A Small Good Thing by Raymond Carver

The short story “A Small, Good Thing” by Raymond Carver is about a life taken from a young child days prior to his birthday. Vivid images are forced through your mind and behind it all a lesson is to be learned of how small things are good things in due time. Through this narrative, the reader becomes acquainted with the agonizing pain a mother and father suffer from their tragic loss with their child. In Carver’s story, “A Small, Good Thing,” we are brought glimpses of the anxiety and are taught to realize how comfort and nourishment must be sought after in life. Once the boy is admitted into the hospital we sense the anxiety driving erratically through the boys parents thoughts. “Will he be ok?” and “I want answers now!” are two vital thoughts we are left with unanswered by the medical team that are showing uncertainty. Theres nothing that can be done in certain situations and like we see with Scotty’s case only time will tell. You can only imagine how the mother and father’s thoughts grew more imaginative while hopes were taking a beating from the vague answers they keep receiving. The time goes by and habitual actions including sustenance go astray from routine with the parents. No food or sleep takes a toll on the body only weakening and hurting yourself more. Once the parents come to find Scotty’s time has come to an abrupt end, they are enraged by the coincidental phone calls from the baker asking “Did you forget about Scotty?” The parents then sought after releasing their anger towards the baker whom begged for forgiveness, since he was unaware of the extenuating circumstances they have just dealt with. The baker comforts the parents and teaches them how sustenance is important and that it is indeed “A small, good thing.” All in all, the short story “A Small, Good Thing,” by Raymond Carver is of the unfortunate passing of two parents young son, where in turn they are brought to deal with anxiety and learn that comfort and sustenance is key.