Introduction: “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver
“Cathedral,” a short story collection by Raymond Carver originally published in 1981, explores the lives of ordinary people yearning for meaning and connection in life. One of Carver’s most celebrated and widely studied story,i resonates deeply due to its writing style and exploration of isolation, prejudice, and empathy. Carver’s signature minimalism and sharp detail illuminate the inner worlds of his characters, leaving readers with a lingering sense of hope in life’s everyday struggles.
Main Events in “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver
Prejudice and the Arrival
- Apprehension & Arrival: The narrator fixates on preconceptions about blindness, setting a tone of discomfort as he awaits the arrival of Robert, his wife’s blind friend.
An Uneasy Evening
- Awkward Hospitality: Dinner conversation remains superficial; the narrator focuses on surface observations rather than connecting with Robert.
- Intimate Connection: The narrator witnesses a deeper, more natural communication between his wife and Robert, unsettling his sense of security in his own relationship.
Late-Night Revelations
- Breaking the Ice: With his wife asleep, alcohol loosens the narrator’s inhibitions, and he engages Robert in a discussion about the experience of blindness.
- The Cathedral Question: Robert’s surprising request for a verbal description of a cathedral challenges the narrator’s understanding of both sight and communication.
Shifting Perspectives
- Beyond Words: The narrator grapples with the inadequacy of language to convey the visual essence of a cathedral, revealing his own limitations as well as Robert’s.
- Tactile Collaboration: Robert suggests a unique solution: drawing a cathedral together, guiding the narrator’s hand over his, offering a sensory bridge between their experiences.
- A Moment of Change: This shared act breaks down the narrator’s prejudices, opening him to a genuine connection with Robert.
Transformation and Connection
- Witness and Epiphany: The narrator’s wife awakens to observe the men’s unusual activity, drawn into the experience.
- Transcending Barriers: The narrator finds a newfound empathy, symbolized by his refusal to let go of Robert’s hand even when his wife joins them.
- The Power of Empathy: The story ends on a note of transformation, underscoring the potential for understanding and connection that exists beyond perceived differences.
Literary Devices in “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver
| Literary Elements & Themes | Description |
| Allusion | Reference to the biblical story of the blind man healed by Jesus. |
| Foreshadowing | Narrator’s discomfort foreshadows his transformation later in the story. |
| Imagery | Vivid descriptions, particularly in the portrayal of the cathedral. |
| Irony | The blind man helps the sighted narrator gain insight. |
| Metaphor | Drawing the cathedral symbolizes building a connection between characters. |
| Mood | Shifts from discomfort to understanding and connection. |
| Motif | Central theme of blindness and insight. |
| Personification | TV described as “alive” and “breathing.” |
| Point of View | First-person narrative from the perspective of the narrator. |
| Repetition | “I guess” is repeatedly used by the narrator. |
| Setting | Unnamed town in the United States, primarily the narrator’s home. |
| Simile | Description of Robert’s beard as “like a Brillo pad.” |
| Symbolism | The cathedral symbolizes connection and understanding. |
| Theme | Themes of empathy, understanding, and human connection. |
| Tone | Shifts from skepticism to openness and understanding. |
| Narrator’s Namelessness | Represents ‘everyman’ status and universality of experience. |
| Cathedral as Active Symbol | The cathedral drives the transformation of characters and relationships. |
| Tactile Imagery | Emphasis on touch, particularly in the joint drawing scene. |
Characterization in “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver
Protagonist
- The Narrator: The central character and the voice through which the story is told. Initially, he embodies discomfort and harbors preconceptions about blindness, which serve as driving forces for the narrative. As the story progresses, he undergoes a transformation, leading to greater understanding and connection.
Primary Supporting Character
- Robert: The blind friend of the narrator’s wife. Robert’s openness and unique perspective act as catalysts for the narrator’s transformation. Through his interactions with the narrator, he challenges preconceived notions and fosters empathy and understanding.
Secondary Supporting Characters
- The Narrator’s Wife: Serving as a bridge between the narrator and Robert, she demonstrates a more empathetic and understanding viewpoint towards Robert’s disability. Her presence highlights the evolving dynamics between the characters.
- Beulah: Robert’s deceased wife. Though physically absent, her memory serves to underscore Robert’s character and experiences, adding depth to his interactions with the other characters.
- The Narrator’s Wife’s Ex-Husband: A minor character briefly referenced, providing additional context for the narrator’s wife’s past and contributing to the narrative’s background.
Major Themes in “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver
| Theme | Description | Example from the Story |
| Perception vs. Reality | Our initial impressions may be inaccurate. The narrator presumes Robert’s blindness defines his capabilities but learns Robert experiences the world deeply in his own way. | The narrator’s dismissive attitude shifts as he listens to Robert’s descriptions and participates in the cathedral drawing, seeing beyond his bias. |
| Isolation vs. Connection | Prejudices and lack of understanding build barriers. Connection develops through shared experience and open communication. | The narrator’s initial discomfort turns into a profound bond during the cathedral drawing, their hands touching as they create together. |
| Fear and Resistance to Change | Comfort in the known can hinder growth. Overcoming fear requires stepping outside our comfort zones. | The narrator initially avoids engaging with Robert. Drawing the cathedral forces him to relinquish control, trust Robert’s guidance, and ultimately, change his perspective. |
Writing Style in “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver
- Minimalism: Carver’s signature style employs short, simple sentences and understated prose. This creates a sense of emotional distance, reflecting the narrator’s internal state.
