Anna Theune
Instructor: Young
English 102
16 June 2023
The Depth of Ordinary Items
In “Cathedral,” Raymond Carver uses various commonplace objects to deepen the plot and develop the characters. One of these objects is the audiotapes the wife and the blind man exchange. Carver writes, “He [the blind man] asked her to send him a tape and tell him about her life . . . On the tape, she told the blind man about her husband and about their life in the military” (211). This suggests a kind of understanding that exists even though the blind man, Robert, and the narrator’s wife do not physically see each other; their relationship has developed a deep understanding. The narrator listens to the tapes, yet he does not understand that communication is
…show more content…
Too much white in the iris, for one thing, and the pupils seemed to move around in the sockets without his knowing it or being able to stop it” (Carver 216). This reveals preconceived notions that the narrator has about Robert; the narrator has expectations for how Robert would interact. As the story nears its end, the narrator finally “sees” when he draws the cathedral. This suggests that the narrator may be the one who cannot see the world around him. In other words, the narrator is ignorant and lacks understanding of those who are different from him. The importance of eyes and sight is impactful to the reader as it makes one think about how one views others and the world around them. A third commonplace object is Robert’s beard. The narrator comments, “From time to time, he’d [Robert] turn his blind face toward me, put his hand under his beard, ask me something” (Carver 218). This suggests that the gesture of touching his beard gives reassurance to Robert. Due to the unwelcoming sentiments that the narrator gave to him, the action of touching his beard indicates Robert’s nervousness and attempt to reassure himself. This provides insight into