The characters in the Cathedral stories experience similar anguish and suffering as those in earlier tales. However, their outlook for the future is brighter, primarily due to their enhanced capacity for sympathy, empathy, understanding, and love. Their emotional depth has significantly increased. The most compelling examples can be found in the two standout stories in the collection: "Cathedral" and "A Small Good Thing."

In "Cathedral," a blind man visits the narrator and his wife, who had worked for him a decade earlier. The narrator feels uneasy about the visit, harboring both self-consciousness and jealousy. These emotions gradually dissipate in the blind man's presence, especially due to his natural demeanor and friendliness. Soon, the narrator begins to enjoy his company and becomes concerned that he might not accurately describe a cathedral to the blind man as they watch a television program about cathedrals. The narrator's description falls short, not just because of the blind man's lack of sight, but also due to the narrator's own blindness to spiritual and human values. In a moment of profound imaginative vision, Carver has the blind man guide the narrator's hand as they draw a cathedral together. This shared experience goes beyond mere intellectual understanding; it elicits a deep, rich joy that surpasses the superficial relationship they anticipated, transforming the narrator from a vain, selfish individual into someone who, by considering another, discovers himself.

"A Small Good Thing" depicts a similar yet even more astonishing transformation. The plot blends predictability with surprising twists. A mother orders a birthday cake for her eight-year-old son, Scotty, who is hit by a car on the morning of his birthday. His parents keep vigil at the hospital, where he lies in a coma, until each takes a brief rest at home. During this time, the baker, unaware of the accident, calls to inquire if they have forgotten Scotty. When Scotty dies, his grief-stricken parents return home together. The baker calls again, and the wife eventually realizes who it is. She and her husband drive to the bakery, where she confronts the baker and accuses him of cruelty and insensitivity. This accusation makes the baker aware of his own loneliness and diminished humanity. In an act of contrition and generosity, he offers the grieving parents some of his freshly baked bread. "Eating," he tells them, "is a small good thing in a time like this." This gesture is beautifully fitting and emotionally and artistically necessary. It eases the parents' anger, reduces their sorrow, and helps them, at least momentarily, to move forward with their lives. This act can best be described as one of healing and communion. By sympathizing with the parents' loss and sharing bread with them, the baker fully restores his connection to the human family.

The unnamed male narrator, referred to as ''Bub'' by Robert, the blind man, serves as the protagonist of the story. The events unfold through his perspective. In the opening line, the narrator casually states, ‘‘This blind man, an old friend of my wife's, he was on his way to spend the night.’’ The narrator feels envious of his wife's friendship with the blind man. He is dissatisfied with his job and feels isolated from others. His wife mentions that he has no friends.

The narrator is displeased about the blind man's visit. He appears uneasy with the concept of blindness, his wife's bond with Robert, and his own difficulty in connecting with people.

Following an evening of heavy drinking and smoking pot, the narrator turns on the television and begins describing what he sees to the blind man. When images of a cathedral appear on the screen, the narrator, often inarticulate, struggles to describe it. The blind man then teaches him to "see" the cathedral through drawing.

Robert is a blind friend of the narrator's wife. He is well-traveled and highly educated. Years earlier, the narrator's wife worked for him as a reader, and they formed a close friendship. At the beginning of the story, Robert has recently lost his wife and is traveling across the country to visit his late wife's family. He arranges to spend a night with the narrator and his wife. During his stay, Robert demonstrates that he is a patient and kind individual, deeply caring for the narrator's wife. Despite the narrator's rude behavior, Robert remains pleasant and sociable.

Robert and the narrator share several drinks and smoke marijuana together. After the narrator's wife falls asleep, the narrator turns on the television. Robert then asks the narrator to describe a cathedral to him. When the narrator struggles to do so, Robert suggests that he draw one instead. Placing his hand over the narrator's hand as he draws, Robert teaches the narrator how to truly experience a cathedral. Through this shared activity, Robert helps the narrator grow and gain new perspectives.

Bub
Refer to Narrator.

Narrator's Wife
Though she remains unnamed throughout the story, the narrator's wife plays a crucial role. Her past friendship with Robert sets the stage for the unfolding events. When she was younger, she worked as a reader for Robert to save money for her wedding to her childhood love. As the wife of an Air Force officer, she had to move frequently and endure challenging living conditions. Despite these hardships, she maintained her bond with Robert, which seems to be a constant in her life. At one point, after her marriage to the Air Force officer but before marrying the narrator, she attempted suicide due to feelings of loneliness and isolation. Her ongoing exchange of tapes with Robert continues to serve as her primary emotional outlet.

Robert's visit is significant to her, and she asks her husband to be courteous. Although she falls asleep before the story's pivotal moment, her earlier interaction with Robert enables a profound realization in her husband's life.