Ashlee Smith Discussion 7

The writing styles of Raymond Carver and Sandra Cisneros are distinct in their own ways. Carver’s writing often uses simple, direct sentences and conveys a lot of meaning through subtext. Cisneros’s writing often employs poetic language that is more colorful and descriptive. In Carver’s poem “My Daughter and Apple Pie” the author writes “But she’s wearing these dark glasses / in the kitchen at ten o’clock / in the morning”. The subtext within these lines indicates that something is wrong which has caused her to wear dark glasses in the morning. These lines are direct and concise in what the author is trying to convey. In “Hairs”, by Sandra Cisneros, the author writes a very lively description of her mother’s hair. “But my mother’s hair, like little rosettes, like little candy circles, all curly because she pinned it in curls all day, sweet to put your nose into…”. Cisneros uses poetic, colorful language to bring her mother’s hair to life. These two examples show the difference in Carver’s and Cisneros’ writing. Carver’s characters tend to be more understated and stoic, while Cisneros’s characters are often more expressive and passionate. Though their writing styles have differences, they also have certain similarities. Carver and Cisneros have similar portrayals of realistic human experiences. Both authors capture the struggles and complexities of everyday life.