In "The Cathedral", written by Raymond Carver in 1983, the narrator is the husband. Throughout our posting, we will refer to the narrator with the nickname "Bub" that he was given in the story.
Bub appears to be close-minded in the beginning of the story. In particular, this is true when he says "I wasn't enthusiastic about the visit. He was no one I knew. And his being blind bothered me" (p. 77). Bub sees the visit as an inconvenience and is a little bothered at the idea of having a blind person in his house. He does not know any blind people nor does he know anything about the blind, and Bub comments "my idea of blindness came from the movies" (p. 77).
The way the story is written is strange in that it is full of very short, non-descriptive sentences. We believe this is to make the narrator seem very matter-of-fact. It also makes him seem like someone who doesn't normally write. However, because of this experience takes his first stab at it (this story).
There is also the stark contrast between Bub and the childhood sweetheart. Bub is a drinker and drug-user that is not devoted to his job. Whereas, the sweetheart was dedicated to his military career.
He also seems a bit jealous of the relationship between his wife and the blind man. He never mentions his wife writing a poem specifically about himself, but mentions that she wrote a poem about Robert after Robert felt her face. Bub comments, "She never forgot it. She even tried to write a poem about it" (p. 77).
As he gets to know Robert, Bub begins to open up, perhaps with a little help from lots of scotch and some pot. Bub attempts to verbally describe a Cathedral to Robert but fails. Robert suggests he draw it for him and Bub obliges. By the end of the drawing, Bub experiences something new and appreciates its value. Bub keeps his eyes closed after completing the drawing and comments, "It's really something" (p. 87). This makes us believe that the overall theme of the story is Bub moves from close-minded to open-minded causing Bub to experience and appreciate something new and unknown to him.
I agree that the point of the story is Bub's transition from close-minded to open-minded. Prior to Robert's arrival, Bub is completely appalled that his wife has invited a blind man to come stay at their home, especially since he has touched her face. When his wife tries to explain that Robert needs their help and that she would help one of his friends if they needed it, he replies, "I have no blind friends." It's almost as if he is suggesting that his friends are superior to Robert because they can see. The best thing that happened to Bub in this story is that his wife fell asleep, and he was able to get to know Robert. The story began to turn around when Bub realized just how much he used his eyes. He couldn't explain what the cathedral looked like, so he helps Robert to draw it. I think Bub's change of heart is shown when he keeps his eyes closed and says, "It's really something."
ReplyDeleteI also agree with your perception of the story. I feel that Bub is close-minded out of prejudice originating in the fear of the unknown. Bub knows no one who is blind, and this scares him. I can tell he feels awkward with Robert as the night wears on. It isn't until Bub and Robert draw the cathedral that Bub has a revelation, which opened his mind.
ReplyDeleteI was so happy to read a story that wasn't morbid. I believe your analysis is correct in that the point of the story was Bub's transformation. He is very closed off to the thought of having a houseguest whom he doesn't know, much less a blind one. His actions through the story further support the fact that he feels this blind guest is an imposition. Bub makes no special effort to engage in conversation and even turns on the TV in a hope end the questioning that Robert was directing toward him. However, I think it's a good note to make that probably due to the alcohol and pot, Bub began to open up a little and in the end it seems as though he has actually learned something.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your analysis.
ReplyDeleteBub is definitely close minded to something he does not know about, which is blindness. He only welcomes this blind man into his house because of his wife. The story had a great ending to it because I believe that when Bub said, "It's really something" meant that just for a few minutes, he could relate to Robert and his blindness. It took for the two men to be alone and get to know one another for Bub to open up to Robert and accept him. I think the fact that Robert was easy going and accepting of Bub helped Bub like him even more. The drawing of the Cathedral connected the two men and, in my opinion, heightened Bub's admiration for Robert.
I agree with your analysis.
ReplyDeleteI like that this story had a happy ending, in the fact that a man came to new light in his life. He is cold, distant, and even judgmental of Robert before he even meets him. However, through Robert's disability and Bub's reluctant participation, Bub is able to come to a realization of what the hardships may be for a blind man, but also how beautiful things can be without sight.
I also agree with the analysis of the story. Bub begins the story as a close minded man who believe that this visit will be a horrible experience. As the story unfolds Bub remains resistant to the fact that he can learn anything from Robert or that he could be anything more than a creepy blind man. I agree that this story is about Bubs transition to a more openminded person but I believe that the context of the cathedral as a mode of transformation is important. Before they start drawing Bub states that he isn't a religious man. He also tries to describe cathedrals as a thing people built to be close to God. As he begins to draw this seems to be his turning point in the story where he becomes more open minded. When he is finished he keeps his eyes closed and says that the experience was "really something." With this symbolism in consideration Bubs transformation could be more than just an eye opening experience but a religious one as well.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your point of view as well. I just wanted to add that I get a sense that the narrator takes his sight for grant, which seems to be a constant theme throughout the stories we have read. The narrator's sight is very well intact but he seems to have difficulties understanding people's thoughts and feelings. The blind man is obviously an important person in the narrator's wife life because he was her "childhood sweetheart" and they kept in touch through audiotapes for 10 years yet the husband seems very annoyed to have this man as a visitor in his house.
