Sexy by Jhumpa Lahini

928 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The relationship to innocence

1. In Cathedral there is a blind man named Robert. I believe Robert was used to show just how blind or unaware the narrator is in regards to everyday insights such as general awareness of others thoughts and feelings and his own self-awareness. Simply put, there is more to discover than just what is on the surface, beneath that is where true understanding lies. The narrator remarks as soon as he meets Robert “A beard on a blind man! Too much, I say.” (Carver, 2013, p. 2682), and later “that the blind didn’t smoke…” (Carver, 2013, p. 2683). By doing this, the narrator shows just how ignorant he is about the various types of people. The interaction between the narrator and Robert allows the narrator to gain an insight into himself for the first time in his life.
Since the narrator is so unaware of the thoughts and feeling of others, he has an empty relationship with his wife. They coexist together, but they do not actually interact with each other. “My wife and I hardly ever went to bed at the same time.” (Carver, 2013, p. 2686), so the narrator was “glad for the company.” (Carver, 2013, p. 2686). After the epiphany the narrator had while drawing the cathedral with Robert, I believe he and his wife will have a better relationship. The narrator will not be quite as jealous of her relationship with Robert, and he may even take the time to listen to future tapes with her as well. I think the narrator will pay more attention to his wife and what she is really saying in their future conversations. By doing this, the narrator will become better acquainted with his wife; and they will no longer coexist, but they will participate in activities together. The epiphany the narrator had will also increase his self-awareness. Once he is more a...

... middle of paper ...

... times before the relationship is over. Miranda was lonely, and looking for a way to fill that loneliness, and she chose a poor way to do it. Although, she was happy while it lasted. Maybe this will help her to look for a relationship that is fulfilling and socially acceptable now that the unacceptable one is over. It is unfortunate that both women feel badly, and end up alone.
Word Count: 813

References
Carver, R. (2013). Cathedral. In N. Baym, W. Franklin, P.F. Gura, J. Klinkowitz, A. Krupat, R.S. Levine, . . . P.B. Wallace (Eds.), The Norton Anthology of American Literature (Shorter 8th ed.) (pp. 2679-2689). New York, NY: Norton.
Lahini, J. (2013). Sexy. In N. Baym, W. Franklin, P.F. Gura, J. Klinkowitz, A. Krupat, R.S. Levine, . . . P.B. Wallace (Eds.), The Norton Anthology of American Literature (Shorter 8th ed.) (pp. 2834-2849). New York, NY: Norton.

Show More
Related

  • The Character Of Bub In Raymond Carver's Cathedral

    950 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the short story “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver, the narrator, Bub, is as metaphorically blind as his guest, Robert, is literally blind. Bub has many unwarranted misconceptions about life, blind people in particular. He also has many insecurities that prevent him from getting too close to people. Through his interaction with Robert, Bub is able to open his mind and let go of his self-doubt for a moment and see the world in a different light.

    Read More

  • Threatening Relationships in Carver’s Cathedral

    1231 Words  | 3 Pages

    Carver, Raymond. "Cathedral." The Harper Anthology of Fiction. Ed. Sylvan Barnet. New York: HarperCollins, 1991. 1052-1062.

    Read More

  • Blind Faith in Raymond Carver's Cathedral

    914 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the story "Cathedral" by Raymond Carver, the main character, goes through a major personal transformation.  At the beginning of the story, his opinions of others are filled with stereotypes, discrimination and prejudice.  Through interaction with his wife's blind friend Robert, his attitude and outlook on life changes.  Although at first he seemed afraid to associate with a blind man, Robert's outgoing personality left him with virtually no choice.  During Robert's visit, he proved to be a normal man, and showed the speaker that by closing his eyes, he could open his mind.

    Read More

  • Lack of Vision in Carver's Cathedral

    1250 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the eyes of the narrator, Robert’s blindness is his defining characteristic. The opening line of "Cathedral" reads, "This blind man, an old friend of my wife’s, he was on his way to spend the night" (1052). Clearly, the narrator cannot see past Robert’s disability; he dismisses him in the same way a white racist might dismiss a black person. In reality, any prejudice—be it based on gender, race, or disability—involves a person’s inability to look past a superficial quality. People who judge a person based on such a characteristic are only seeing the particular aspect of the person that makes them uncomfortable. They are not seeing the whole person. The narrator has unconsciously placed Robert in a category that he labels abnormal, which stops him from seeing the blind man as an individual.

    Read More

  • Blindness in Raymond Carver's Cathedral

    888 Words  | 2 Pages

    Blindness in Raymond Carver's Cathedral Blindness creates a world of obscurity only to be overcome with guidance from someone willing to become intimate with the blind. Equally true, the perceptions of blindness can only be overcome when the blind allow intimacy with the sighted. Raymond Carver, with his short story Cathedral, illustrates this point through the eyes of a man who will be spending an evening with a blind man, Robert, for the first time. Not only does this man not know Robert, but his being blind, "bothered" (Carver 98) him.

