While he consistently disclaimed the label, Carver's writing style, particularly in the stories of the collection What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, is consistently referred to by critics in terms of "minimalism." The term minimalism has also been used to describe stylistic trends in both art and music. Find out more about minimalism in either art or music and pick a minimalist artist in either of these mediums to learn more about. How does the minimalist style of Carver's story translate into the medium of the artist or composer you have chosen?

Carver has often cited the nineteenth-century short story writer and playwright Anton Chekhov as one of the greatest influences on his own writing. Read a short story by Chekhov. In what ways does Carver's writing style seem to draw from that of Chekhov? In what ways is...