A Blind Experience In Raymond Carver's Cathedral

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“A blind man in my house was not something I looked forward to” (Carver, 184). This quote is from a man talking about his girlfriend’s blind acquaintance in Carver’s “Cathedral”. This story is told by the narrator in first person point of view so that we can see his perspective on the events that unfold. The narrator and his girlfriend live together and are expecting company from the girlfriend’s closest friend that happens to be blind and recently lost his wife. The narrator was very resistant to the idea that this man was coning to his house. The blind man, Robert, arrived at the narrator’s house and they all caught up and ate and drank the entire night. Robert and he narrator become closer to each other throughout the story and he guides …show more content…
“Did you have a good train ride? I said. Which side of the train did you sit on, by the way?” (Carver 187). This is the narrator making fun of the blind man for not being able to tell the difference in the significance of the scenic views on both sides of the train. He was not only prejudice to the blind man because he was blind, but also because of his girlfriend and the man’s relationship. Another quote that shows this behavior is, “Now this same blind man was coming to sleep in my house” (Carver 185). He words things so harshly whenever he is speaking about the blind man. He did not use any names while narrating the story. This shows that he is closed off to his emotions. The narrator was also insensitive and immature at the beginning of the story. “She could, if she wanted, wear green eye-shadow around one eye, a straight pin in her nostril, yellow slacks and purple shoes, no matter” (Carver 186). In this quote the narrator is talking about how badly he feels for Robert’s wife because the blind man would never be able to compliment her on her beauty. He believed that the important thing in a relationship is exterior when he needs to realize that it is far more complicated than
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