A Change
In “Cathedral”, by Raymond Carver, there is a big issue with the idea of acceptance of people who are different. In this story this idea of acceptance of those who are different focuses on the aspect of a disability, specifically blindness. Throughout the story Carver explores this idea through a theme focusing on the difference and relationship between the blind man, Robert, and the narrator. In the beginning Carver starts off with an acceptance and a misunderstanding of this difference between Robert and the narrator. Yet towards the end, the narrator experiences a change in him that allows him to see what he misunderstood and dint exactly accept and now he has the ability to understand and embrace Robert as a real human being,
…show more content…
not just a blind man. The narrator starts off saying “This blind man, and old friend of my wife’s, he was in his way to send the night.” Right from the start one can tell his view towards Robert. First off one must look at the way he refers to Robert. For almost the entirety of the story the narrator refers to Robert as the blind man. Instead of calling him Robert he calls him the blind man as if that is the only thing that is important about his wife’s old friend. During all of the conversations that Robert, the narrator’s wife and the narrator have, he focuses on the fact that Robert is a blind man. When the narrator and his wife are getting ready for Robert’s arrival the narrator responds to his wife asking him to just make Robert comfortable by saying: “’I don’t have any blind friends”. Again the narrator focuses on the idea that he is blind and anything past that doesn’t matter when it comes to his humanity. During the story it is apparent that the narrator had a few ideas about what it means to be blind. On first meeting Robert he was amazed that he had a beard. “This blind man, feature this, he was wearing a full beard! A beard on a blind man! Too much, I say.” This idea that he was stunned that Robert had a beard was interesting, the fact that he had one was, in the narrators words, too much, as if it were wrong or illegal for a blind man to grow a beard. Later the narrator states, “I remember having read somewhere that the blind didn’t smoke because, as speculation had it, they couldn’t see the smoke they exhaled. I though I knew that much and that much only about blind people. But this blind man smoked his cigarette down to the nubbin and then lit another one.” Again he is perplexed that the blind man is not what he expected. When Robert arrived the narrator becomes extremely socially awkward with Robert. He begins to think about some sort of small talk topic and comes up with the scenic ride along the Hudson. “How was going to New York, you should sit on the right-hand side of the train, and coming from New York, the left-hand side.” Think that this would be a great topic he asks, “‘Did you have a good train ride?’ I said. ‘Which side of the train did you sit on, by the way?’” Obviously this question was absurd because he was thinking about the view, something that Robert wouldn’t have seen on his way to their house. After dinner when the three of them are sitting in the living room, the narrator again focuses on the fact that he is blind. “Robert had done a little bit of everything, it seemed, a regular blind jack-of-all-trades.” Even after having some conversation and back-story about his life the narrator still focuses on the fact that he is a blind man. Multiple times he admits to how awkward it was for him by saying some form of “I wish my wife hadn’t pooped out.” Once his wife started to rest her eyes, the change for the narrator starts.
On the television an informational documentary came on and it started to strike up a conversation with the two of them. “I tried to explain to the blind man what was happening.” He continues for almost the entirety of the show to explain to Robert what was happening in the show. “‘They’re showing the outside of this cathedral now. Gargoyles. Little statues carved to look like monsters.” He continues on like this for most of the program. Then the conversation starts to develop into a deeper conversation between the two of them. “‘Something has occurred to me. Do you have any idea what a cathedral is? What they look like, that is? Do you follow me? If somebody says cathedral to you, do you have any notion what they’re talking about? Do you know the difference between that and a Baptist Church, say?’” Here the narrator really starts to try to understand what it is like being blind and the conversation charges to bring the narrator to a new idea and an acceptance and even friendship of this blind man named …show more content…
Robert. Robert responds in a way that the narrator wouldn’t have expected.
