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The Epiphany In Raymond Carver's Cathedral

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In the short story Cathedral written by Raymond Carver, he uses the aspect of characterization to develop the epiphany. The epiphany of this story is: a blind man makes the narrator "open his eyes." The narrator of this story believes that the blind man, Robert, would be a stereotypical blind man; however, he is the complete opposite. The main character being close-minded, shallow and prejudice leads him to his epiphany of seeing through a blind man's eye.
Carver uses the element of characterization to highlight the epiphany throughout the short story. With the narrator being close-minded, it helps develop the epiphany by showing how judgemental he is. The narrator is bothered about Robert being blind, and his understanding of being blind …show more content…

"Right then my wife filled me in with more detail that I cared to know" (3). He is very jealous of the relationship between Robert and his wife, which leads him to have such a judgemental opinion on Robert. Once the narrator met Robert, his thoughts on the blind were hindered, but not completely. He was still hesitant of the blind man and was not happy that he would be staying in their home. He began to judge Robert, calling him pathetic and creepy. However, he abided his wife's rules and was nice and kept his thoughts to himself. The narrator's judgmental and prejudice side was highlighted by the use of Carver's use of characterization. Toward the end of the story, the narrator begins to listen and respect Robert even with his condition. Even though he starts to think more respectively toward Robert, he still worries about the blind man. However once they start to bond over the TV topic of cathedrals, his mind and thoughts begin to change. After drawing and trying to explain the architecture of a cathedral, the narrator beings to fully comprehend the struggles of Robert and the condition of being blind. "(...) I thought it was something I ought to do. (...) My eyes were still closed. I was in my house. I knew that. But I didn't feel like I was inside anything. "It's really something," I said" (13). It was at that moment that the once judgemental man knew the difficulty of being blind and that he jumped ahead to conclusions. Robert helped the narrator see through his eyes. The narrator had the epiphany of seeing through a blind man's eye. At that point of the story, the narrator had completely changed his mind and did not judge

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In "Cathedral," Raymond Carver explores the transformative power of human connection and the potential for understanding that emerges from genuine interaction. The story highlights the narrator's initial prejudice and discomfort towards the blind man, Robert, as a reflection of his narrow perception of the world. However, as the narrator and Robert engage in conversation and spend time together, a bond begins to form. This bond is exemplified in a pivotal moment when they draw a cathedral together, with the narrator's eyes closed and their hands intertwined. This shared experience allows the narrator to transcend his limited understanding and connect with Robert on a deeper level.

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The narrator’s eyes are closed and he is being led by a blind man, yet he is able to see. Carver never explains what it is the narrator sees, but there is the sense that he has found a connection and is no longer detached or isolated. The narrator is faced with a stark realization and glimmer of hope. Hope for new views, new life and probably even new identity. Even the narrator’s wife is surprised by the fact that her husband and Robert really get along together.

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