1. Plot a.

Antagonist- the father~ focus of story is about baby and the father is just sitting in the kitchen ignoring the family. Protagonist- the baby~ focus of the story b. One conflict is man vs. man~ all of the girls/ grandmother/mother are arguing over whom the baby looks like. Another is an emotional conflict between the father because he is sitting in the other room and the daughters dont know who he looks like. c. The suspense is that you dont understand why the dad isnt associating himself with the family. d. One of the daughters is crying, it is evident by the fathers solitude that his family isnt happy. Life doesnt always have happy endings. e. The father was in the kitchen and could hear them playing with the baby. It had turned around in his chair and his face was white and without expression. 2. Character: a. Indirect characterization through dialogue and actions. b. The mother, daughters and baby are all flat. This is evident through their dialogue. Grandmother and father are round because they have multiple levels. c. These characters are all static because none of them really change throughout the story. d. The father changes because he goes from being a background character to the conversation being centered around him. 3. Theme Until you look at someone closer, you will never truly understand them. 4. Point of View: a. 3rd person objective or omniscient b. Drawbacks- dont know what characters are thinking. Advantage- objective, dont take sides, only get situation. c. The author conceals information about the characters. The author does this consistently. You dont get full characterization for any character. 5. Symbols and Irony a. Dad is a symbol of secrets and solitude. The baby symbolizes purity. b. Irony: the baby shows no emotion while envoking emotion in all other characters. c. Blue: sadness 6. Emotion and Humor a. The only emotion shown in the story is really when Phyllis cries and when the dad turns around. The father is emotionally distant from the family. b. Yes because wife and children dont know their father at all. 7. Fantasy- not applicable

The Father By Raymond Carver

8. Overall: a. The title draws attention to the father. It leaves him lingering in the back of the mind while reading about the baby. b. There is a big focus on dialogue and indirect characterization detached voice. c. The setting is in a home. You see all of the family but the home is lacking the emotions of a family.