Cathedral short story. Cathedral: Themes 2022-12-22

Cathedral short story Rating: 5,7/10 1536 reviews

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.

Cathedral: Raymond Carver and “Cathedral” Background

cathedral short story

These supports are called buttresses. I saw my wife laughing as she packed the car. Thomas has a keen interest in writing and has published numerous blogs and articles in many magazines and newsletters using his 12 years of experience as a writing expert. Meanwhile, Robert offers the narrator pot and the two smoke a joint together. What I heard him say. I asked him if he wanted another drink, and he said sure. When the peacock comes in, staying apprehensively near the entrance to the room, Fran asks to hold the baby, which she does awkwardly but affectionately.

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Raymond Carver

cathedral short story

Right then my wife filled me in with more detail than I cared to know. So when the time rolled around, my wife went to the depot to pick him up. I emptied the bag and shook it. For example, over time, readers realize that there are many similarities between Robert and the narrator, and perhaps these men are identical. . The camera pulled away to show the whole of the cathedral rising above the skyline.

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Cathedral: Character List

cathedral short story

My wife and I hardly ever went to bed at the same time. He was the childhood sweetheart, and what more does he want? The blind man was also a ham radio operator. On the tape, she told the blind man about her husband and about their life together in the military. When we sat down to the table for dinner, we had another drink. He lifted his beard, sniffed it, and let it fall. I'd heard all I wanted to. I made a drink and sat at the kitchen table to listen.

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Cathedral Summary

cathedral short story

Of course, I didn't tell her that. Tell me, I want to know. And his being blind bothered me. He would come by train, a five-hour trip, and my wife would meet him at the station. As the night wears on, the narrator becomes increasingly bored and restless. I emptied the bag and shook it.

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Cathedral: Important Quotes Explained

cathedral short story

Over the years, she put all kinds of stuff on the tapes and sent the tapes off lickety-split. The blind man felt around over the paper. Now this same blind man was coming to sleep in my house. For the first time he appears to be able to see. Yet, even though he has perfect vision, the narrator does not realise all the limitations that he had restricted himself with and how these are limiting him to experience greater things in life. The last date is today's date — the date you are citing the material. Imagine a woman who could never see herself as she was seen in the eyes of her loved one.


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Cathedral By Raymond Carver

cathedral short story

But say my life depended on it. As I stared at his face, I saw the left pupil turn in toward his nose while the other made an effort to keep in one place. She drew a long breath and went on with her sleeping. We made ready to listen. I got us drinks and we settled down in the living room. The knee becomes a motif through two more uses: first, when Fran has the baby on her knee and the peacocks plays with them, and secondly when Jack mentions her hand on his knee when they drove home. They'd become good friends, my wife and the blind man.

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Cathedral Study Guide

cathedral short story

It was a little wedding--who'd want to go to such a wedding in the first place? He has abandoned his self-consciousness and his judgment of Robert. As he listened to me, he was running his fingers through his beard. Why don't you find us some heavy paper? Then I asked if he wanted to smoke some dope with me. Downstairs, in the kitchen, I found a shopping bag with onion skins in the bottom of the bag. I reached for my glass. I thought I knew that much and that much only about blind people. Such a difference in physical and mental capabilities between the narrator and Robert almost makes Robert seem like the one who truly sees.

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Cathedral: The Narrator

cathedral short story

I lit one and passed it. His fingers rode my fingers as my hand went over the paper. I thought it was something I ought to do. I'm saying that at the end of the summer she let the blind man run his hands over her face, said goodbye to him, married her childhood etc. She was still wearing a smile. I had absolutely nothing to say to that. Cathedral By Raymond Carver Analysis Frequently Asked Questions What are the feelings of the narrator after meeting Robert? The narrator ignorantly despises blind people.

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