Examples Of Blindness In Cathedral By Raymond Carver

Blind Men Can See

Why would a blind man choose to marry a woman who he cannot see, and why would the woman marry a man who cannot praise her outer beauty? “Imagine a woman who could never see herself as she was seen in the eyes of the man who she loves. A woman who could go on day after day and never receive the smallest compliment from her beloved”, well just imagine how her beloved must have felt that he could not describe, to his love, what he was able to see (Nadelhaft, 2008, p. 419). In Cathedral, Raymond Carver introduces such a man, Robert the blind man. A blind man, which Carver uses touch and imagery to describe what he is able to perceive. As Robert describes the times that he has lived, the positions that he has held, and the

bonds that he has made in his lifetime, he reveals his sincerity, his love, and his understanding for all others to see. A sight defined by others that captures Robert’s abilities and not his disabilities. While Raymond Carver, describes Robert as a judged man due to his blindness, he uses symbolism to denote that blind men can see; in his story Cathedral, Carver ultimately reveals the true honesty of how blind men have vision.
Through the use of imagery in Cathedral, Carver described the ability of Robert’s sight in many aspects.

While being blind can be difficult and defined as having a disability, blindness can enhance what a person actually sees, no matter when the blindness occurs. Blindness, an ability for individuals to see the true nature of others. An ability that people would desire, without knowing what it would entail, people would yearn to see into others eyes, especially the eyes of their beloved. Well, Raymond Carver did just that, he presented his blind man, Robert, as a man who can see. Robert saw through the use of his hands; in turn he used his ability to teach those close to him about his vision. As in the sentence “On her last day in the office, the blind man asked if he could touch her face, he touched his fingers to every part of her face, her nose—even her neck (Nadelhaft, 2008, p. 417)! Through the use of eloquent and descriptive dialogue, Carver, was able to prove to the audience that Robert did see and therefore, knew the beauty of his loved one, Beulah, and of his lifelong

friend.
In addition to revealing the powerful sense of touch, how touch affects others, and how others feel, Carver, used Robert to remind his audience that those experiences are not easily forgotten as noted in his sentence, “She never forgot it. She even tried to write a poem about it. She was always trying to write a poem. She wrote a poem or two every year, usually after something really important had happened to her (Nadelhaft, 2008, p. 417). Irrespective of people that believe that encounters such as Robert and his friends be left in the past, Carver reminds the reader that touch is everlasting. Robert and his friend created an endless bond that would never dissolve; not through, moving, marriage, divorce, attempted suicide, or remarriage was that separation occur. That use of expressive symbolism in his story allowed Carver’s audience to connect at a deeper conceptual level to understand the true symbolism of sight. Whereas, without using over enhanced allegory, Carver maintained and interest and a correlation between his audience and the bond that he wanted them to have with Robert.
Lastly, understanding the detriment blind people feel because of others, for their disabilities instead of what they can do, Carver unites his audience with one of his characters by describing through images such as “At first glance, his eyes looked like anyone else’s eyes.

But there was something different about them; too much white in the iris, and the pupils seemed to move around in the sockets without his knowing it or being able to stop it”, to depict the reality of Robert’s condition. Carver in turn communicates his belief as well the comprehension to the audience that blind men do have vision (Nadelhaft, 2008, p. 421). Carver makes his audience understand the amount of sight Robert truly has by describing the positions that he held in his life such as ham radio operator and Amway distributor, which suggests that he maintained his abilities to be normal and not be treated like someone who was disabled. Consequently, through the ongoing conversation within the story, Robert shared his ability to teach others by having “Bub” close his eyes and feel his way through the drawing, “his fingers rode my fingers as my hand went over the paper. It was like nothing else in my life up to now. Then he said, “I think that’s it. I think you got it,” he said. “Take a look” (Nadelhaft, 2008, p. 428). Enhancing once again the ability for the audience to understand how those that are blind are able to determine what they see and encourage others to do the

same.
In conclusion, the lasting literary impression understood in Raymond Carver’s story Cathedral, is the sincerity felt by Robert and the knowledge he shares with the others in his life in spite of being blind. Through the random acts of kindness, and the ability to behave like everyone else apart from his lack of sight, Robert teaches others to not judge a book by its cover. Especially if the cover describes someone with a disability that others cannot comprehend. Despite the interpretation of disabilities are, people need to look beyond them and notice the abilities others have; not judging without knowing what it feels like. Robert, in Cathedral, was correct when he used the other character in the story to define the lack of knowledge people have regarding disabilities when he stated, "You didn't think you could? But you can, can’t you" (Nadelhaft, 2008, p.428)? Instead, people should realize that they can learn from those with disabilities and acknowledge their beneficent existence.