Crossen 1 Emily Crossen English 1010 Professor Trillo November 20, 2013 Literary Analysis In Raymond Carvers short

story Cathedrals, there are three characters. One of the characters is the narrator. The other two characters are his wife and her blind friend Robert. Robert and the narrators wife were likeable. However, the narrator was not likeable. The narrator was ignorant because he was inconsiderate, jealous, and believed in stereotypes; however, by the end of the story the narrator changes for the better by becoming insightful. In the beginning of Cathedrals, the narrator was inconsiderate. One example of the narrator being inconsideratewas when his wife was inviting Robert to dinner and the narrator says, Maybe I could take him bowling (Carver, 212). This comment by the narrator shows that he is inconsiderate toward the blind since he knows that they cannot see to bowl.He is also inconsiderate toward his wife because after he says it, his wife gets upset with him. He does not apologize to his wife about the unkind comment. Another example of when the narrator was inconsiderate was when he tries to join in the conversation with his wife and Robert, but he turns the television on instead (Carver, 218). This action by the narrator shows that he is inconsiderate toward his wife and Robert. He would rather watch television than participate in a conversation with his wife and Robert. He does not care that this makes his wife very irritated with him. Another reason that the narrator was ignorant was because he was jealous. One example of the narrators jealousy was when he said, I wasnt enthusiastic about his visit. He was no one I knew. And his being blind bothered me (Carver, 209). This quote by the narrator shows his

Crossen 2 jealousy because he was not happy with Robert coming to visit them. A husband should want to meet his wifes friend, not be jealous of him. Another example of the narrators jealousy was

when the narrators wife told him that Robert touched her face when she worked for him (Carver, 210). After the wife said this to the narrator, he shows jealousy by being outraged that

Robert had touched her neck. The narrator does not understand that the blind use their sense of touch to get an idea of what things look like. The narrators jealousy is also shown when the three of them are sitting in the living room. The narrator says that his wife and Robert talked about things that had happened to them in the past ten years, but nothing was mentioned about him (Carver, 218). This thought by the narrator shows jealousy because the narrator feels left out and thinks his wife does not care about him. He thinks she cares more about Robert than him. A third reason why the narrator was ignorant was because he believed in stereotypes. One example of the narrator using stereotypes was when he was talking to his wife about Roberts wife Beulah. He asked his wife if Beulah was a Negro because he thought that the name was for a colored woman (Carver, 212). This statement by the narrator shows his belief in stereotypes because he must have heard or seen from somewhere before that a woman whose name was Beulah was also colored. So the narrator thinks that all women named Beulah will also be colored. This negative stereotypical comment by the narrator angers his wife. Another

example of the narrator using stereotypes is when he mentions that Robert didnt use a cane or wear dark glasses. He always thought that the blind wore dark glasses (Carver, 216). This thought by the narrator shows his stereotypical belief about the blind. His belief came from what he saw in the movies and so he thinks that all blind people walk with a cane and wear dark glasses. Finally another example of the narrator using stereotypes was when Robert was

Crossen 3 smoking cigarettes. The narrator thought that the blind never smoked (Carver, 217). This statement by the narrator again shows his stereotypical belief about the blind. His belief came from reading an article that said that the blind did not smoke. So again he thinks that all blind people do not smoke. Up until now in the story, the narrator was ignorant because he was inconsiderate, jealous, and believed in stereotypes; but by the end of the story, the narrator changes by becoming insightful. One example of the narrator becoming insightful was when the wife falls asleep leaving Robert and her husband to make conversation. Robert says he will stay up and talk with the narrator. The narrator says, Im glad for the company (Carver, 222). This quote by the narrator shows that he is beginning to change his attitude about Robert. The narrator is happy that Robert will stay up with him because he usually stays up by himself. Another example of the narrator changing by becoming insightful was when they were watching a documentary about cathedrals on television. When the narrator of the documentary did not talk for a while, the narrator felt the need to tell Robert what was on the show. The narrator tries to describe the cathedrals to Robert (Carver, 223). This action by the narrator shows that he is beginning to help Robert understand what a cathedral looks like. A third example of the narrator becoming insightful was when Robert asks the narrator to get paper and a pen. Robert wants the narrator to draw a cathedral because the narrator could no longer describe a cathedral in words to him. The narrator guides Roberts hand while drawing a cathedral. Robert then tells the narrator to close his eyes and keep drawing. The narrator says to himself, It was like nothing else in my life up to now (Carver, 228). This thought by the narrator shows the greatest change in his character. The narrator experienced what is was like to not have vision while drawing and it had

Crossen 4 a great effect on him. Even though the narrator was not physically seeing, this experience let him see inside himself. The narrator was no longer inconsiderate or jealous of Robert. Carver ends the story unexpectedly leaving the reader with an unanswered question. That question is if the narrators change is temporary or if it is a real life change. Because the narrator had been drinking most of the evening and smoking marijuana, the reader does not know if the narrators change was caused by the drugs. Carver does not continue the story to the next day so the reader does not know if the change was temporarily caused by the drugs. The reader hopes that it is a real life change but cannot be certain that the change happened because of the sudden ending of the story. Finally, in Carvers short story Cathedrals, the narrator was ignorant for most of the story, but by the end he changes and becomes insightful. The narrator was inconsiderate to his wife and her friend Robert. The narrator was jealous of his wifes blind friend Robert. The narrators belief in stereotypes did not make him a likeable character. As a reader, it is hard to like someone who does not have respect for the blind. Near the end of the story, however, there was a change in the narrator. He became insightful. As a reader, one can feel sorry for the narrator that he was ignorant. A reader then sees the narrator change to be insightful. A reader hopes to see him continue to become a caring person.

Crossen 5 Works cited Carver, Raymond. Cathedral: Stories. New York: Vintage, 1989. 209-228. Print.