Raymond Carver Cathedral - Essay Example

A Literary Analysis of Cathedral Story A Literary Analysis of Cathedral Story The story en d “Cathedral” is written in order to highlight the value and importance of human’s ability to practice compassion for others. The character of narrator’s wife wanted to help the old man named Robert who lost his spouse. The narrator on the other hand kept busy making fun of the old and miserable man’s life. Robert and narrator’s wife were in close contact with the help of exchanging audio tapes for ten years and finally, the old man was coming over in order to meet his pen pal and sharer of sorrow.

The narrator had an issue about his wife’s ability to connect with people so readily and ease but he could not do so at all. He was not willing to connect to blind people because for him, they represented pain and suffering. Additionally, he was unable to forge friendships and linkages as they involved sharing emotional throbbing with others. In short, he wanted to keep his problems to himself and needed others to do the same. He was not connected with his spouse and neither the husband understood his wife as they belonged to different breeds of humans.

Wife wanted to help people and narrator needed solitude in life. The wife had all the information, she needed to have about her husband and based on that knowledge she pressed him to respect the old man in the story. She said “if he doesnt try to make Robert comfortable, that means he doesnt love her” (Carver, 1989). The trick worked and narrator assisted the old man in getting comfortable as deep inside storyteller loved his wife more than anything in the world. The narrator had a problem as he did not know how to express his love.

The elements of marijuana and drinks were used as a strategic tool by the narrator to make the guest feel at home. He could not do anything more because he was not very good at communicating with people but as he promised his wife to do whatever he can to entertain Roberts. The narrator was forced to take care of the old man and he did that by offering the guest some refreshments. The narrator however, did not practice compassion for Roberts by heart but what mattered that he did it. The care and love for fellow humans can be practiced without any emotional attachment and that is the core message of the story.

At the closing of the story both gentlemen became buddies and opened cathedral side by side. The ending of the story supports the presumption of melting pod theory which states that humans form friendships with each other by spending time together. Conclusively, it can be established that humans of all sorts and types know how to care for others but they do it in their own ways. The mere pretending of providing care to others can bring positive changes in one’s attitude and behavior towards others and that is what happens in the story.

Works CitedCarver, R. (1989). Cathedral. New York: Vintage.