothers, why does Stuart react with irritation?

<p>He believes Claire is trying to provoke an argument. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Claire's vivid description of being 'right in it, eyes open, face down' most likely represent?

<p>A metaphorical expression of her anxiety and sense of dread. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why does Stuart look into the rear-view mirror while driving home?

<p>He is worried about Claire's mental state and its potential impact. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of Claire noticing the 'Love' signature on Stuart's note?

<p>It highlights the contrast between their superficial affection and deeper disconnection. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why does Claire focus on the details of the body identification process in the newspaper?

<p>She is attempting to understand the reality and finality of death and loss. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why does Claire tell Marnie about the funeral and mention it was a murder?

<p>She feels compelled to share her burden with someone, even casually. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Claire's decision to get her nails done before attending the funeral reveal about her state of mind?

<p>She is trying to maintain a sense of normalcy and control amidst emotional turmoil. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the husband's statement, 'She was dead,' primarily suggest about his perspective?

<p>He is attempting to minimize his and his friends' culpability by emphasizing the lack of present harm. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Consider the act of Claire breaking the dishes at the sink. Which interpretation most accurately captures the primary significance within the story's context?

<p>A symbolic representation of the fracturing of their marriage and her emotional state. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the detail about the men being 'decent men, family men' emphasize in contrast to their actions?

<p>It heightens the sense of moral conflict and the unexpected nature of their choices. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the husband's reaction to the telephone call from someone minding their 'own business' develop a central theme?

<p>It highlights his anger at being caught and judged by the community, reinforcing a theme of guilt and shame. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary significance of the men going to the Naches River to 'fish every spring and early summer'?

<p>It establishes a routine activity, contrasting with the extraordinary event that occurs. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the author use the detail of the men taking 'their bedrolls, their food, their playing cards, their whiskey' enhance the narrative?

<p>To highlight the contrast between their planned leisure and the grim reality they encounter. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main significance of Claire noting that her husband's name is 'in there on the first page. Along with the names of his friends'?

<p>It implies that the news story has brought unwanted attention and scrutiny to their actions. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Consider the phrase, 'We talked it over and we all decided.' What does this particular phrase reveal about the group's dynamic and decision-making process?

<p>It implies an effort to diffuse individual responsibility and create a sense of shared accountability, regardless of individual feelings. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the narrator underlining the word 'Love' in the note to Dean?

<p>It suggests a forced or questionable sincerity in her feelings at that moment. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

When the narrator repeatedly slows down and speeds up while being followed by the green pickup, what does this behavior reveal?

<p>Her indecisiveness and growing anxiety or internal conflict. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of the green pickup driver repeatedly asking 'You all right?' and 'You okay?' while the narrator is locked in her car?

<p>An attempt to build trust before potentially harmful actions. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the shift in scenery from 'farm country' to 'shacks' and 'timber' contribute to the story's atmosphere?

<p>It creates a contrast that heightens the feeling of isolation and potential danger. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the most likely reason the narrator tells Stuart, 'I don’t think I’ll be home today'?

<p>She is expressing a desire to avoid him and their shared life. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why might the author include the detail of the narrator thinking about whether the word 'backyard' is one word or two?

<p>To show the narrator's focus on minor details as a way to avoid confronting larger issues. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the detail of Stuart ‘appraising’ the narrator as she makes breakfast suggest about their relationship?

<p>Unequal power dynamics, where she feels objectified. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the final image of the closed casket relate to the events and themes in the preceding passage?

<p>It creates a sense of unease and suggests a potential death or loss linked to the narrator's actions. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

The Discovery

The men found a girl's body by the river and tied it to a tree.

Normalcy

After finding the body, the men continued their activities as if nothing had happened.

Reporting the Body

Stuart made the call to the sheriff to report what happened.

Lack of Shame

The men claimed to have nothing to hide and cooperated with the authorities.

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The Confession

He told his wife everything after getting home.

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Restlessness After the Trip

The husband was restless and preoccupied after the river trip.

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Angry Reaction

Before he could say anything to the callers, the husband yelled at them over the phone.

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The Lie

Lying on his back, the husband seems emotionally despondent.

