The story opens as the narrator explains that "the blind man" is on his way from Connecticut, where "he was visiting the dead wife's relatives," and that the narrator's wife has invited the blind man to spend the night. The narrator goes on to explain how his wife's relationship started, beginning "that summer in Seattle she [when] she had needed a job." The husband seems suspicious of their relationship, and his tone is jealous and demeaning. He describes the blind man's situation with short, terse sentences; "He didn't have any money, either. But she was in love with the guy, and he was in love with her, etc." He almost seems to balk at their relationship as his use of "etc." depicts. However, the narrator's ignorance and his perception of the blind man's life is obvious. Because the na

These two opposing views of the wife's relationship with the blind man play an important role in the story. They help to justify, how the husband and the wife act toward the blind man upon his arrival. When the blind man first arrives, the husband goes to the window and watches his wife and the blind man get out of the car. When they come in through the door, the husband hides his true feelings about the blind man and greets him cordially, although he probably wishes he were never there. From this point on, the husband's actions toward the blind man and his thoughts illustrate that he does not feel comfortable with the blind man in his home.

The discussion about the cathedral continues, and upon failing to verbally explain a cathedral to the blind man, the blind man suggests that he draw the cathedral for him. It is at this point where we see Robert, the once bitter and ignorant husband, warming up to the blind man. Their conversation now is friendlier than it was before. As they begin to draw the cathedral, the diction and tone of the narrator changes. For the first time, we see Robert and the blind man together like we had previously seen Robert and the wife. When the wife asks what they are doing, with surprise, Robert responds, "we're drawing. Me and him are working on it." Throughout this scene, the husband becomes more and more comfortable with Robert and does what he says. When Robert suggests that he press harder, the husband does so, but more importantly, when Robert tells him to close his eyes, he does so. This is very important as the husband, without knowing so, is experiencing what being blind is like. Once the husband closes his eyes and continues, he explains that "it was like nothing else in

Some common words found in the essay are:
Carver's Cathedral, Robert Robert, wife blind, blind husband, blind man's, wife invited blind, raymond carver's cathedral, Raymond Carver's, spend night narrator, draw cathedral, views incident, meaning relationship, finally able, touched neck, night narrator, explains blind,
Approximate Word count = 1168
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)