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Attitudes Toward Social Classes In Raymond Carver's Cathedral

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Raymond Carver expresses a certain attitude toward social classes through his short story “Cathedral”, which involves characters portraying the middle class. By all means, the language used throughout the story is quite simple to comprehend and the same goes for the overall story. A modest couple are introduced in the beginning, showing the signs of possibly having conflicts with each other. Adding to this setting, Carver goes on to reveal a blind character, Robert, who eventually makes an appearance halfway into the story. As the occasion quickly unfolds, it is understood that the husband forms a certain perception of the blind character, Robert. The husband describes their encounter by saying “...he didn’t use a cane and he didn’t wear dark glasses. …show more content…

Fact was, I wish he had a pair”. This line itself already reveals a side of the narrator that has a certain perception of a blind person, and obviously Robert doesn't fit it. Once the everyone is settled in, they start consuming multiple drinks of alcohol and eventually smoke some marijuana when the wife goes upstairs. This type of lifestyle that the narrator lives by, appears to be one that is normal throughout his everyday life. As the two continue to indulge themselves with drinks, an image of a cathedral is shown on the television. Knowing that an image of a cathedral was in front of them, Robert insists for the narrator to describe its appearance. Unable to do so, Robert instead recommends that the image should be drawn on a piece of paper. The narrator, having his eyes closed, is told by Robert to then open them to reveal the image he has created. On the other hand, the narrator keeps them shut, murmuring the words “It’s really

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