    Read More

  • Margaret Fuller

    723 Words  | 2 Pages

    Baym, Nina, and Robert S. Levine. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. New York London: W. W. Norton & Company, 2012. Print.

    Read More

  • Comparing 'Cathedral And The Lie'

    754 Words  | 2 Pages

    In “Cathedral,” the narrator starts off as a single-minded man who fears what he does not know. For instance, when he discovers that his wife’s blind friend is spending the night, his words are, “A blind man in my house was not something I looked forward to” (Carver 1). The narrator fears blindness because he is

    Read More

  • The Blind Husband in Carver’s Cathedral

    856 Words  | 2 Pages

    The short story "Cathedral" by Raymond Carver is about a woman who has a blind friend who comes to visit her and her husband. Although the husband has, technically, normal vision he is in the beginning of this story the one who is "blind." Through the husband’s words and actions when he is dealing with Robert, the blind man, we can see that the husband does not "see" or understand what Robert’s blindness means or how it changes or does not change him as a human being. At first Robert makes the husband very uncomfortable, for the husband does not know what to say or do around the blind visitor. As the story progresses, we can see a change in the husband; he seems to be able to see Robert as a person and not just as a blind man.

    Read More

  • Cathedral, by Raymond Carver

    1426 Words  | 3 Pages

    Raymond Carver, in his short story Cathedral uses a first-person narrator, whose point of view is very much limited and flawed. The narrator in Cathedral has full use of all his senses, unlike the blind man, Robert, who is introduced very early in the story. When comparing the two again, however, Robert is the character that is open to new ideas and willing to experience the joys of life, while the narrator limits himself due to his close-minded thinking. It brings up the question, who is truly blind in the story? Is it a physical ailment or a mental block? The narrator is never given a name in the story, making him the most impersonal character in the story. This also adds to the fact that the narrator is highly ignorant about his surroundings and has a one-sided, self-absorbed view of the world. The perception of the narrator leaves much to be inferred in many points in the story, and at first, it seems pointless to have such a closed off character and the one telling his point of view. I would like to hear the story from the wife’s point of view or Robert’s. Ultimately, however, the limited point of view of the narrator shows where the true ignorance in the world lies.

    Read More

  • A Small Good Thing Raymond Carver

    793 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... of “Cathedral,” it becomes apparent that the narrator’s affection for the blind man has positively shifted as they sit down and begin to draw the cathedral together. After a failed attempt to explain what a cathedral is to the blind man, the narrator is surprised at the encouragement Robert gives. Robert asks the narrator to close his eyes, to ultimately trust him, and the narrator listens. “My eyes were still closed. I was in my house. I knew that. But I didn’t feel like I was inside anything,” the narrator stated (Carver). This text suggests that the narrator was not necessarily concerned about what he was drawing, but on the feeling he was experiencing during that moment. The narrator is no longer isolated, but open to a new freedom (Esch). This freedom is beyond what is visible – and Robert, the blind man, reiterates this by his presence and lack of sight.

    Read More

  • Character Analysis Of Raymond Carver's Cathedral

    790 Words  | 2 Pages

    Constantly throughout the short story, Robert defies the narrator’s original portrayal of what he believes is a stereotypical blind man. “He also had a full beard. But he didn’t use a cane and he didn’t wear dark glasses. I’d always thought dark glasses were a must for the blind” (Carver 36). Robert also starts to change the narrator’s perception of blind people not only physically but emotionally. In an act of thoughtful accommodation, the narrator begins to describe to Robert the cathedrals on the television when the speaker of the program halts the commentary. Robert starts to slightly and gradually change the perspective that the narrator sees blind people from until the conclusion of the story when Robert shines a light on the

    Read More

  • The Character of the Husband in Raymond Carver's Story Cathedral

    1110 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Raymond Carver's "Cathedral," the husband's view of blind men is changed when he encounters his wife's long time friend, Robert. His narrow minded views and prejudice thoughts of one stereotype are altered by a single experience he has with Robert. The husband is changed when he thinks he personally sees the blind man's world. Somehow, the blind man breaks through all of the husband's jealousy, incompetence for discernment, and prejudgments in a single moment of understanding.

    Read More

  • Symbolism in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman

    1199 Words  | 3 Pages

    Baym, Franklin, Gottesman, Holland, et al., eds. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. 4th ed. New York: Norton, 1994.

    Read More

  • Chopin’s The Story of an Hour

    1355 Words  | 3 Pages

    Baym, Nina et al. Ed. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Shorter 8th ed. New York:

    Read More

  • The Murders in the Rue Morgue

    1143 Words  | 3 Pages

    Belasco, Susan, and Linck Johnson, eds. The Bedford Anthology of American Literature. Vol. 1, 2nd Ed., Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2014. 1190-1203. Print.

    Read More

More about Sexy by Jhumpa Lahini

Open Document