Narration

The story is told from the first-person restricted point-of-view. The narrator, Nick, describes the interactions between the two couples only from his own perspective. Nick portrays his relationship with his wife, Linda, in glowing terms, full of warmth, affection, and mutual respect. Given the atmosphere of the story, and the tone of the conversation, however, the reader is invited to speculate if perhaps Nick's idealized perception of his marriage may eventually develop the tone of "benign menace" characterized by the relationship between Mel and Terri. Because the story is related in the past tense, the narrator suggests a feeling of nostalgia on Nick's part, for this early period of his marriage.

Setting: "Carver Country"

The story is set around the kitchen table of the McGinnis', in Albuquerque, New Mexico, although the narrator explains that "we were all from somewhere else." This is significant in that many critics agree...