In Raymond Carver's short story "A Small, Good Thing", the Baker's helplessness is caused by his apparent class status and unknown financial stability , which results in a feeling of isolation. and loneliness. The Baker resolves his feelings of helplessness when he realizes that all classes experience the unknown through his connection with Ann and Howard. Through auditory images, the text illustrates the monotonous and depressing routine of the Baker's daily life due to his class status which requires him to work constantly to maintain his financial stability. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay When Ann first inspects the bakery, she notices that "a radio was playing country-western music" (60). The auditory imagery of the radio creates an atmosphere of loneliness and emptiness. The images suggest that the baker is isolated from human contact and instead relies on technology to build a business. This highlights the Baker's loneliness due to his inability to separate himself from the bakery to form bonds with those around him. The text reveals this through the repetition of the radio. Howard associates the radio with the Baker, saying, “I think there was music on the radio. Yes, there was a radio” (84). The omnipresent radio reveals the routine life the Baker lives in due to his constant need to make money. Furthermore, the radio's constant association with the Baker reveals the Baker's desire for companionship but his inability to achieve it due to his isolation from society. Along with the radio, the text also establishes the presence of noise in the background of Ann and Howard's phone calls with the baker. The text says, “It was five o’clock in the morning…machinery or equipment of some sort in the background” (75). The auditory imagery of the machines highlights the Baker's incessant work. By noting that a central character cannot identify the sounds of the bakery, Carver establishes the social class contrast between the Baker and Anne because Ann appears not to have experienced the same form of work. Additionally, the accompanying detail "five o'clock in the morning" speaks to the hard work, constant work of the baker, and Ann's surprise, evident in the way she takes note of the detail. Through Baker's coherent background machinery and Ann's surprise, the text determines the contrast between the two socioeconomic classes. Due to the lack of connection and misunderstanding between Ann and Baker, tension is created as both characters fail to understand each other's personal struggles, believing that their situation is worse in comparison to the opposite character. However, at the end of the short film. In the story, the two characters create understanding and their tension is resolved as they recognize the similarities between their struggles. Carver's text illustrates this change in character through tone. During the Baker's first phone call, his tone is reserved and direct: "There's a cake here that hasn't been collected" (63). Here the baker is attempting to complete his job, reinforcing the idea that the baker is focused on the success of his bakery. Yet, due to Howard's rude behavior of hanging up the phone on the Baker, the Baker's tone changes. It's because Howard disrespected the Baker. Having established that the Baker already feels powerless due to his social class, the Baker experiences a heightened sense of powerlessness when he is disrespected and becomes angry. The text reveals this when the baker calls Howard back and hangs up.