Raymond Carvers Cathedral Essay -- Raymond Carver Papers

The fibber in Raymond Carvers Cathedral has two to the full functional eye, in which he chooses never to use to their full potential. The eyes of the narrator are biased, equivocal, jealous, and very limited in what they choose to see. This inability to see is made apparent when he is forced to meet and parley with a blind homo. The narrators perception of the world round him, and blurred vision, is obdurate by a great irony in the story when Roger helps the narrator see past his prejudice outlook on life. The blind firearm teaches the narrator how to see.The first few pages of the story reveal the narrators blurred mint of his own life, his wifes life, and the entire world around him. The narrator, Bub, seems to have an unhappy and insecure approach to everyday life. The narrators blurred view of everything that happened in his wifes past life, shows the peril that plagues him. When referring to his wifes ex-husband he says, Her officer- why should he have a spot? He was the childhood sweetheart, and what more does he Want? -(P721). By treating everyone generically and denying their importance, the narrator is trying to make himself seem more important in the lives of others. He simply calls his wifes first husband the officer(P720) or the reality(P720). His refusal to even use his wifes name while narrating as well as constantly referring to Robert as the the blind man(P720) shows that he has decided to discontinue out the importance of the people around him. He is even slight considerate of Roberts wife, whom he refers to as Beulah, Beulah(P721). The narrator chooses not to see everyone around him as individuals, but as a whole root word. A group he is scared to look at. The narrators feelings toward Robert are... ...ns up to refreshed possibilities Never plan anything like this could happen in your lifetime, did you bub? Well, its a strange life, we all do that(P729). This quote shows the narrators limited view on life. By drawing the duomo with Robert, the narrators views are expanded and he experiences a revelation. The narrator realizes that he essential let go of his insecurity and mental acts of jealousy.The limitations that were holding the narrator approve were abolished through a process from which a blind man, in near sense, recovered a physically healthy man. The blind man cured the narrator of these limitations, and opened him up to a whole world of late possibilities. Robert enabled the narrator to view the world in a whole new way, a way without the heavy weights of prejudice, jealousy, and insecurity holding him down. The blind man shows the narrator how to see.