In the short story "Cathedral" by Raymond Carver, the narrator is a middle-aged, white man who is married to a woman named Beulah. The story begins with the narrator's wife telling him that her former husband, Robert, is coming to visit them. Robert is blind, and the narrator is somewhat resentful of him and uncomfortable around him.
As the story progresses, the narrator becomes more and more involved in Robert's visit. He takes Robert on a tour of their home and even helps him smoke a joint, something the narrator has never done before. The two men bond over their shared love of music, and the narrator begins to see Robert in a new light.
Throughout the story, the narrator's attitudes towards Robert shift. At first, he is judgmental and resentful of Robert, viewing him as a burden on his wife and their relationship. However, as he spends more time with Robert, the narrator begins to see him as a more complex and fully realized person. He comes to understand that Robert's blindness does not define him, and that he has a rich inner life and sense of humor.
As the story reaches its climax, the narrator and Robert create a shared experience by drawing a cathedral together. The narrator is initially hesitant to participate, as he does not know how to draw and is intimidated by Robert's talent. However, as they work together, the narrator becomes more confident and the two men form a deeper connection.
In the end, the narrator's attitudes towards Robert have undergone a significant transformation. He has learned to appreciate and respect Robert as a person, rather than just viewing him as a blind man. The experience of drawing the cathedral together has helped the narrator to see beyond his own biases and prejudices, and to connect with someone on a deeper level.
Overall, the characters in "Cathedral" undergo a significant transformation as the story progresses. The narrator starts off as judgmental and resentful of Robert, but through their shared experiences and the process of drawing the cathedral together, he learns to appreciate and respect Robert as a person. This transformation is a testament to the power of human connection and the ability to see beyond our own biases and prejudices.
Cathedral: Character List
He feels awkward again, and offers to lead Robert to bed, but Robert says he'll "stay up until you're ready to turn in," since they hadn't talked much. The narrator does not realize the limitations he has placed on himself that prevent him from seeing things greater than life. I turned to the other channels. Heinlein Within the short story, Cathedral, by Raymond Carver, the theme of how a character changes through an encounter is expressed throughout the story. I closed them just like he said. He tells the narrator that he enjoys learning new things, but in this story, his role is teacher.
In "Cathedral," is the single primary character round or flat? Is he static or dynamic? What about the secondary characters?
He is a bit contemptuous of how "Robert had done a little of everything…a regular blind jack-of-all-trades. The climax is when the blind man, Nick, and the narrator begin to draw the Cathedral, which leads up to the resolution of how the narrator becomes changed and learns a valuable lesson, which is the overall theme of the story. Robert clears his throat and asks the narrator to do him a favor: find some paper and pen, and they will draw a cathedral together. Nelson In "Vitamins," a veteran recently returned from Vietnam and clearly a bit unhinged from his experience. 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. Than there is also the fact that he pities what he does not understand.
In Raymond Carver "Cathedral" are the characters static?
Olla Bud's wife in "Feathers. The narrator, whose name they do not mention as well, is always on edge because he does not really know Nick very well and he does not like blind people, but he is being friendly for his wife's sake. Before they start, the narrator offers to lead prayer, which confuses his wife, until he says, "pray the phone won't ring and the food doesn't get cold. He and Myers have not seen one another for eight years, and their last meeting was violent. In the end he realizes that he can have both revealing a very enlighten experience. Her husband is flippant with her and uninterested in her pursuits.
Examine character development in ''Cathedral'' by Raymond Carver
Marge The narrator of "The Bridle. He is in a seemingly unhappy marriage, and spends most nights drinking and smoking marijuana. His wife is "beaming" when she introduces them. They drink several rounds and talk, mostly about Robert's trip. He confesses to the reader that he stays awake later than his wife each night, stoned, and often has dreams that frighten him. The narrator was not looking forward to meeting Robert because his idea of a blind man came from the movies, which showed that they moved slowly and rarely laughed. The secondary main character, Robert, is somewhat more complex.
