Popular Mechanics
Raymond Carver
The first thing I thought was that this story is basically that of 1 Kings 3. Obviously, there is a huge difference in the mother's response in 1 Kings and the parent's response in Popular Mechanics. In the Bible story, the real mother of the baby the two women were fighting for was willing to give up her baby so that it would live. In this story, however, the mother and father settle the issue by splitting their baby in half. The Bible story contrasts Popular mechanics, highlighting the absence of actual love the parents had for their baby. Their fight seemed to be more of a competition than one of caring for their baby. The title, Popular Mechanics, provides an ironic insight into reality. By using the word, "popular", it implies that this kind of settlement is common. I think it serves to accuse parents who are splitting of also (figuratively) splitting their children. They are so concerned about who gets what that there is no care for the emotional consequences served by their children. Children are under the harm of their parent's fight for them.
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