What We Talk About When We Talk About Love

“What We Talk About When We Talk About Love” is a short story written by Raymond Carver. Carver uses the four main characters in his story to try and explain what “Love” actually is. This story can relate to everyone in the world because at some point in our lives we have talked and tried to figure out what “Love” really is. People who have ever tried to answer the question about “Love” have always come up with different answer about what they think “Love” really is. Mel from the story says, “It seems to me we’re just beginners at love. We say we love each other and we do, I don’t doubt it…I loved my first wife more than life itself. But now I hate her guts. I do. How do you explain what happened our love” (Carver 392)? I find that after reading this quote I have become more confused about love. I always thought that if you truly loved someone you would need them in your life, or at least in some way. But Mel makes a valid point in what he says. A lot of people who get married end up getting divorce because they are not in love with each other anymore. If they get divorced then were they ever really in love to begin with? Are couples like the one described about just infatuated with each other? I have a hard time answering this question because I have not yet had a chance to experience this. Maybe sometime in the future I will find what I think “Love” is which will also allow me to have a better understanding of love.