Point of View to Enable the Story to Be Experienced in Cathedral
Raymond Carver's "Cathedral," a story that entails a man's epiphany about a misplaced prejudice, is narrated from the first person point of view to enable the reader to fully understand the narrator's thoughts. However, in William Faulkner's "A Rose For Emily" just the opposite is true. In Faulkner's story, the narrator has a limited third person point of view which allows the reader to dodge any emotional ties with Emily, the main character, and to form his own ideas about Emily's actions. Both story's meanings rely on the fact that the author's choice of point of view gives the reader the ability to experience the narrator's epiphany as the narrator does.
In "Cathedral," the narrator shares his feelings towards meeting his wife's blind friend. This "emotional briefing" gives the reader a chance to "bond" with the narrator. The reader gets an insight into how the narrator thinks and feels, and , thus enabling the reader to understand and sympathize with the narrator. The reader is able to make assumpt...
“Cathedral” consists of three individuals. The narrator is the main character, which the story revolves around. The wife of the narrator is the second character, who is the least relevant. The third character is the blind man, named Robert, who is a friend of the wife.
The differences between narrator and character help to create a contrast between them. In “Cathedral” a blind man is able to live his life to the fullest while the narrator with no disabilities sits home and drinks his life away. The blind man still portrays an optimistic
The short story “Cathedral'; includes three characters. These characters include the narrator, his wife, and her blind friend Robert. Early into the story, the narrator expresses that he possesses many stereotypes, these stereotypes keep him “blind'; from the true reality of blind people. The narrator says “My idea of blindness came from the movies, the blind moved slowly and never laughed. Sometimes they were led by seeing-eye dogs.'; This explains where the narrator originally gains his misconceptions of blind people. The narrator’s wife tells him that Robert will be visiting for the weekend. Once Robert arrives at their home, the narrator is shocked to find out that Robert doesn’t wear dark glasses, carry a cane, and is wearing a full beard. Throughout the story some of the narrator’s stereotypes are erased. Howeve...
“Cathedral,” a short story written by Raymond Carver, presents an intriguing story of an ignorant man 's lesson. During this story, Carver 's working class characters are crushed by broken marriages, financial issues, and fulfilling jobs, but they are frequently unable to understand or communicate their own sufferings. However, the main story consists of the narrator, known as “Bub,” facing an internal conflict about a blind man named Robert staying the night in his home. Regardless of the fact that this blind man is his wife 's long time friend, the narrator cannot find himself comfortable with such an idea because of his extreme prejudices. Although, despite the narrator’s conflict he finds himself connecting to Robert on a more personal
...h it emotionally detached without the pleasure of living. In the end, when the narrator has his eyes closed drawing the cathedral, he is the most open he has even been to the world. The narrator’s limited point of view in the story was crucial in showing the reader that what will hold you back the most in life are your biases and judgments. If the story was told in Robert’s point of view, it would have been a joyful story about visiting a long time friend, even with the tragedy of his wife’s death. We would have never known of the prejudices that were held inside the husband, and no true theme would have come from the story. The limited point of view was used in a way that expanded upon the theme even more, and made for a stronger story structure.
“Cathedral” a short story by Raymond Carver shows how a visit from a blind man affects the lives of a married couple. The three main characters are the husband who is the narrator, the wife, and Robert. The husband is a close minded and cynical man who is upset because Robert is staying in his house because he does not know how to treat a blind man. The wife is a kind woman who has a closer relationship with Roberts than with her husband. Robert is a blind man who just lost her wife and is staying with his friend and her husband. In “Cathedral,” Raymond Carver uses symbolism to show the weakness and strengths of humans.
The narrator is told by his wife that she is having her blind friend come spend a night at their house. His wife had just passed and is a very good friend with the wife and wants the blind man to come stay with them. The narrator is not very happy about the blind man coming to visit and asks the wife where she met him and to talk more about. She explains that she worked for him, she read to him. When the blind man pulls up, the narrator is already being judgmental and prejudiced towards the blind man. He does not even the slightest open mind about meeting this man that his wife has such a good relationship with. In the story Cathedral, Raymond Carver uses metaphoric symbols, an object title, and a dialect style to get across the message that you cannot judge someone you have never met and the difference between looking and seeing things in a different perspective.
