My Father's Life

Raymond Carver's “My Father's Life” explores the theme of father-son relationships. While Carver looks up to his father (especially when his father made comebacks in life), he also wants to learn from his father's many mistakes. Although he loves his father, Carver was partly ashamed of his father throughout life. When getting a ride home, he pretends he lives at the neighbor's house because he is embarrassed by his own house. He does not even like the fact that he is named after his father. In the beginning of the story we are told of the common names between ...