Raymond Carver's "Cathedral. "

The Cathedral Acceptance through understanding The story Cathedral by Raymond Carver displays one mans new found understanding and acceptance of a blind man over a relatively short period of time. The narrator represents the storys dominant theme of overcoming fear and prejudice of the blind through personal experience as well as mutual respect. The narrator who remains nameless throughout the play holds deeply unfounded beliefs and stereotypes of what a blind person should be, yet …

…first overcome his stereotypes of the blind, which are leading him to a negative idea. After this he comes to see Robert as a man separate from his disability. The he begins to empathize with Robert because of his lacking ability to help him. This leads him to thorough understanding through the shared experience of the Cathedral drawing. The narrators epiphany is not reached through slow gradual development but through various quick stages of transformation.