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Husband's Eating Habits

The husband's detached eating habits signify a deeper emotional disconnect stemming from a shared secret.

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Breaking Dishes

The wife's act symbolizes her emotional breaking point and a desperate attempt to elicit a reaction from her husband.

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Decent, Family Men

Highlights the community standing and outward respectability of the men involved, contrasting with their actions.

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Girl in the River

The discovery sets the stage for a moral dilemma and the subsequent decisions that drive the plot.

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Newspaper Mention

Their names being in the paper signifies public exposure and the repercussions of their actions.

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"She Was Dead"

The husband's statement reveals a key piece of information: the girl was already deceased.

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Naches River trip

The men go on a fishing trip to the Naches River before visiting relatives can get in the way of their trip.

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Mind their Own Business

The quote shows how the husband believes that this should not affect their lives. He is sorry but feels people should mind their own business.

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Riled

Feeling agitated, upset, or provoked to anger.

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Rage

A feeling of intense anger; violent or barely controllable.

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Identify

To identify someone or something by examining it closely.

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Claim

To take possession of something.

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Examine

To examine something carefully.

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Into

To put something inside something else.

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Cutting

To sever something with a sharp object

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Weighing

To measure the heaviness of something.

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Funeral Service

A service for the living and a prayer for the deceased.

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Killer Captured

The killer has been apprehended.

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Past Kindness

The woman baked cookies for the girl.

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Anxious Question

The wife is concerned about Dean's whereabouts.

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Inappropriate Comfort

A sexual advance to comfort the wife.

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Apprehension

A feeling of unease or anxiety, often without a clear cause.

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Appraising

To estimate the quality, size, or other properties of something.

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Choke

Cause (someone) to feel trapped and unable to breathe properly; stifle.

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Farm Country

A farm or agricultural land

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Grip

To hold something firmly

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Look Over

To consider or look at someone or something carefully and attentively.

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Toots

A rapid succession of short sounds, typically from a horn or whistle.

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Stands of Timber

Land covered with trees and shrubs.

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Study Notes

Characters

  • Narrator, Claire: The wife of Stuart.
  • Stuart: Claire's husband, involved in a disturbing incident.
  • Dean: The son of Claire and Stuart.
  • Gordon Johnson, Mel Dorn, Vern Williams: Friends of Stuart who went on the fishing trip.
  • Arlene Hubly: A girl murdered when Claire was young, her story is evoked during the ordeal.
  • Marnie: Works at the hairdresser's.

Plot Points

  • The story opens with tension between a husband and wife due to an unspecified event involving the husband.
  • Stuart and his friends discovered the unclothed body of a girl while on a fishing trip, but delayed reporting it to set up camp, build a fire, and drink whiskey.
  • Initially, one man suggested they return, but the group decided against it, citing fatigue and the late hour.
  • Stuart was among those who waded into the river to secure the body, using nylon cord to tie her to a tree.
  • They continued their fishing trip by cooking meals by the river where they washed dishes.
  • Upon returning home Stuart gives the sheriff their names.
  • The discovery of the body becomes public; Claire realizes her husband is implicated.
  • Claire is deeply disturbed and reflects on the past murder of Arlene Hubly.
  • The couple drives to a spot near where Stuart and his friends go fishing.
  • Claire attends the funeral of the murdered girl, and grapples with Stuart's actions.
  • Stuart attempts to initiate intimacy with Claire, but she rushes it, expressing urgency to finish before Dean comes home.

Themes

  • The story explores themes of guilt, complicity, and the psychological impact of a disturbing event on a marriage.
  • Moral responsibility and the dark side of human nature are key thematic elements.
  • Breakdown in communication and growing distance between a husband and wife because of a horrific event.
  • The story examines the contrast between ordinary life and the intrusion of violence and death.
  • Claire's struggle to reconcile her perception of Stuart with his actions.
  • The title is a metaphor for the emotional distance and the disturbing secret that separates the couple.

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Related Documents

So Much Water So Close To Home PDF - Raymond Carver Short Story

Description

A wife grapples with disturbing details of her husband's fishing trip. The group delayed reporting the body they found, prioritizing setting up camp and drinking. This decision and the act of securing the body haunt the couple.

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