Where I'm Calling From Style

Where I'm Calling From Style

In his essay "On Writing,"' Carver explained that he tries to write realistic stories without calling unnecessary attention to the method of their construction or to his own presence: "I hate tricks. At the first sign of a cheap trick or a gimmick in a piece of fiction, a cheap trick or even an elaborate trick, I tend to look for cover." On the other hand, many aspects of Carver's writing style-the short and simple sentence structures, clipped dialogue, and sparse descriptions-often instantly identify stories as his work.

Point of View and Narration

"Where I'm Calling From" is told in the first person by an unnamed narrator. The present tense is used almost exclusively, even in scenes that are memories or accounts of earlier events. The narrator tends to be blunt, Informal, and brief. In the first paragraph, for example, he describes J.P. as "first and foremost a drunk." He frequently uses run-on sentences...
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