Normally I will be posting writing prompts on Blackboard only, but because some of us have had trouble logging on to Blackboard this week, I am posting this first prompt here as well.
Please write a one-page response to “Cathedral” based on one of the following six prompts. When you respond to a prompt, you don’t have to answer it exactly. It is meant to spur your thought process, not dictate your response. You certainly don’t need to quote the prompt or use its exact language. However, please do use specific examples from the story when responding.
1. Before Robert arrives, there is quite a long section of back story, where the narrator (we are never told his name) describes his wife’s relationship with Robert along with other details from her past. Why are these important to the story? How would the story be different if Carver began it when Robert is arriving?
2. How does the narrator feel about his wife’s past relationship with Robert? Is he jealous of Robert? Angry? Bitter? More importantly, why do you think he feels this way? What clues does Carver give us?
3. How does the narrator change in the story? Is he different at the end than he is at the beginning? If so, how? When does the change begin to occur? What causes it? Do you think it will last? Why or why not?
4. Interpret the story’s title. Does Carver choose it simply because there is a show about cathedrals on TV and because of the drawing? Or does Carver intend for it to mean more? Explain.
5. Why do you think Robert wants to draw a cathedral with the narrator? Does he really want to know what it looks like, or does he have other motivations?
6. How would you describe the narrator’s experience at the end of the story. Is it a spiritual experience? Is it a pot and alcohol-induced good time? Does it have anything to do with his wife? I’m not looking for any specific answer. I would genuinely like to hear your interpretation of the ending.
Thank you. I am looking forward to your responses.
-D
Just for those who don't have the book you can go here http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/instruct/cinichol/GovSchool/Cathedral2.htm
ReplyDeleteThis story is like any other it has the 4 major parts intro, climbing action, Climax, and resolution. The intro sets the mood for Roberts’s arrival. It creates the narrator emotion and gives you a stance toward the narrator. It kind of makes me think the narrator is a fool. For me it creates a kind of competition between the narrator and Robert. The narrator tries to demean Robert when he asks if his wife was colored and it shows a great amount of indifference toward his, coming almost disapproval. But he loves his wife and doesn’t want this to cause problems so for all his inner self doubts he does his best to make Robert feel accepted and at home. You can slowly see a change as he gets more used to Robert and the fact he can’t see as he talks with him while they are watching TV. Then he takes a leap and tries to describe something he feels may be important to Robert since Robert got married in a church he tries to distinguish the difference of a church and a cathedral. And slowly the narrator realizes all the differences between him and Robert and what he takes for grant that Robert will never have and the realization sets in when he sees the drawing of the cathedral with his minds eye and stops using his eyes. Roberts motivation for having the narrator draw is to help the narrator stand in his shoes a little so he does something that he has probably done a thousand times with different people to help them understand his situation and what things in life he appreciates verses our own likes. That is why they draw the content generally matters little but in this the content was choose cause this story is a story of the spirit and so carver felt it should take place around something spiritual like a religious building. Carver hopes that we will be spiritually uplifted or changed by reading this experience and that in some small way we may understand our fellow man all of them.
ReplyDeleteAnd that sums up what I think, maybe.
Jay
Good comments, Jay. I particularly like what you say about the narrator learning to see with his mind's eye as opposed to his physical eyes. I'm also very interested in what you say about the narrator "taking a leap" by talking about the cathedrals on television. I'd like to talk more about that scene, both on the blog and in class tonight.
ReplyDeleteDon't you think, though, that the story is a little atypical in its construction? I'm not sure I agree that it "is like any other." For example, I'm not sure it has a resolution at all. One could argue that Carver takes us to the climax of the story and then just ends it there, leaving us to create the resolution. And couldn't one argue that the long section of back story at the beginning means that the rising action of "Cathedral" is somewhat delayed? These questions don't invalidate your comments, of course. I just wanted to respond because you do a nice job of raising some important questions about how the story is written, not just what it means.
While reading what the narrator felt at the beginning of the story made me want to be on his side. I saw his views first as the correct ones. He had me questioning whether Robert had ever had some sort of relationship with his own wife so many years ago. Perhaps something stronger than friendship. He made me skeptic towards this blind man who I didn't even know yet. Before I had even met him, I was judging him. I already had set lower standards because of what the narrator said and the way he said it. I even started to agree with the narrator--that his wife's friend being blind bothered me. I felt that way until she and Robert came to the house. She had to go help him out of the car and tell him nearly every step of the way where to go. He was old and without a cane. He couldn't help being blind. My heart completely changed around and I had a feeling of sympathy towards this man that I had previously judged. He deserves better, his wife just died and he never had the chance to see her face. I think this same sort of change of heart occurred in the narrator. It took a bit longer. When he was trying to describe the cathedral to him it seemed very hard, I wanted to help him, but could hardly find the right words myself. Then when he got the chance to draw the picture without looking while Robert's hand was on his own, is when he really changed. It put a smile across my face when the narrator did not open his eyes at the end. I think the reason for a cathedral over many things, was because, in that building peace is sought after, worshipers come to worship, people have a change of heart and look at the world through new eyes. In the narrators case, he found peace in a new way--by seeing without physically looking.
ReplyDelete