Revision of Literary Analysis

Paul Yao
Mrs. Clapp
AP Literature
May 20, 2009

Prejudice and Ignorance Theme

In Raymond Carver’s short story Cathedral, the narrator’s skeptical tone and point of view is utilized to exemplify that prejudice is caused by false assumptions, stereotypes and lack of knowledge. With the use of first person limited point of view, a mental barrier is created that forces the audience to see through everything the narrator does, thus creating a sense of ignorance and inequality. Ironically enough, despite his perception that he is better than the blind man, he is metaphorically blinded by his own dogmatic views, putting him on par with the blind (maybe even less as he is completely unaware of his mental blindness for most of the story). The narrator’s blatantly judgmental and skeptic tone reveals his ignorance and mental blindness, and is only relinquished of these qualities, allowing his eyes “to be opened”, when he has an epiphany through a drawing experience of a cathedral with the blind man.
With the use of the first person point of view, Carver is able to convey the narrator’s bigotry towards the blind man as well as his eventual change in character when he accepts the blind man. The narrator’s narrow-mindedness is already apparent in the first few sentences where he refers to the blind man, who is established as an old friend of the wife of the narrator, commonly as just “the blind man” instead of showing courtesy and respect by calling him by his first name. By doing this the narrator also de-individualizes the blind man, referring to him as a stereotype as to an individual human being. The narrator’s syntax is simple and direct, bringing to light that he doesn’t exactly care for the situation and is instead complaining about it. While meeting the blind person for the first time the narrator comments in his mind that “He [the blind man] was no one I knew… A blind man in my house was not something I looked forward to” revealing that his perception of the blind “came from movies … the blind moved slowly and never laughed.” (223) In contrast to his blatant and prejudice thoughts, the narrator is much more subtle when physically speaking to the blind man. The contrast between the narrator’s thoughts and what he says reveals his acknowledgement of his bigotry and also his fear and obvious lack of understanding for the blind. The use of the first person point of view opens a gateway into the narrator’s mind in which his prejudice and ignorance of people different from him is revealed and emphasized. The audience is then allowed to see the reasoning behind the narrator’s outrageous statement such as his amazement that the blind man could have such a long beard or that the blind didn‘t smoke because they could see the smoke when they exhaled.
Carver develops a skeptical and prejudice tone in the beginning of the story and a shift in tone after the feast between the main character and the blind man in order to expose that prejudice is based off stereotypes and lack of knowledge and it can be changed with empathy and awareness. When telling anecdotes, the narrator seems to have very little care and thoughts about them, instead giving every last detail as shown with little to no opinion, which is mirrored by his short and direct syntax. And in doing so, bringing to light his lack of respect and understanding. When he does have an opinion it is usually mocking and is conveyed through the use of italics or parentheses such as when he asked whether the blind man knew which side he was sitting on thinking, “Going to New York, you should sit on the right-hand side of the train, and coming from New York, the left-hand side.” (226) There is shift in tone from skeptical to a more of accepting and understanding one after the narrator, his wife, and the blind man have dinner. The narrator states, “ I watched with admiration as he used his knife and fork …. It didn’t seem to bother him to use his fingers once in a while, either.” (228) The uptight and ignorant atmosphere has lightened just a smudge and the narrator’s sarcasm has shifted from mocking to more playful and humorous signifying his enjoyment of the event and his guard being let down.
It not until when the blind man asks the narrator to describe a cathedral does the tone completely shift from skeptical to accepting. Due the narrator’s failure to describe a cathedral he is lowered from his believed elevated status as it reveals to him that he is no better than the blind man despite his vision. However instead of mocking, which the narrator would’ve have done, the blind man simply proposes to work together leading them to have a moment and a deep connection which is reinforced by the amazement of his wife when she step in on them. The narrator’s complete change from prejudice and ignorance is symbolize by his last statement about cathedrals, “It’s really something” (234) which contrasted his previous statement in which he stated, “Truth is, cathedrals don’t mean anything special to me. Nothing… That’s all they are.” (232) The giant shift in tone is strengthened by the altercation of the point of view. Instead of being restricting and narrow, the narrator gives more detail of his surrounding and the events, creating a sense of openness and accepting atmosphere.
By using first person point of view Carver is able to reveal the narrator’s prejudice and ignorance and show how they are formed through false assumptions and stereotypes. It also lays down a skeptical tone which shifts as the story progresses signified by the nearly stream of conscience point of view. Through this, Carver is able to demonstrate that bigotry and ignorance can be overcome with awareness and empathy using the main character and the example.