The Importance of the Modern Self in Raymond Carvers Are These Actual Miles
This 3-page undergraduate essay considers Raymond Carver’s short story, “Are These Actual Miles?”. Briefly, this essay answers the question “Aside from not having enough money to pay his bills, what do you think is Leo's greatest problem is?” Further, this essay briefly considers the significance and meaning of the title. In short, this essay argues that Carver’s story can best be understood as a narrative about a man fighting to understand the self in modern society. Although Leo’s problems are seemingly financial, it is soon obvious that his real hardship lies in his poor sense of self. Partly as a result of his own beliefs, and partly as a result of society, Leo comes to feel worthless, a fact that affects his relationship with his wife and his interaction with the salesman. His poor sense of self leads Leo to act suspiciously towards his wife, it leads him to accept his wife’s insults, and it makes him unable to answer the salesman’s direct questions.
