Characters
The most important character in the short story “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver is the first-person narrator. However, we will also focus on the character of Robert (the blind man), as he is an important part of the plot.
The narrator
The narrator is the main character in the short story. His characterization is conveyed indirectly, through his thoughts and attitude. He is a developing character, as his perspective on Robert and blindness changes at the end of the short story.
From his outer characterization, we find out that he is married and has been doing the same job for three years, although he doesn't enjoy it (p. 7, l. 8). However, the man’s inner characterization is more important in the story.
Inner characterization
In the course of the narrative, the narrator comes across as a man ruled by prejudices. He has prejudices against blind people and African-Americans: “My idea of blindness came from the movies. In the movies, the blind moved slowly and never laughed. Sometimes they were led by seeing-eye dogs. A blind man in my house was not something I looked forward to.” (p. 1, ll. 9-11); “ ‘Was his wife a Negro?’ I asked. ‘Are you crazy?’ my wife said.” (p. 3, ll. 14-15)
However, the story mostly explores the narrator’s prejudices towards a particular blind man, his wife’s friend, Robert. The fact that the narrator constantly calls Robert ‘the blind man’ (65 times) suggests the narrator is fixated on the man’s disability and uses it to minimize Robert’s other traits.
The narrator does not only dislike Robert because he is blind; he is also frustrated about Robert’s friendship with his wife, from which he feels excluded. This is suggested through the way he describes his wife’s relationship and correspondence with Robert, and the man’s visit: “He sent her the tape. She made a tape. This went on for years. My wife’s officer was posted to one base and then another. She sent tapes from Moody AFB, McGuire, McConnell, and finally Travis, near Sacramento...” (p. 2, ll. 11-14); “They talked of things that had happened to them—to them!—these past ten years. I waited in vain to hear my name on my wife’s sweet lips: ‘And then my dear husband came into my life’...” (p. 6, ll. 36-38)
The narrator’s wife mentions that he has no friends (p. 3, l. 9) which suggests the narrator might have a difficult character which makes it hard for him to make friends. As the narrator seems to be constantly drinking and he smokes cannabis regularly, we are inclined to assume he might have some addiction problems:
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Robert
Although Robert is a secondary character, he is important because of the way the narrator relates to him and because of his reactions to the narrator’s attitude.
Outer characterization
His outer characterization is conveyed directly by the narrator and his wife. We know he is a middle-aged blind man whose wife died recently and who lives in Seattle. His physical traits are rendered by the narrator:
This blind man was late forties, a heavy-set, balding man with stooped shoulders, as if he carried a great weight there. He wore brown slacks, brown shoes, a light-brown shirt, a tie, a sports coat. Spiffy. He also had this full beard. (p. 5, ll. 14-17)
We also find out that Robert works as a “ham radio operator” (p. 7, l. 3) and as an Amway distributor.
Inner characterization
Robert’s inner characterization surfaces through his actions and his attitude. The narrator’s wife notes that Robert and his late wife were “inseparable” (p. 3, l. 29) suggesting that he loved his wife. This idea is further reinforced by Robert splitting a coin at her funeral (half for him and half for his wife).
Robert’s attitude, once he arrives at the narrator's house, is polite and calm. He does not respond to the narrator’s attempts to provoke him and accepts the narrator’s invitations (to drink, to smoke cannabis). When the narrator tries to mock him by asking the man on which side of the train he traveled, Robert answers directly and honestly:
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