The Common Denominators of Human Experience in Literature - Essay Example

The writer shows human experience via which human beings may recognize themselves in his works by showing how Robert was a mathematical genius who discovered a mathematical theorem that many mathematicians had thought impossible.

            Catherine, the daughter of Robert tells Hal her friend that she was the one responsible for the proof. Hal who was a student of the deceased mathematical genius knows that it was the work of the genius, not her. The story is also concerned about human interaction and relationships, showing that developing love and trust can be hard just like discovering the truth of a mathematical proof (Auburn 41-43).

Two Kinds" by Amy Tan

            The events of the story “two kinds by Amy Tan” occurs in Chinatown in the 1950s and 1960s. The antagonist in the story tries to be her own mother who is trying to make Amy discover her concealed talent. Amy was not ready to follow her mother’s advice and discover her potential. She tells her that you can be anything either work for the government or become a prodigy despite your profession. Instead, Amy never took what her mother told her seriously. She eventually regrets not trying hard to be the best and the manner in which she had taken her mother for granted (Tan 54). This information makes us as human beings reflect on our lives and the relationship with those people we love and cherish.

Cathedral by Raymond Carver

            This story was published in 1983 by Raymond Carver and it explores the denominators of human experience through which human beings may recognize themselves, and converse with each other no matter how different their professions. The narrator of the story says the wife of his friend who is blind is about to visit them but the narrator is not happy with the visit because blind people make him uncomfortable due to the fact that he has not socialized with blind people. More so, the narrator is uneasy with his wife’s relationship with the blind man (Carver 35).

            Robert the blind and the wife have maintained their relationship through tape recordings which the narrator gets unsettling. Despite the narrator’s feelings toward the blind man, the three sit together while they know each other. Later, the narrator had a life-changing moment by telling the blind how the cathedral looks like. This communication connects the two people as the narrator is able to interact with other people (Carver 108).

            The story shows how the narrator manages to put aside his hatred and insecurity and thus interact with someone else. Throughout the story, the insecurities and hatred that the narrator has placed on other people are eradicated by Robert’s persistence and encouragement in getting to find out who he was. People, therefore, are able to deal with misconceptions and insecurities and their own ability to communicate and socialize with others.

            Summarily, in the three works of literature, the common denominators of human experience through which human beings may recognize themselves, and converse with each other no matter how different their professions are love, courage, trust, and persistence.