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John Magee
To cite this article: John Magee (1997) Carver’s Chef’s House, The Explicator, 55:2, 111-112,
DOI: 10.1080/00144940.1997.11484141
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Newfound Poems by Edmund Spenser," Spenser Studies VII (1987): 199-238; and five recent
studies of literary sprezzatura (1995-96) in The Explicator.
2. Alan Sillitoe, The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner (New York: Knopf, 1959, 1970)
7-54.
3. Sillitoe I, 14.
4. Alden Nowlan, ''The Critic," Playing the Jesus Game, 94. Poems in this volume are "typed,"
so that vertical columns-potential codeline strings--occur automatically. Alden's cover shows a
fancifully elaborated cross that might allude to an acrostic coterie game and mystical wit.
5. Nowlan, Playing, 46.
6. Ann Evory, ed., Contemporary Authors, NR Series (Detroit: Gale, 1982) 5:407.
7. Keath Fraser, "Notes on Alden Nowlan" (revised), Canadian Literature 45 (1970): 41-51,
qtd. Contemporary Literary Criticism, Sharon R. Gunton and Laurie Lanzen Harris, eds. (Detroit:
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WORK CITED
Nowlan, Alden. ''The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner." Bread, Wine and Salt (Toronto:
Clarke, Irwin & Co. Ltd., 1967) 61.
111
prefer "recovering," for a true alcoholic is always an alcoholic. The reader
immediately sees Wes's faulty reasoning. His intentions at the time may be
good, but one can go on the wagon in one's own backyard. Wes is setting both
himself and his wife up for a fall.
Third, Wes leaves his girlfriend, which is sadly ironic. An alcoholic in denial
never leaves his girlfriend, who is, really, the bottle. Alcohol is a powerful,
beguiling lover, and to a true alcoholic in denial the lover is always faithful.
Fourth, the true test of Wes's resolve to quit drinking comes with Chef's
wanting his house back. Indeed, Chef is an ironic word here. The man is a
Downloaded by [University of Tennessee, Knoxville] at 21:48 01 June 2016
"recovered" alcoholic, but his house is a cauldron of memories, and while Wes
is living in it he is in a stew, or stewing, for he is still in denial; an alcoholic
in denial will jump the wagon at the flrst excuse.
Fifth, once Wes decides to return to the bottle he rationalizes his predica-
ment. His wife notices something in his look as soon as he receives Chef's
news: "this look about him. I knew that look" (300). His principal rational-
ization is, "We were born who we are" (301). That is true. But alcoholics don't
have to drink. There is a saying in AA that "One drink is too much and a thou-
sand aren't enough." Wes wants to get drunk. It is that simple.
Finally, Wes, paradoxically, doesn't run to the nearest carryout. He doesn't
have to. Once he has made up his mind to drink, there is plenty of time. He is
enjoying the anticipation of the flrst drink, much like a lover anticipating that
flrst kiss and the subsequent "loving." Furthermore, deep inside Wes knows
that however sweet that flrst kiss the outcome will be a bad one. Moreover, he
also knows that his "girlfriend" is a very patient lover.
WORK CITED
Carver, Raymond. "Chef's House." Where I'm Calling From. New York: Vintage, 1989.
112