Oates Carver Quiz

Name:___________________________ Oates & CarverQuizENGL 102
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What is the narrative point of view in the first part Joyce Carol Oates’ “Hi Howya Doin?”
The author has employed a third person narrative point of view in narrating the story. She is not part of the story, but an observer who is reporting to the audience the events as they occurred. The third person narration is evident as she refers to the characters using third person pronouns. Throughout the narration, she refers to the main character as “he.” The other characters are also referred to by either their names or third person pronouns.
What is the setting of the story?
The story is set in a University. The setting is evident throughout the story. The male character is reported to be jogging at the western edge of the university arboretum. The characters that he meets while jogging are either working in the university or are students.
What it the setting symbolic of?
The setting of the story is used to symbolize a peaceful place. It is therefore disturbing when the jogger gets shot by another jogger for merely interfering with the killer’s private time by giving him a simple greeting. Besides, a university symbolizes a high moral ground due to its intellectual capacity.
What foreshadowing does the author offer in the story?
The death of the runner at the end of the story is foretold at the beginning of the story, in the crime report.

The author observes that “…the initial police report will note, he’s as solid-built as a fire hydrant…” (1). The comment points out to the death of the jogger in the last part of the story.
Explain the imagery in Oates’ story.
The author has successfully incorporated the use of imagery in the story to build up the expectation of the audience that is revealed at the end of the story. She provides a vivid description of every character that the jogger encounters and the effect that his greeting has on the other joggers. In his first encounter, the author describes his greeting flying out to Madeline “like a playful slap on the buttocks” (2). The greetings subsequently build intensity and the audience becomes aware that something is going to happen.
What is the running symbolic of in Oates’ story?
The greeting “Hi howya doin” has been used symbolically in the story. The joggers encountered by the main character are all obsessed by their own worlds. They feel they are in a private environment hence expecting no interference. Therefore, the greeting by the male jogger comes as a surprise to them and it interrupts their private moments of thought. The greeting has been used to symbolically represent moments of privacy that are sometimes interrupted by a third party unexpectedly.
What point of view does the narrative switch to at the end of the story? Who is narrating at that point?
The narrator switches to the second person narrative mode towards the end of the story. The narrator addresses the audience directly as if they are a part of the story. For example “…you’d waited for him to ask if you’d taken it…” (5).
Explain the irony in Oates’ story.
The irony in the story is that a male jogger gets killed for display affection to other joggers through offering them a friendly greeting. The expectation was that the other joggers would appreciate the gesture.
What is Oates’ theme(s)?
The main theme of the story is respect for other people’s private time. The main character showed no respect to others and ended up being killed.
Explain the symbolism in Carver’s story “Popular Mechanics”?
The author, Carver, uses the baby to symbolize innocence. The baby ends up losing its innocence due to the preoccupation of the characters with their own needs. Their desire to fulfil their needs sees them fail to protect the baby.

Reference
Oates, Joyce Carol. The museum of Dr. Moses: tales of mystery and suspense. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2007.