What is the irony in Cathedral?
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Renowned author, Raymond Carver, skillfully weaves dramatic and situational irony throughout his short stories, Cathedral, Neighbors, and They’re Not Your Husband. Situational irony is when the opposite of what is expected to happen occurs. In Cathedral and They ‘re Not Your Husband, situational irony is amply evident.
What does the blind man do for the first time with the narrator and his wife?
When they arrive, he watches his wife laughing and talking with the blind man as she leads him by the arm to the house. The narrator is shocked to see that the blind man has a full beard. The wife introduces the narrator to the blind man, whose name is Robert. They all sit in the living room.
How or why is the Cathedral an important image or symbol in the story?
The cathedral that the narrator draws with Robert represents true sight, the ability to see beyond the surface to the true meaning that lies within. Before the narrator draws the cathedral, his world is simple: he can see, and Robert cannot.
What is the moral of the story Cathedral?
In Cathedral by Raymond Carver we have the theme of jealousy, insecurity, isolation, detachment and connection. Taken from his collection of the same name the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed man and from the beginning of the story the reader realises how detached the narrator is.
What does the blind man see in Cathedral?
The husband does not realize and thinks that the blind mind is like him, that he is intelligent, he has emotions, and ideas. He almost sees him as an alien from another planet, a kind of strange animal coming from no where. The husband really does not know what to say, what to do and how to act with Robert.
Why does Robert the blind man in the story visit the narrator’s home?
Why does Robert, the blind man in the story, visit the narrator’s home? He is visiting his deceased wife’s in-laws who live in the region. How did the narrator’s wife meet Robert?
Why does the narrator find looking at Robert’s eyes uncomfortable?
Why does the narrator find looking at Robert’s eyes uncomfortable? The pupils roam repeatedly. When the narrator’s wife leaves the two men together, what does the narrator propose he and Robert do?
How can a blind man lead a person with normal eyesight in the fog?
the blind man will hold a lamp in his hand so that others ( a person with normal eye sight ) could get light and help them .
What is Raymond Carver’s writing style?
Carver has a distinct writing style, a strong, minimalist approach that critics often compare to the writing of Ernest Hemingway and Anton Chekhov.
What does cathedral symbolize?
A cathedral is a symbol of faith, conversion, creativity and strength and is therefore a substantial component of Carver’s story.
What does blindness symbolize in Cathedral?
In “Cathedral,” blindness has a two-fold meaning. It represents both Robert’s lack of sight and the narrator’s more intangible failures of perception: his inability to understand other people’s feelings and his inability to find meaning or joy in his life.
What themes do you see in the stories cathedral?
Cathedral Themes
- Vision. In “Cathedral,” the lives of a married couple are disrupted when the wife’s blind friend, Robert, comes to visit.
- Empathy and Listening. While the narrator is able to see the physical world, he struggles in his relationship with his wife.
- Intimacy and Isolation.
- The Secular and the Sacred.