In "Popular Mechanics" by Raymond Carver, the theme of the short story is evident throughout the entire passage. Early in the passage, the author says, "Cars slushed by on the street outside, where it was getting dark. But it was getting dark on the inside too." This foreshadows that something very bad is about to happen. Towards the middle of the passage, the parents are fighting over the baby in the kitchen and accidentally knock over a flowerpot. This also foreshadows not only the death of the baby but the end of their relationship. At the end of the passage, the parents selfishly fight over who gets the baby. This shows that neither one of them really loves the baby but only wants it so the other can not have it. In their selfishness, they violently rip the baby apart because neither really loves it enough to let it go. It is evident from the beginning of the story that the parents had a fight and the husband is leaving (though it never indicates they are married). The setting of the story adds to the theme by supporting the idea that the characters in the story are not very good parents and will not stay together under any circumstances; even to raise their own child. This theme is also found in the Bible in the book of 1st Kings 3:16-28; two women are fighting over a baby and King Solomon offers to split it between them, but one of the women gives up the baby because she loves it enough to let it go if it will be safe. Neither of the parents in "Popular Mechanics" obviously do not care enough about the baby to mend their broken relationship even for the sake of their child.