In Raymond Carver's "The Bath" and the rewritten version of the story titled "A Small, Good Thing", the author tells the same story in different ways , and for different purposes, creating varied experiences for the reader. Both stories have the same central plot and most of the details remain the same, but the effects the stories have on the reader are significantly different. The biggest character difference is found in the role of the Baker and his interaction with the other characters. The few details, language, and sentence structure of “The Bath” provide a stark contrast, emotional and artistic, to “A Small Good Thing.” In many ways, 'The Bath' proves to have more emotional impact because of everything it doesn't say; is sparse, and the minimalist narrative gives the impression of numb shock and muted reactions. The descriptive narrative of “A Small Good Thing” delves into character development, and while it tells multiple stories, it ends on a note of hope, rather than fear or despair. Each story has its own magic that weaves it together in a powerful way. Comparing them to each other best reveals the true masterpiece of each story. Both stories open with the same happy task; a mother is choosing a birthday cake for her son Scotty. In 'The Bathroom' we are given details about the cake's appearance and a detailed description of the baker, but no real insight into the characters' inner thoughts. In “A Small Good Thing” we are told the mother's thoughts about the baker and her reflections on what commonalities they might have. She finds herself hating the baker: "He made her feel uncomfortable, and she didn't like that... She gave up trying to make friends with him" (Carver) In each line......half of the paper. ..... words, and they better be the right ones, with punctuation in the right places.” In each of these stories, Carver makes those words take the reader to the same scene twice and end up in a new place each time. He is a master of words and the uniqueness of “The Bath” and “A Small Good Thing” is a masterpiece. Works Cited Carver, Raymond. "A Little Good Thing, by Raymond Carver." University at Buffalo-Wings Central Campus Web Server. Network. 01 December 2010. .Carver, Raymond. “Carversite: Raymond Carver Quotes (On Reading, Writing, and Rewriting).” Carversite: Raymond Carver. Network. 01 December 2010. .Carver, Raymond. "The bathroom." The presence of the writer: a pool of readings. Boston, Massachusetts: Bedford/St. Martins, 2009. 919-25. Press.