Cathedral Group at eNotes

Until the end of the story, the narrator has a hard time connecting with...

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:35:34 PST

Until the end of the story, the narrator has a hard time connecting with anyone, including his wife. He spends most of the story complaining about his wife, and her supposedly irrational obsession and friendship with Robert, the blind man. And that isn't all that he complains about in regards to her--he throws in sarcastic comments about her ex-husband (he states of him, "Her officer—why should he have a name?"), about her poems, and...

In "Cathedral" what is the narrator's problem with connecting? Is he...

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 06:27:55 PST

In "Cathedral" what is the narrator's problem with connecting? Is he connected with his wife?

While you are composing your essay, be sure write a developed paragraph...

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 14:59:41 PST

While you are composing your essay, be sure write a developed paragraph of introduction and conclusion. In your introduction, include the title of the story, the author, the type of story, a brief identification of the main characters, and a brief explanation of the general situation. This information will ground your reader in the story. Then write your way into your thesis, the last sentence of the introduction. In writing your conclusion,...

You've picked a good topic for this particular story, because the...

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:57:52 PST

You've picked a good topic for this particular story, because the narrator in the short story "Cathedral" by Raymond Carver does experience quite a change of perspective for his character. To write a good thesis sentence that will help to guide you on your entire paper itself, I might consider filling in the blanks on a sentence similar to the following: "The narrator in Raymond Carver's 'Cathedral' develops from being _________ to...

Short Story Essay

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 08:43:54 PST

Hello, I am currently a College Sophomore though I graduated HS in 2001 and was a College Freshman from '01-'02, and took English 1A then. So needless to say Im a bit rusty on College Level Writing and could use some inspiration. The assignment is to write a Short Story Essay that is 5-7 pages long. I am stuck on where to begin. The assignment is pretty open, we can write a summary or about any part of a story; characters, tone,...

The narrator of Cathedral is a bitter, cynical, logical, hardened,...

Thu, 3 Sep 2009 11:15:15 PST

The narrator of Cathedral is a bitter, cynical, logical, hardened, whiney man. He views most things in life through a very non-impressed, sardonic lens. Nothing impressed him. Of his wife's ex, he writes, "Her officer—why should he have a name?" Of his wife's poems: "I didn't think much of the poem." Of the blind man's tragic loss of his wife: "Pathetic". Of his wife's attempted suicide: "But instead of dying, she got...

What are some character traits of the Narrator in Raymond Carver's...

Thu, 3 Sep 2009 09:48:20 PST

What are some character traits of the Narrator in Raymond Carver's "Cathedral"?

How does the theme of creating art develop in the short story Cathedral?

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:47:12 PST

How does the theme of creating art develop in the short story Cathedral?

bhernandez15, In 1981, Raymond Carver’s “Cathedral” became an...

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:44:20 PST

bhernandez15, In 1981, Raymond Carver’s “Cathedral” became an acknowledged classic of American fiction. On the surface, “Cathedral” is a simple story told flatly by a narrator of limitedawareness, both of himself and of others. His misgivings about a visit by a blind man, rooted in his lack of experience with the blind, are clearly spelled out in paragraphs 1, 5, 9, and 17; the fact that his perceptions are veiled by unexamined...

dr3wsum1, A thesis is an idea or message that you want to prove...

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:34:13 PST

dr3wsum1, A thesis is an idea or message that you want to prove expressed as a sentence. It parallels the theme: a central idea or message of a story expressed as a sentence. The sentence aspect is quite important the further you advance in literary studies. Most often, it is misinterpreted as a word, such as justice, or poverty, or love, but those are merely subjects (words) and not themes (sentences). In Raymond Carver's "Cathedral," On the...

This is a very open-ended and personal decision on your part; writing an...

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:18:59 PST

This is a very open-ended and personal decision on your part; writing an interpretation essay on a short story will depend entirely on your interpretation of the piece. In order to determine that, try asking yourself several questions. What did I get out of this story? What do I think that the author is trying to say? What is the main point of the story and how does the author make that point? If you think of some responses to that...

What is a good thesis statment for an interpretation essay of...

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:43:11 PST

What is a good thesis statment for an interpretation essay of "Cathedral" by Raymond Carver?

What is the fragmented narrative in ray carvers cathedral?

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:06:31 PST

What is the fragmented narrative in ray carvers cathedral?

That is quite a humorous question; I like that you have named the...

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:56:20 PST

That is quite a humorous question; I like that you have named the nameless narrator "Bub," and referred to the weed that they are smoking by its more scientific name of cannabis. :) Up until the ending, nothing impressed this rather bitter, whiny, and sarcastic "Bub". Of his wife's ex, he writes, "Her officer—why should he have a name?" Of his wife's poetry: "I didn't think much of the poem." Of the blind man's tragic loss of his...

What happens to "Bub" at the end of "Cathedral"? Does the cannabis...

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:57:59 PST

What happens to "Bub" at the end of "Cathedral"? Does the cannabis have anything to do with it?

In ''Cathedral'' by Raymond Carver, what are the methods of revealing...

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:42:42 PST

In ''Cathedral'' by Raymond Carver, what are the methods of revealing character that Carver uses?

In this story, the blind man is the one who can truly "see", or who...

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:50:53 PST

In this story, the blind man is the one who can truly "see", or who really understands how life can be beautiful, meaningful, and happy, whereas the narrator is the one who is "blind" to those things. The narrator spends the entire time moaning and groaning about life, his wife, the blind man, and his station in life, and it isn't until the very end, when he closes his eyes and guides the blind man's hands, that he truly sees and feels a...

What is the thematic meaning of blindness in Carver's story "Cathedral"...

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:00:16 PST

What is the thematic meaning of blindness in Carver's story "Cathedral" and the methods of revealing character?

Originally, the narrator had made several botched attempts at explaining...

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 17:53:46 PST

Originally, the narrator had made several botched attempts at explaining to Robert what exactly cathedrals looked like. Frustrated he gives up and says, "“You’ll have to forgive me...It just isn’t in me to do it. I can’t do any more than I’ve done.” This statement of defeat is pretty typical of the narrator to this point; he is a rather pessimistic and unhappy man. At this point, Robert steps in to help, holding the...

How does the blind man, Robert, give the narrator new vision in Carver's...

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 16:17:14 PST

How does the blind man, Robert, give the narrator new vision in Carver's "Cathedral"?