The Perception Of A Blind Man In Raymond Carver's Cathedral

“Cathedral” was written by Raymond Carver. Carver struggled with alcoholism throughout the early stages of his life, but eventually he quit drinking and became a full-time faculty member of the creative writing program at Syracuse University. “Cathedral”, which is an example of dirty fiction and zero endings, is told by an unnamed narrator. The narrator of the story is not a kind or sympathetic man. He reveals his uncomfortable feeling towards his wife’s blind house guest when he says to his wife “I don’t have any blind friends” (1497). The narrator does not directly reveal why Robert, the blind man, makes him uncomfortable, but a likely cause is jealousy of the wife’s relationship with Robert. The narrator is not physically blind; however, he is figuratively blind in the beginning because he cannot truly see who Robert is as a person. The narrator undergoes major changes throughout the story when he must place himself in Robert’s shoes, which allows him to truly “see” for the first time.

The narrator’s jealousy over his wife’s past is covered up by the obsession with Robert being blind. The narrator is jealous because for some reason, he does not trust any blind person Once the narrator comes to the realization that Robert and his wife are only friends, his jealousy subsides. The narrator begins to spend time with Robert, talking and genuinely getting to know his house guest. When the narrator is unable to verbally describe the Cathedral to Robert, he begins to empathize with Robert. After the narrator draws the Cathedral with his eyes closed, something starts to change the way he views life and his relationships with