- Implied Meaning: The reader is actively engaged in filling the gaps left by the spare style. This encourages deeper analysis of themes like perception, isolation, and fear.
- Tension and Engagement: The lack of overt explanation generates a sense of tension and uncertainty, drawing the reader deeper into the story.
- Emotional Resonance: Despite the minimalism, Carver’s writing evokes powerful emotions, culminating in the story’s impactful and satisfying ending.
Literary Theories and Interpretation of “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver
| Literary Theory | Description | Specific Examples from “Cathedral” |
| Reader-Response Theory | Emphasizes the reader’s role in creating meaning from a text. Individual experiences shape interpretation. | * A reader familiar with blindness may empathize more readily with Robert than one who is not.* * The narrator’s initial prejudice reflects how biases color our understanding. |
| Postmodernism | Highlights fragmented perspectives and how language shapes our reality. | * The narrator’s limited worldview demonstrates how experience constructs our understanding.* * The evolving descriptions of Robert (physical descriptions to personality) illustrate how meaning shifts. |
| Feminist Theory | Analyzes gender roles and power dynamics within literature and society. | * The wife acts as a bridge between Robert and the narrator, subtly contrasting their personalities. * The narrator’s insecurities about his masculinity fuel his resistance to Robert and to the change Robert represents. |
| Symbolism | Explores deeper meaning within objects and imagery. | * The cathedral itself represents both a physical structure and the abstract need for connection and transcendence. * The collaborative drawing of the cathedral symbolizes overcoming barriers and finding shared understanding. |
Questions and Thesis Statements about “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver
Thematic Analysis of “Cathedral”
1. Isolation vs. Connection
- Thesis Statement: Raymond Carver’s “Cathedral” examines the complexities of isolation and connection, showcasing how two seemingly disparate individuals find common ground and forge a profound bond that challenges their initial separateness.
2. Critique of Toxic Masculinity
- Thesis Statement: “Cathedral” offers a subtle critique of toxic masculinity, revealing how the narrator’s insecurities and resistance to vulnerability obstruct his ability to connect meaningfully with others.
3. Reader-Response Theory
- Thesis Statement: Reader-response theory illuminates how individual experiences and perspectives significantly shape the interpretation of “Cathedral.”
4. The Role of Symbolism
- Thesis Statement: Symbolism enriches “Cathedral,” with elements like the cathedral itself representing the human desire for connection and transcendence, emphasizing deeper thematic layers.
5. Postmodernist Perspective
- Thesis Statement: “Cathedral” aligns with postmodernist notions of fragmented reality, demonstrating how the narrator’s biased worldview illustrates the subjective and constructed nature of our understanding.
Short Question-Answer “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver
- Who is the narrator in “Cathedral” and what is his relationship with the blind man?
The narrator in “Cathedral,” a middle-aged man, is dismissive of Robert, his wife’s blind friend. His early descriptions focus on Robert’s physical blindness (“his beard had nicks… his eyes were the same color as his beard — a frosty blue”) rather than seeing him as a whole person. Their relationship drastically shifts, culminating in a moment of deep connection as they draw the cathedral together, their hands intermingling on the page.
- What is the significance of the title “Cathedral”?
The title “Cathedral” directly references the act of drawing, where the narrator and Robert bridge their differences. This symbolizes a shared yearning for connection and transcendence. While the narrator has difficulty visualizing a cathedral initially, Robert’s verbal cues (“Try drawing it”) guide him towards discovering a new way of “seeing.”
- How does “Cathedral” reflect the theme of perception and prejudice?
“Cathedral” exposes the narrator’s ingrained prejudices about blindness. He admits, “A blind man in my house was not something I looked forward to.” This initial perception prevents him from appreciating Robert’s personality and experiences. His transformation begins by listening to Robert’s tapes, and later, when Robert guides his hand during the drawing, the narrator transcends his limited perspective, gaining a new understanding.
- What is the significance of the ending of “Cathedral”?
The ending of “Cathedral” shows the narrator’s profound shift after the drawing experience. Initially skeptical of Robert’s ability to understand without sight, he undergoes his own epiphany. With his eyes closed, guided by Robert, he states, “It was like nothing else in my life up to now.” This ending underscores the power of overcoming barriers, forging genuine connections, and the possibility of seeing the world through a different lens.
Suggested Readings: “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver
Scholarly Articles
- Burkman, Katherine H. “The Houses of ‘Cathedral.'” The Iowa Review vol. 19, no. 1, 1989, pp. 74-84. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40427232
- Gentry, Marshall Bruce. “The Eye and I in Raymond Carver’s ‘Cathedral.'” Studies in Short Fiction vol. 31, no. 4, 1994, pp.769-776. Project Muse, [invalid URL removed].
- Saltzman, Arthur M. “The Figure in the Carpet: Minimalism, Masculinity, and Mediation in Raymond Carver’s ‘Cathedral.'” Contemporary Literature vol. 33, no. 1, 1992, pp. 25-47. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1208626.
Essays and Online Resources
- Nesset, Kirk. “Seeing and Believing: on Raymond Carver’s ‘Cathedral'” The Story and Its Writer, 9th ed., edited by Ann Charters, Bedford St. Martin’s, 2015, pp. 589-593.
- The Poetry Foundation: “Raymond Carver” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/raymond-carver (Includes brief biography and links to further analysis).
Book Chapter
- Stull, William L., and Maurie P. McInnis. “Cathedral.” Raymond Carver (Critical Insights), edited by William L. Stull and Maurie P. McInnis, Salem Press, 2009, pp. 252-271.