Comparing Cathedral By Raymond Carver's Cathedral And The Bastard Out Of Carolina

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The books Cathedral by Raymond Carver and The Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison have many similarities that make them unique because of the individuals living in similar homes with similar problems. Raymond and Dorothy both wrote about individuals either having a tough time or a good time, but soon turning to tragedy. These books speak a lot about the individual and how they overcome the problem that is set before them and how their house either helps them in their problem or not. It also shows which character the male or female is more determined to keep the relationship alive and burning. In Cathedral, the individual either man or woman always have a problem set in front them and it always seems to be about the man and it also …show more content…

The male characters in this book drink, gamble, but only one of them is a rapist and unambitious man. The other men drink which are Bone 's uncles, but they are better off than the one who is unambitious, Glen. The women in this book are well off because they are strong Boatwright women expect for Bone 's mom who lets bad things happen to her child. Bone is the main character in this story and her life is filled with questions until the very end. She has to put up with a abusive step-dad, Glen, and a mother, enter name, who knows what is going on and letting it get out of control. The aunts in Bone 's family are strong women who have seen and know what is happening to Bone. In this the book the women are strong and carry their problems. Bone carries her secret about Glen abusing her and raping her to herself until one of her Aunts finds her in the bathroom passed out with blood stains on her panty. In this story the house is not a safe place for Bone because of Glen. The home in this situation does help when Bone is stays with her aunts instead of being home with …show more content…

The short stories Feathers, Fever, and the poem "Kitchen" combined with the novel Bastard Out of Carolina show relationships by bringing the man and woman into situation that is fixable if you have strength and patience to put up with it till the end. An example that can be seen in Bastard Out of Carolina is Bone being in unhappy home where she does not know who to trust or turn to. Her mother leaves her for Glen, her abuser . The only hope that is brought forward is Aunt Raylene taking Bone under her care while her mother leaves her. This is shown in Feathers, Fever, "Kitchen" because they all involve a man and woman being happy until one of them leaves or gives up hope. In Feathers Jack and Fran are a happy couple who loves being together and has no thoughts of kids until one evening at a friend 's house. In the last closing paragraphs of the story Jack and Fran have a child which just makes their relationship collapse. In Fever Carlyle is an artist who is left with the kids when his wife leaves him for another man. The woman does not play much of a role in this story which is interesting because Carlyle is a man who is trying to keep his life in together by handling the kids and finding a good babysitter while he goes to work. His home is falling apart because he has to do everything by himself. In "Kitchen" a boy

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