"Popular Mechanics"
By: Raymond Carver
"But it was getting dark on the inside too." The setting of the short story by Raymond Carver, as illustrated in the short phrase above, establishes the theme and tone of the piece. For, in this simple phrase, the speaker illustrates that not only is there darkness in the outside, but also spreading upon the inside of the house. The darkness that engulfs the setting symbolizes the effluence of fighting on one's emotions. As the young couple fights over both the baby and their marriage, darkness comes to symbolize endings. For example, as the husband and wife leave the room, the husband turns off the light, putting the past (their marriage) into complete darkness. Through this action, the darkness from the outer world begins spreading upon the family. The greatest darkness comes though at the end of the story where the reader is left in the darkness about the details of the final separation and death of the baby. Although darkness does not completely determine the story's course, it plays a crucial element in guiding the reader through the events. As darkness encompasses the world every night, its engulfing powers encompasses the young couple's love. 
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