“‘I know they took hundreds of workers fifty or a hundred years to build,’ he said.” He continues to repeat almost everything the narrator of the film about the cathedrals said. Then he finally responded with “‘Cathedrals,” the blind man said. … ‘If you want the truth, bub, that’s about all I know. What he said. What I heard him say. But maybe you could describe one to me? I wish you’d do it. I’d like that. If you want to know, I really don’t have a good idea.” Then the narrator paused and thought. He thinks about this proposal form Robert and realizes a key thing. He himself can’t even think about how to describe a cathedral to someone who is blind. So he starts off with very simple ideas of what he thinks it is. He explains that they are massive structures bade of various materials and that people build them to feel closer to God. But then he stops and realizes “‘but it looks like that’s the best I can do for you. I’m just no good at it.’” Later he once again apologizes for not being able to tell him what the cathedrals look
like. Then Robert gets and idea and decides to act upon it to help both of them understand what a cathedral is. “‘Why don’t you find us some heavy paper? And a pen. We’ll do something. We’ll draw together. Get us a pen and some heavy paper. Go on, bub, get the stuff,’ he said.” So the narrator quickly gathers the materials and sits back down in the couch with Robert. Then Robert “… ran his fingers over the paper. He went down the sides of the paper. The edges, even the edges. He fingered the corners.” Robert subsequently said, “‘All right, lets do her.” The narrator then describes that, “He found my hand, the hand with the pen. He closed his hand over my hand. ‘Go ahead, bub, draw,’ he said. ‘Draw. You’ll see. I’ll follow along with you.’” he narrator then starts to draw a very simple sketch of what a cathedral looked like. At this point the two of them start to grow a connect through this drawing of a cathedral, Robert exclaims to the wife that “‘We’re drawing a cathedral. Me and him are working on it.’” They continue this for some time and then Robert offers a suggestion to the narrator. “‘Close your eyes now…’” Once the narrator closes his eyes Robert tells him to continue drawing the picture. It is at this point that the narrator starts to really understand Robert and his blindness. The narrator finishes the drawing and Roberts tells him to take a look and see what he thinks. Then the narrator responds, “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.” Here the narrator has an epiphany that Robert is a blind blind man, he his just a normal man who happens to be blind and that his blindness has nothing to do with him being human. In this story Raymond Carver explicitly talks about the idea of acceptance of difference. He starts with how many have any assumptions about these differences. Carver then goes to show how these assumptions most of the time turn out to be very wrong. In the end he shows that a difference is not what makes a person who they are. Rather he shows that all people are the same and the differences that we have a just a small part of who and what we are.
My own high school experience brought me one of my best friends who I hadn’t paid much attention to because she was in a different clique. I wouldn’t have even considered starting a friendship with her if I hadn’t gotten past my prejudiced ways and opened my mind. The story of “Cathedral” provides a very optimistic ending, which wouldn’t have been possible without the narrator’s initial negative traits. The blind man’s likeable character eventually helps the narrator to have a sort of epiphany in which he appears to leave behind his
These audiotapes represent a distinguished type of communication that requires no visual interaction, but an interface that involves understanding and empathy instead, something the narrator has not yet learned. At this point of the story the narrator believes that Robert could not have possibly fulfilled his now deceased wife’s, Beulah’s, aspirations as seen when he states, “I found myself thinking what a pitiful life this woman must have led,” (37). The narrator bases his reason solely on the fact that the man is blind, so how could he have ever interacted or contributed in their relationship. In reality, though, it is the narrator himself, who has not fully satisfied or even begun to fully appreciate his own wife. The audiotapes symbolize this absence of appreciation and reveals to the reader that the narrator has not even considered this “harmless chitchat,” (36) as he describes it, to be of importance to his own marriage. It is not until the end, when he finishes drawing the cathedral that he is capable of understanding what his wife and Robert share. The cathedral is the other major symbol in this story, since it is the pivotal turning point for when the narrator becomes a dynamic character. Without the cathedral the narrator would not have succumbed to his new acceptance of what it means to actually see someone or something. When the narrator says, “I didn’t feel like I was inside anything,” (46) this is the indication of that epiphany coming to him. Moments before, the narrator had just explained to Robert that he did not “believe in it [religion]. In anything,” (45) however, this insightful moment now contradicts that statement, supporting the notion that the narrator has advanced as a character. Furthermore, a cathedral, which is assumed to bring solace and a new light to those in pursuit of one, offered the
The short story, “Cathedral,” by Raymond Carver, is about a blind man who changes the way the narrator views life by giving him some insight on how he sees things. The characters in this short story are constantly developing into better versions of themselves by sharing their insights with one another.
In the short story “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver, the narrator, Bub, is as metaphorically blind as his guest, Robert, is literally blind. Bub has many unwarranted misconceptions about life, blind people in particular. He also has many insecurities that prevent him from getting too close to people. Through his interaction with Robert, Bub is able to open his mind and let go of his self-doubt for a moment and see the world in a different light.
In the story "Cathedral" by Raymond Carver, the main character, goes through a major personal transformation. At the beginning of the story, his opinions of others are filled with stereotypes, discrimination and prejudice. Through interaction with his wife's blind friend Robert, his attitude and outlook on life changes. Although at first he seemed afraid to associate with a blind man, Robert's outgoing personality left him with virtually no choice. During Robert's visit, he proved to be a normal man, and showed the speaker that by closing his eyes, he could open his mind.