ReplyDeleteThe narrator does appear to be very close-minded toward this blind man and takes pity on him as we saw on page 79 "I felt sorry for the blind man for a little bit. And then I found myself thinking what a pitiful life this woman must have led. Imagine a woman who could never see herself as she was seen in the eyes of her loved one.." The narrator feels as if sight could stop someone from love when the blind man's marriage seemed to be more emotional intact than the narrator's marriage. We don't get much details on the intimacy between the narrator and his wife,but every comment the narrator makes is designed to annoy his wife while the blind man's marriage is stated that they were inseparable for eight years.
I'm glad that the narrator finally comes to this realization that looking is not always seeing when they come together for the drawing of the cathedral. I also think that by keeping his eyes closed, the action seems to flicker a light inside of him and he gains a better understanding and appreciation for Robert.
I agree with your analysis of the story.
ReplyDeleteIt seems as though Bub is similar to Robert in the sense that Bub was "blind" in the beginning and then could see at the end of the book when he became a bit more open-minded. The way he describes what he sees when he thinks of the blind is awful. He describes them as "slow moving and never laughed." That is so wrong to say and truly shows how close-minded he was. It is sad to think that there are actually some people in the world that are that close-minded about the unfamiliar.
His experience at the end described perfectly his transformation from close-minded to open-minded, especially when he said "It was like nothing else in my life up to now." I think he really portrayed this well.
I agree that the narrator does undergo a transformation. Through avenues of alcohol and some mellow ghanga, he is able to arrive at a self-righteousless sense of self that is revealing and surprising to even him. His distaste for the blind stems from his ignorance, as your quote shows. Once he lets go of his preconceived misconceptions, he is able to see more through his closed eyes and open heart and mind than ever before. While he pitied Robert's wife for never being "seen" by him, the narrator too realizes that he has never truly seen his wife. He can finally understand her adoration for this man. I also thought it was interesting that they all, by the end of the story, utilized some type or art. The wife tries to use poetry as her outlet to document significant events in her life. Robert tells stories to express himself, and newly, the narrator has "found" himself in a drawing. How revealing art can be especially to its creator. Also, how ironic is it that it is a cathedral that leads him to his "great awakening"? To me, the cathedral represents all of the pomp and circumstance of the narrator; however when he took a deeper look not for the scenery but for the meaning his eyes were opened wide . This is similar to religion, where presumptions and ritual can sometimes overshadow the true benefit and meaningfulness that the attendants come to experience. For a man tht doesn't believe in anything, one of the most sacred structures known to man seems to "deliver" him out of the darkness. All in all, your analysis is spot on and the story was a breath of fresha air.
ReplyDeleteFran
The narrator is the true blind individual. We get the feeling that he is in competition with the men of his wife's past and immediately begins to reassure himself he is superior to Robert as soon as they meet. We also know it bothers him that his wife is very fond of Robert when all the narrator continues to find is flaws. I believe it all comes together with the drawing of the cathedral. The narrator finally realizes what it truly means to see. It's not the color of someones skin or physical appearance but what comes from within. At the end of the story, the narrator chooses to keep his eyes closed, not because he knows the drawing will be horrible but because he has finally found what truly matters and can "see" his life for what it's truly worth.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the narrator was closed minded at the beginning of the story. He comes across as simple and a little uneasy about everything.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was interesting that the narrator was surprised to see that the blind man had a beard. His preconceived notions have definitely hindered his ability to see Robert as anything other than a blind man. He seems surprised that Robert does not have a dog or a cane and doesn't wear sunglasses. The narrator says, "I'd always thought dark glasses were a must for the blind." It was nice to see how the narrator's view of Robert changed towards the end of the story.
I agree with the theme that you presented.
ReplyDeleteSome interesting points that I notice in the story were that in the beginning, like you mentioned, he seems to be uncomfortable about having a blind person staying in his home. He even says "He was no one I knew." (77) but then later on page 81, Bub is offering Robert a drink and Bub says, "right, sure you are I know it." and then a few lines later Robert says he wants very little water with his scotch and Bub says,"I knew it." If Robert is such an unfamiliar stranger to him, how does Bub know how he likes his drinks? Strange.
Another reason to back up your point about Bub being close minded is all of the cliche lines about the blind man. He says things like "blind people didn't smoke because they couldn't see the smoke they exhaled" (81), "in the movies the blind moved slowly and never laughed" (77), and "I'd always thought dark glasses were a must for the blind." (81)
One more interesting thing that I noticed was that the narrator seemed to feel very awkward in the presence of Robert until the very very end. He says "I wish he'd come back downstairs. I didnt want to be left alone with a blind man." (83)
But you'd think after all that alcohol that they'd been drinking and then on top of that they started smoking dope, that he'd feel pretty comfortable and easy going in the presence of Robert... Maybe it takes a whole lot for him to feel tipsy, I dont know.
Correction: "I wish SHE'D come downstairs. I didn't want to be left alone with a blind man." (83)
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