Bub Symbolism In Cathedral

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Raymond Carvers Cathedral presents an isolated narrow minded individual who narrates his experience with his wife’s old friend and the realization that occurs during the encounter with the blind man named Robert. Bub is emotionally isolated but enlightened by Roberts wisdom and comes to find spiritual freedom. Carver suggests that spiritual and emotional connection to life is directly correlated with the way life is perceived.
Bub, the protagonist in the story, has no emotional attachment to anything but himself. The narrator is not “enthusiastic” (184) about the idea of the blind man visiting. It seems as if he feels a little jealous towards his wife and Roberts relationship, thinking maybe it goes deeper than just sending tapes back in …show more content…

A show about church and The Middle Ages is playing. They begin to show a cathedral on the tv and the blind man asks Bub to describe one to him because he doesn’t know what one is. When Bub struggles to describe the cathedral Robert has the idea of drawing one together. Robert instructs Bub to “get us some pen and some heavy paper” (192). As the two men draw the cathedral Bub first draws a box with a roof which represents his current outlook. Robert said to Bub “Never thought anything like this could happen in your lifetime, did you bub?” (193). his signifies a change is taking place. The narrator is experiencing something new; he is making a connection. As the drawing continues the blind man tells Bub to close his eyes, so he does. However when Robert tells him to open his eyes and “take a look” (193) he keeps them closed. The epiphany comes after Robert asks Bub if he is looking. “My eyes were still closed. I was in my house. I knew that. But I didn’t feel like I was inside anything. “It’s really something I said,” I said.” (193). Bub finds that he is seeing life in another way. A way that is not just limited to himself. The blind man that he once judged ironically taught him how to see. Perhaps the cathedral is used to lift Bub closer to “sight” just as its purpose to lift people closer to

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