Theme Essay Boot Camp JC

Cathedral By Raymond Carver

In the “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver the theme presented in the short story is even if people are different and have different qualities does not make them any less human. The author Raymond Carver constructs this theme by showing the his audience the ignorance of the man, the act of communion, and finally an epiphany towards Robert the blind man.
The theme begins to construct itself at the beginning of the short story when the main character whose name is unknown shows the audience his ignorance towards Robert and his case. Robert being blind set him apart from the rest of the world in the man’s eyes therefore almost classifying him in a category of his own. The man in the story did not see Robert as just another individual of this world with a slight special sensitivity towards the world and how he viewed it, the man simply dismissed the case and did not want to hear of it any further because he did not understand it. When many do not understand what they are getting into they become ignorant towards the following case like in Robert’s case. An example that demonstrated the man’s utter unawareness of the blind he says, “ I remember having read somewhere that the blind didn’t smoke because, a speculation had it, they couldn’t see the smoke they exhaled.” This quote showed how ignorant and little the man knew about blind people. That just because they had this problem that caused them to be blind did not impair them from regular activities such as smoking. When the man said this he continued saying that he could not believe that Robert could smoke, and yes Robert did smoke like any other fellow out there. His blindness did not stop him from carrying on things such as smoking. The ignorance and the man had and where ever he had read this led him to become completely arrogant towards the case upon him.
During the short story Robert was staying for a visit and the man and his wife’s home. As soon as they got adjusted they sat at a table for dinner. I believe that the table is where the communion and forth of togetherness of all of them flourished. “We dug in. We ate everything there was to eat on the table. We grazed that there was no tomorrow. We didn’t talk. We ate. We scarfed. We grazed that table. We were into serious eating.” When the man whom spoke as the narrator in the story depicted the way they had eaten at the table is showed how they all came as one. There was no difference there, they ate the same way no difference therefore showing the man that Robert was no different in his actions or qualities than any of them. The communion that is talked about in “How to read Literature like a Professor”, by Thomas C. Foster the act of communion is used to show how people come together through evil and good, that through the act of eating, sitting at a table together brings people together. The food they ate and the way the ate with one another showed the man that they were all equal and then man was no different than him and his wife even if he was blind.
The epiphany and the sole purpose that contributes to the theme of the story is at the end when the man and Robert become one. The man all this time has judged and misunderstood Robert and didn’t want to even meet him at first. However, as the story progressed slowly the man came to realize how Robert was no different than any other man out there. The epiphany that occurred at the ending can be demonstrated by, “My eyes were still closed. I thought I’d keep them that way for a little longer. I thought it was something I ought to do.” When the man does this action with keeping his eyes closed he becomes one with Robert, finally stepping a little bit into Robert’s shoes and seeing what its like being different and outside of his shell. Therefore by taking this step and transforming himself into being someone else other than himself he realized that there is no difference between people who are a bit different than regular people, it’s just giving them a chance and not being ignorant towards them. Raymond used this epiphany to finally push through the overall theme of the story which was even if people are different and have different qualities does not make them any less human.