The short story of the “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver shows the narrator as the main character of the story whose name is never mentioned. The narrator’s wife’s name is never mentioned as well, and her friend who is a blind man is coming to visit after losing his wife whose name is Robert. In the beginning of the story, the narrator shows that he is an excessive drinker and feels emotionally disconnected from his wife and his wife is excited about her friends visit, Robert. This kind of emotion makes him uneasy but doesn’t know why and because he knows that Robert is blind, he feels like he is better than him. Imagine having to meet a long time old friend of your spouse of the opposite sex who they a special friendship with and whom you haven’t
... on his interaction and communication with others. In terms of the tone of the story, it seemingly conveys the positive messages. In Cathedral, instead of monologue as in A Clean Well-lighted Place, the narrator is more likely talking to us, trying to keep us amused and engaged. Underneath the wisecracks, readers can hear a tone of sincerity and positive attitudes towards life. Though the narrator makes jokes of the blind man initially, he shows respect and do what Robert asks him to do as the story continues.
In the story “A Rose for Emily”, by William Faulkner, he chooses to narrate his story in third person rather than the main character being the narrator. The story begins at the main character, Emily Grierson’s funeral making us believe that her characteristics are being estimated by the people in her town. The narrator explains how Emily was isolated from the world because of her now dead father, that led her to become an impervious person; unaffected by traumatic events. Not long after the death of her father, Emily started dating, Homer Barren which was thought to be a replacement for her father. That was concluded from the isolated world her father made her live while he was alive, which did not involve any other men in her life. She was
... man that was trying to have an affair with his wife. Carver uses this story “Cathedral” to open the readers eyes and send the profound message of intolerance and ignorance and how one can be blind mentally not physically. The narrator is so hostile to the idea of a visit from Robert because he is blinded by jealousy, anger, and confusion.
At first glance, one might assume Raymond Carver’s "Cathedral" illustrates the awakening of an insensitive and insulated husband to the world of a blind man. However, this literal awakening does not account for the fact that the husband awakens also to a world of religious insight, of which he has also been blind. The title and story structure are the first indicators of the importance of the religious thesis. It is also revealed when one examines the language and actions of the characters in the story. Finally, Carver’s previous and subsequent writings give an overall background for the argument that "Cathedral" has a significant religious import.
William Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily tells a story of a young woman who is violated by her father’s strict mentality. After being the only man in her life Emily’s father dies and she finds it hard to let go. Like her father Emily possesses a stubborn outlook towards life, and she refused to change. While having this attitude about life Emily practically secluded herself from society for the remainder of her life. She was alone for the very first time and her reaction to this situation was solitude.
We learn that the narrator doesn’t like the blind man and that the narrator’s wife has some kind feelings towards the blind man. The blind man and the narrator’s wife sent tapes and poems for years to each other. We also learn that blind mans’ wife just passed away and the main reason for the visit is since he is visiting his wife relatives and need a place to stay for a night. We learn the blind man’s name when he being introduced to the narrator. His name is Robert, and he is and insightful and easy-going person. Robert made the narrator jealous. The TV shows some cathedrals, one after another. Then the narrator asks Robert if he knows what they look like... or if he knows the difference between a cathedral and a Baptist church (Carver 225). Then the narrator starts to describe what they look like and gives more in-depth descriptions of cathedrals. The narrator tells Robert that “cathedrals don’t really mean anything special to me.” (Carver 226) Robert then tells the narrator that they will draw one together. Then the blind man told the narrator to close his eyes and keep drawing (Carver 229). After that, the blind man asks the narrator, “Well? Are you looking?” (Carver 229) Then the narrator says, “It’s really something” (Carver 228). The author uses cathedrals since they bring people together. By having the Narrator and the Blind Man drawing a cathedral they are bring brought together and their friendship is
In Raymond Carver’s story “Cathedral” the narrator learns what it means to “see” through someone who cannot. To see is to be able to view the things around us while putting aside preconceived notions or fear about these objects or people. In order for this to occur once must overcome what they feel is out of the ordinary and learn to accept things as they are. At first the narrator is doesn’t accept the man and uncomfortable around Robert. The narrator soon comes to understand this when he puts aside his fears, and judgments that he can see more than what meets the eye, and the freedom that comes along with this seeing.