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Summary of cathedral
Cathedral summary
Essays on symbolism in literature
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Symbolism is a technique in literature where objects, situation, person, event, or action are used, tthat have a deeper meaning in the context and not taken literally. In Raymond Carver’s “Cathedral”, the act of looking is related to physical vision, but the act of seeing requires a deeper level of engagement. Cathedral is about a husband, portrayed as ignorant with preconceived notions about visually impaired people, but later had an epiphany in his life after an encounter with a blind man when they drew a Cathedral. Caver uses the Cathedral as a symbol of connection, faith, and creativity which is a significant component of the story. A Cathedral is a place that people to go and worship, and to connect with God. By drawing the Cathedral, …show more content…
The blind man asks the husband to describe to him the image of a cathedral. The husband was unable to successfully compose an accurate description, because he didn’t understand the meaning and the symbolism of the building. He is not a man of religion, and he was watching the show only because he had nothing else to do. When asked to describe a cathedral he says, "Sometimes the cathedrals have devils and such carved into the front. Sometimes lords and ladies. Don't ask me why this is, I said" (558-561). He continues his description of why people built Cathedrals as “…In those olden days, when they built cathedrals, men wanted to be close to God. In those olden days, God was an important part of everyone's life. You could tell this from their cathedral-building.” (572-576). Robert asked the narrator if he belonged to any religion and he replied by saying “"I guess I don't believe in it. In anything. Sometimes It's hard. (586-587).” Compelled to think about the purpose of cathedrals, the narrator realizes that, they symbolize the struggles of the people which made them build those structures to get closer to God. What would make people do such a thing? Faith in religion sometimes give direction and meaning to peoples’
Upon reading Raymond Carver's short story of the Cathedral one will notice the literary devices used in the short story. When analyzing the story completely, one then understands the themes, motifs, metaphors, and the overall point of the piece. This leaves the reader with an appreciation of the story and a feeling of complete satisfaction.
Carver, Raymond. "Cathedral." The Harper Anthology of Fiction. Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York: HarperCollins, 1991. 1052-1062.
...nd optimistic" (Watson 114). The few critics who have written specifically about "Cathedral" tend concentrate on that optimism, seen at the end of the story with the narrator’s "esthetic experience [and] realization" (Robinson 35). In concentrating on the final "realization" experienced by the narrator, the literary community has overlooked his deep-rooted misunderstanding of everything consequential in life.
The fact that Robert is blind is stated quite frequently in this story. Even though we know he has a visual handicap, he is very open minded. The narrator however, can see just fine, but is very close minded. The close mindedness seems to be more of a problem for the narrator than Robert’s blindness. The narrator has no friends, and a life of no significance. In drawing the cathedral, the narrator finds not being able to see can be liberating. and seems to help him let go of his prejudices, and come to accept a new way of seeing. This story shows us that we can prevent ourselves from seeing what is really there by blinding ourselves, but that we have the ability to open our minds and seeing what is really
...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.
The narrator in Raymond Carver's "Cathedral" has two fully functional eyes, in which he chooses never to use to their full potential. The eyes of the narrator are biased, insecure, jealous, and very limited in what they choose to see. This inability to see is made apparent when he is forced to meet and converse with a blind man. The narrator's perception of the world around him, and blurred vision, is resolved by a great irony in the story when Roger helps the narrator see past his prejudice outlook on life. The blind man teaches the narrator how to see.
The “Cathedral” is a first person story, but the narrator remained unnamed throughout the writing. This is a different point of view than the painting, which is first person, Ground Swell pictures individuals on a sailboat looking at a buoy floating in the ocean. As the viewer of Ground Swell we can only wonder what else is around the sailboat, whether they are near land or by a dock, it leaves us with a feeling of unknowing. In the
The short story of the “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver shows the narrator as the main character of the story whose name is never mentioned. The narrator’s wife’s name is never mentioned as well, and her friend who is a blind man is coming to visit after losing his wife whose name is Robert. In the beginning of the story, the narrator shows that he is an excessive drinker and feels emotionally disconnected from his wife and his wife is excited about her friends visit, Robert. This kind of emotion makes him uneasy but doesn’t know why and because he knows that Robert is blind, he feels like he is better than him. Imagine having to meet a long time old friend of your spouse of the opposite sex who they a special friendship with and whom you haven’t
Raymond Carver utilizes his character of the husband, who is also the narrator, in his short story "Cathedral." From the beginning of the story the narrator has a negative personality. He lacks compassion, has a narrow mind, is detached emotionally from others, and is jealous of his wife's friendship with a blind man named Robert. He never connects with anyone emotionally until the end of this story.
Carver, Raymond. “Cathedral.” The Norton Introduction to Literature, Portable 10th ed. Ed. Alison Booth and Kelly J. Mays. New York: Norton, 2011. 32-44. Print.
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.
... on his interaction and communication with others. In terms of the tone of the story, it seemingly conveys the positive messages. In Cathedral, instead of monologue as in A Clean Well-lighted Place, the narrator is more likely talking to us, trying to keep us amused and engaged. Underneath the wisecracks, readers can hear a tone of sincerity and positive attitudes towards life. Though the narrator makes jokes of the blind man initially, he shows respect and do what Robert asks him to do as the story continues.
What makes a brotherhood, and how does the short story "Cathedral” relates to brotherhood? In the “Cathedral”, Robert and the Narrator connect over a drawing. The drawing help changes the outcome of the Narrator thoughts of blind people. "Cathedral" helps us understand brotherhood and how you don 't have to be blood-related to join a brotherhood. In the "Cathedral" by Raymond Carver, you can experience a newly form brotherhood by two completely opposite characters who are able to form an alliance. The Narrator lacks awareness of others, but with Robert’s help, the Narrator is able to finally see the world in from a different point of view, and this opens him up to create a bond with Robert. In "Cathedral", you see the unity between two men,
After walking inside and trying to first experience, the church, and all its beauty and ornateness, I began examining the floor plan and elevations of the cathedral. Grace Cathedral was build in a gothic style, which it represents in its architecture inside and out. There were three huge rose windows. One at the very top of the main entrance and one on either end of the transept. There wer...
In “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver, a blind man named Robert help Bub, a person unable to understand or place the feelings of others in front of his own , open his eyes and realize how to consider others feelings. In the story, Robert comes to to visit Bub’s wife after his wife passes away. Bub is not looking forward to his encounter with Robert. As the story progresses, Bub is forced to interact with Robert in ways that seem foreign to him. Bub’s difference interactions with Robert builds up to the both of them drawing a cathedral together, which leads to Bub being changed and him placing Roberts points of view ahead of his own. Bub believes the world revolves around himself and lacks the ability to consider others feeling ahead of his own,