The narrator in “Cathedral” is a very good example of a “round character”. In this short story, the writer Raymond Carver develops the narrator’s character and gives it a clear progression, so that the nature of the character is dynamic as opposed to static or flat. This change and progression in his character does not just come automatically, but from an encounter with the blind man, Robert. Although Robert is physically blind, the narrator discovers in the end his own initial mental blindness, and subsequent power of sight.
In order to understand why the narrator is a round character, the process of his change has to be examined. In the beginning, the narrator seems somewhat narrow minded and closed. This is evident in his perception of Robert, known early on only as “the blind man”, a tag or label that reduces an entire human being to the narrator’s narrow perspective of him. The narrator is prejudiced about Robert simply due to his blindness, and ironically this serves to highlight his own, arguably deeper spiritual lack of sight.The various stereotypes that figure in the narrator’s mind, such as his belief that blind men usually wear dark glasses and use a cane or his idea that the blind “moved slowly and never laughed” highlight his judgmental nature. It also doesn’t help matters that Robert is so close to the narrator’s wife, which only fuels the negative aspect of the narrator’s persona.
Their shared history together from her employment with him in Seattle from a decade ago causes confusion and jealousy in the narrator’s mind.Robert and the wife trade tapes as a way of communication and you can see the narrator’s distaste as his wife is playing him a tape only to be interrupted to which his responds, “just as well. I’d heard all I wanted to. Perhaps the biggest aspect of the narrator being a believable round character is that he is so realistic: like any average person, he has his own stigmas and prejudices, his own insecurities and problems, but also the very human capacity to learn from and move beyond these obstacles.
So then, at what point does the narrator have a shift of mind?What causes this? There are many different elements in the story that could attribute to the change seen in the narrator. Right away, the narrator’s myths about the blind are shattered when Robert shows up not only without a cane, but without glasses as well. Or that contrary to his belief that the blind didn’t smoke, Robert in fact “smoked his cigarette down to the nubbin and then lit another one”. Then at dinner time the narrator admires Robert as he immediately locates everything on his plate with no problem.I think getting hands on experiences with people one and one is the best way to eliminate prejudice we have against people that we tend to confine into a group. This is evident in the story as the reader can trace how all of the narrator’s stigmas and preconceived notions disappear as he interacts more and more with Robert.
The narrator seems to open up further when he offers Robert some marijuana as a gesture of kindness. And instead of turning into bed to perhaps avoid Robert he instead says that he’s glad for the company.But I think the true moment it all seems to change is when the narrator tries to put himself into Robert’s shoes as a blind man. There is a television show on about cathedrals and it dawns on him that Robert may have no idea what a cathedral is. I think through the narrator’s urge to perhaps explore his own self creatively by describing a cathedral to Robert, he ultimately opens up something within himself. This comes to the point where he is willing to go hand in hand with Robert as he sketches a Cathedral with him.
This is truly the most profound moment of the story, and a great note to end on.This is especially true of the last lines after the narrator closes his eyes and when asked to take a look at the drawing, he insists on keeping his eyes closed a little longer. This image of the narrator is a stark contrast to the one we’re introduced to in the beginning of the story. This physically sightless narrator has finally come to a stage where he has spiritually gained a very deep sight; in his moment of empathy for his physically blind friend he shows a gesture of solidarity and brotherhood by accepting his new perceptions and embracing them.The religious implications of sight and blindness are very subtle but nevertheless present throughout the story in the metaphors of spiritual and physical sight versus blindness.
In this scenario the cathedral is a great symbol as it is the ultimate visual depiction of the major world religion Christianity. Aside from that, I found the character of the narrator to be very compelling. I can somewhat apply myself to his personality as far as his rigidity.The greatest thing about round characters is that one is able to relate to them in a certain way, and I certainly feel that about this particular character. I can relate in some ways in the way of closed mindedness when I try comparing it to my feelings of being an older person in college and how I perceive the traditional college kid. Great literature is something you should be able to implement into your life.
So maybe, like the narrator, I need to find my own version of drawing a cathedral to somehow open my mind to how I perceive this certain group of people.
