Anger And Jealousy In Raymond Carver's Cathedral

Every so often a man experiences drastic changes in his body while being with his wife; his temperature rises, adrenaline increases, and his eyes dilate at the shock of what is happening. Indeed, this phenomena may mean several things some more pleasurable than others, but on occasion it is the actual state of anger and jealousy. In “Cathedral”, by Raymond Carver, the narrator is envious of the blind man, and is at the clemency of his emotions. However, as time passes the husband gradually overcomes his restless rage that blinds him, and becomes aware of the truth. This gradual transformation may be understood through the language and actions of the husband. The first instance the husband is blinded by his anger can be seen by the way he phrases his words. As it says, “She didn’t have any money…She was in love with the guy…She’d seen

Each thought is rapidly flowing through his mind, and he cannot stop thinking about his wife being with the blind man, Robert. The language of the narrator depicts the emotion that he has frequently attempted to conceal from his wife. Furthermore, the excessive use of the word “she” demonstrates how the husband is upset over his wife’s action, not the blind man’s. The husband is not upset when Robert is with his wife, but he is enraged over the thought of his wife voluntarily hanging out with Robert. “She worked with this blind man all summer.” (33) The narrator at this point is extremely jealous that his wife decided to be with Robert. Yet, the narrator continuously directs his anger towards Robert during the meal.