Carver creates a melancholy tone as he opens "Popular Mechanics" with a description of winter slush on a dark day. This descriptive opening serves to lead into a soon-to-be-divorced couple quarreling over their relationship. Emotions run high as the woman begins to cry and calls her husband a "son of a bitch" (Carver 334). This situation escalates quickly as the couple fights over their child. The argument turns physical as both parents grapple for the child, leaving the baby "red-faced and screaming" (Carver 335). Eventually, both parents gain equal control of the child, pull "back very hard", and realize "the issue [has been] decided" (Carver 335). In their anger, the parents murder their child. As such, "Popular Mechanics" attacks divorce and domestic violence as forces for familial dysfunction. As literally depicted by the baby in the story, they tear families apart. This is Carver's message and the theme of "Popular Mechanics". He wants people to realize that their actions can have grave consequences on the lives of others.
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