In the short story "Cathedral," by Raymond Carver, the narrator is a man who is struggling with feelings of jealousy, insecurity, and resentment towards his wife's former colleague, Robert, who is blind. The narrator is resentful of Robert's independence and the fact that his wife has a close relationship with him, and is also uncomfortable with the idea of having to spend time with a blind man.
At the beginning of the story, the narrator's wife tells him that Robert is coming to visit and that he is looking forward to meeting the narrator. The narrator is not pleased about this and makes it clear that he does not want Robert to come. However, his wife insists that he come, and the narrator eventually agrees, albeit grudgingly.
As the story progresses, the narrator begins to open up to Robert and the two men spend the evening talking and drinking. The narrator even admits to Robert that he is uncomfortable around blind people, to which Robert responds by telling him about his own experiences as a blind man and how he has learned to navigate the world without sight.
As the night goes on, the narrator's feelings of resentment and jealousy towards Robert begin to dissipate, and he starts to see Robert as a person rather than just a blind man. In a poignant moment, Robert asks the narrator to describe a cathedral to him, as he has never seen one before. The narrator initially struggles with this task, but eventually finds the words to describe the grandeur and beauty of the cathedral.
As the narrator describes the cathedral to Robert, he begins to see the world in a different way and gains a newfound appreciation for the beauty that surrounds him. He realizes that he has been focusing on his own insecurities and petty jealousies, and that he has been missing out on the beauty and wonder of the world around him.
In the end, the narrator's encounter with Robert has been a transformative experience, and he is left with a newfound appreciation for the things in life that truly matter. The short story "Cathedral" is a powerful exploration of jealousy, insecurity, and the transformative power of empathy and understanding.