Cojntrasting Imagry With Symbo
The story The Cathedral by Raymond Carver is a story of transformation of a human character?s life from depression and carelessness to belief and diversity. A cathedral is a symbol of faith, conversion, creativity and strength and is therefore a substantial component of Carver?s story. The process of drawing it becomes the climax of the story when the author uses intense imagery to describe the workings of the drawing that the husband is creating. Imagery and symbolism are greatly used in this story, but in very different ways to provide very different effects. Moreover, the cathedral is connected to the representation of the blind man as a preacher and a teacher. The symbolism of the cathedral in the story makes one believe in the future and optimism. A cathedral symbolizes religion, and the TV show that the two men watch leads to an important question. The blind man asks the husband to describe to him the image of a cathedral. The husband is unable to successfully compose an accurate description because he doesn?t understand the meaning and the symbolism of the building. He is not a man of religion, and he is watching the show only because he has nothing else to do. "Don?t ask me why th
By making the husband draw a cathedral together with him, the blind man teaches him about the importance of the cathedrals and the significance of believing in something. The husband experiences something that he has never thought would happen to him, and it makes him aware of the diversity of life. Before Robert came, the husband was alone, and his wife says that he didn?t have other friends. "Never thought anything like this could happen in your lifetime, did you, bub?" asks Robert and there is no answer. The narrator?s loneliness caused by urban life has become his style of living, and when he has to communicate with others and to share ideas he becomes anxious. The detachment makes him pessimistic and closed-minded. The author uses suddenly uses intense imagery in the story that he hasn?t used before, this is to emphasize the importance of the moment. ?His fingers rode my fingers as my hand flowed over the paper. It was like nothing that I have ever felt before.?(247) This marks the climax of the story as well as the turning point in the thoughts and beliefs of the husband. Nevertheless, the husband doesn?t change his life by himself. It seems that the blind man is showing the husband how to draw and not the opposite. Robert is in control, but the narrator does not oppose that experience. He has been waiting for something like this to happen, and he is happy
Some common words found in the essay are:
Raymond Carver, symbolism cathedral, image cathedral, Imagery Symbolism, cathedral symbol, meaning symbolism, image cathedral image, cathedral image, blind husband, intense imagery, husband draw, process drawing, cathedral blind,
Approximate Word count = 925
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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