Narrator, “The Elevator”
The narrator of this poem uses the poem to slowly divulge her obsession with real-life singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen. At first, the narrator appears to be nothing more than a fan. Once she finds herself locked in an elevator with Cohen, himself, however, she reveals that she is truly and deeply obsessed with the musician. The narrator is overly conscious about her actions, movements, and appearances; she is convinced that Cohen purposefully followed her into the elevator, and she wants to make a good impression. As the poem continues, the narrator begins to describe more and more of her obsession-rooted fantasies—none of which are true. For example, she firmly believes that Cohen’s performance in Albert Hall was intended to be performed solely for her. She also believes that Cohen followed her to Toronto, to expose his love for her. In short, the narrator is deeply obsessed with Leonard Cohen. Her obsession has devolved into pure fantasy and she is no longer able to distinguish between her obsession and reality.
Leonard Cohen, “The Elevator”
Leonard Cohen was a Canadian singer/songwriter, who was famed for his work on religion, politics, sexuality, and romance. He was born in 1934 and he passed away in 2016. In this particular poem, Cohen serves as the focus/object of the narrator’s obsessions. Though he has done nothing to indicate that he knows the narrator or perceives her as being more special than his other fans, the narrator is obsessed with him. In this way, he and the narrator’s obsession with him are the primary focus of the poem.
Narrator, “Remark”
The narrator of this poem—perhaps an extension of author Maura Dooley, herself—describes a specific moment in her long-standing relationship with her husband. The narrator perceives that her relationship with her husband has become predictable and monotonous—maybe even a bit sad. Then, the narrator unexpectedly makes an offhandedly dry comment, which causes her husband to laugh in a boisterous and youthful way. Her husband’s laugh reminds her of the early, robust years in their relationship. This simple remark reminds the narrator why she fell in love with her husband in the first place. The closing of the poem suggests that the narrator is going to do more to keep the relationship youthful and alive.
Husband, “Remark”
Though the narrator’s husband is not directly featured much in this poem, his role is integral to the poem’s theme and the narrator’s revelation. When the narrator makes a dry, offhanded comment, the husband finds immense humor in it; it catches him off guard. As a result, he laughs in a way that he has not laughed in many years. It is full of life and vibrancy. The man’s laugh is what serves as the catalyst for the remainder of the poem. It is from this small, seemingly simple gesture that the narrator realizes how much her relationship with this man has changed. In this way, the husband reminds the narrator of what their relationship used to look like and, as a result, she vows to devote more time to re-instilling youth into their relationship.
Narrator, “What Every Woman Should Carry”
The narrator of this piece uses the poem as a cathartic release of emotional baggage. At the beginning of the poem, she describes tangible, material items—necessities, such as tissues, money, and tampons. As the poem progresses, however, she begins to describe specific moments, emotions, and expressions that she will always carry with her. Many of these pertain to deceased loved ones and past relationships. In this way, the narrator uses the poem to share with the reader that every woman can and should carry more than just tangible items; she must carry experiences, relationships, and emotions, for it is these experiences that ground us and keep us sane.
Narrator’s Mother, “What Every Woman Should Carry”
The narrator’s mother barely makes an appearance in this poem. In the very first line of the poem, the narrator says that the first thing she received to carry around with her was a prayer to Saint Theresa. Therefore, the narrator’s mother encapsulates the idea that we are all gifted something by someone we love, respect, or value. In the case of the narrator, it is her mother that gifts her the very first thing of value in her life—a prayer. Therefore, the narrator’s mother provided the narrator with her very first memory and piece of memory to carry always.
Unnamed Man, “What Every Woman Should Carry”
Near the conclusion of the poem, the narrator offhandedly mentions “his face the last time.” It can therefore be concluded that this man was one of the narrator’s lovers. Given her anguish over this person, and her comments regarding “useless youth,” it can be assumed that the narrator feels she found and subsequently lost true love during her youth and now deeply regrets it. Therefore, all that is known about this unnamed man is that the narrator was likely in love with him and that he left a lasting impression on her—one she will carry with her always.