Adding to the obvious structural references to cathedrals and religion, the language and character actions present further evidence of an epiphany of divine proportions. The television program which the characters watch together deals entirely with cathedrals. This spurs the first real conversation between the narrator and the blind man. This presents religion as some form of common ground, on which one could stand, even without sight. When first asked by Robert, the blind man, if he was "in any way religious," the narrator asserts that he is not, and goes on to explain how cathedrals and religion "don’t mean any...
The narrator in Raymond Carver’s "Cathedral" is not a particularly sensitive man. I might describe him as self-centered, superficial, and egotistical. And while his actions certainly speak to these points, it is his misunderstanding of the people and the relationships presented to him in this story which show most clearly his tragic flaw: while Robert is physically blind, it is the narrator who cannot clearly see the world around him.
In Raymond Carver's "Cathedral," the husband's view of blind men is changed when he encounters his wife's long time friend, Robert. His narrow minded views and prejudice thoughts of one stereotype are altered by a single experience he has with Robert. The husband is changed when he thinks he personally sees the blind man's world. Somehow, the blind man breaks through all of the husband's jealousy, incompetence for discernment, and prejudgments in a single moment of understanding.
By becoming close with Robert, the man in this story experienced what was necessary to gain an understanding of what life is like for the blind. The man began to draw the cathedral to try and help Robert visualize what one looked like. What he didn't realize at the time was that Robert was helping him to visualize what blindness felt like. Bibliography: Carver, Raymond. "Cathedral".
In my opinion, I believe that the short story, Cathedral, is a clear representation that a person can change and can be able to understand personal feeling and emotions without trying to actually see them and/or touch them. Also, Carver makes the narrator seem as if he is a real person that the reader can relate to. Specifically, when the narrator feels awkward about his wife bringing the blind man for a visit or when he finally meets the blind man and offers him a joint. These experiences that the narrator has are real experiences that the reader may at one point also feel or encountered. Overall, the short story is one that should be read by all college students as it is a good genre and easy to read as well as to understand and relate.
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.
Raymond Carver's "Cathedral" depicted the interaction between a narrow minded husband, with a limited understanding of the world around him, and a blind visitor, named Robert, that proved to be the catalyst that dramatically changed the husband's view on the world, while they went from being strangers to becoming friends. In the beginning of the story, the husband disliked the concept of his wife bringing her blind friend over to stay since he never had met a blind person before and did not understand it. However, as the story progresses, the husband, through interaction and observation, begins to dispel his fears and misconceptions of Robert and his blindness. With the help of Robert, the husband gains a revelation that changed his view and opened his eyes to the world.
...l of open-mindedness. “Cathedral” concerns the change in one man’s understanding of himself and the world. From the start of the story the narrator is restricted in his understanding to accept the blind man just as his wife has. He cannot fully wrap around the idea of what makes Robert so special. Until, that is, that the narrator starts drawing the cathedral which starts off as a house almost, and expands into something grander. This short story allows us to realize that the world is greater and further detailed than what we consider it in our confined minds. And that in fact we should never assume that there is nothing more to what the eye can see. It simply states that we shouldn’t form an opinion on someone or something based only on what you see on the exterior, because usually after taking the time to explore, the person or thing will not be what you expected.
In Raymond Carver’s story, “Cathedral,” the story tells of how a close outside relationship can threaten a marriage by provoking insecurities, aggravating communication barriers, and creating feelings of invasion of privacy. The husband in the story is given the gift of seeing the cathedral through a blind man’s eyes. Although the title suggests that the story is about a cathedral, it is really about two men who come together and share a vision and realize it is he who is blind.
The husband in Raymond Carvers “Cathedral” wasn’t enthusiastic about his wife’s old friend, whom was a blind man coming over to spend the night with them. His wife had kept in touch with the blind man since she worked for him in Seattle years ago. He didn’t know the blind man; he only heard tapes and stories about him. The man being blind bothered him, “My idea of blindness came from the movies. In the movies, the blind moved slowly and never laughed. Sometimes they were led by seeing-eye dogs. A blind man in my house was not something I looked forward to. (Carver 137)” The husband doesn’t suspect his ideas of blind people to be anything else. The husband is already judging what the blind man will be like without even getting to actually know him. It seems he has judged too soon as his ideas of the blind man change and he gets a better understanding of not only the blind man, but his self as well.