http://engl611-nixon.wikispaces.umb.edu/file/view/Boyle,+Greasy+Lake.PDF
Here's the link for the Greasy Lake by Boyle
Please cite page numbers from the story only when quoting directly.
Student’s last name 1 Student’s full name Prof. Michele Hardy English 1020 Type date Blind Perspective in Raymond Carver’s “Cathedral” In Raymond Carver’s, “Cathedral,” the reader is introduced to a very superficial and self- involved narrator. The story is situated one evening in the narrator’s home which he shares with his wife. She has a dear friend named Robert, who is blind, and comes to visit shortly after his own wife passes away. The protagonist of the story, who remains nameless, is characterized as an impersonal and elusive individual, yet he is ultimately faced with a situation where he is forced to muster some empathy. As the story progresses, the juxtaposition of the protagonist’s dispassionate personality, with that of Robert’s passionate personality, allows the reader to witness a very personal growth that occurs within the protagonist. It takes a blind man to show the main character how to see things from a perspective outside of his own. The reader is confronted with a protagonist who is unable to empathize or relate to others, even his own loved ones. For instance, although he is aware of the special relationship between his wife and Robert, he is openly skeptical about the visit. For example, almost immediately he says, “I wasn’t enthusiastic about his visit. He was no one I knew. And his being blind bothered me” (34). Some of the first words out of the main character’s mouth are selfish and negative. He doesn’t want Robert to visit because he doesn’t know him, and it doesn’t matter that he is a good friend of his wife. He is also uncomfortable because Robert is blind, which is indicative of his insensitive nature. The narrator has a problem connecting with others that are different from him, and just because Robert is blind, the narrator assumes he won’t have anything in common with him. Although the relationship between husband and wife is supposed to be one of great intimacy, the reader is led to believe that the lack of emotional connection creates some complication for the couple. For example, when the husband makes a sarcastic statement about taking Robert bowling, the joke is lost on his wife. She says, “If you love me, you can do this for me. If you don’t love me, okay. But if you had a friend, any friend, and the friend came to visit, I’d make him feel comfortable” (36). This statement indicates that there is an imbalance in effort in this relationship. Obviously, the wife is willing to do things for her husband, in an effort to ensure his happiness and satisfaction. She cares about him, and she is asking for the same care in return. This also reveals an understanding that exists within their relationship. The wife knows her husband well, and understands his antisocial tendencies. This allows the reader to see another side of the narrator’s personality, because of the wife’s unconditional affection toward him despite a lack of those reciprocated displays of affection. As the story continues, the narrator is faced with his first encounter with a blind man. This is significant because the protagonist tends to separate himself from things and people of which he is not familiar. He is not able to escape this situation, so it creates an internal conflict. His desperation is evident here: “I started to say something about the old sofa. I’d liked that old sofa. But I didn’t say anything. Then I wanted to say something else, about the scenic ride along the Hudson” (38). Here, the narrator is attempting to be friendly, and he makes an effort to talk to Robert. This illustrates that although he is unable to empathize with people, he is not altogether cold and callous as the beginning of the story might suggest. This statement also shows his struggle with perspective. He cannot come up with anything to discuss with Robert; he can only think of surface things to discuss. First he thinks of the sofa, which he decides against, presumably because Robert cannot see it anyway. Then he wants to bring up the scenic route along the Hudson, which obviously cannot be enjoyed by Robert. The narrator is struggling with finding something to discuss, because he fails to look beyond the surface and to find real meaning. The development of the narrator is directly related to his stereotype of blind people, and Robert’s ability to shatter these notions. This begins with Robert’s appearance. He does not fit the mold of a blind person as far as the narrator is concerned. For example the narrator says, “He wore brown slacks, brown shoes, a light-brown shirt, a tie, a sports coat. Spiffy. He also had a full beard. But he didn’t use a cane and he didn’t wear dark glasses” (38). The narrator describes Robert as, “spiffy,” and his tone is surprised, as if he expected Robert to be dressed shabby. He also is surprised that he is dressed normally, and mentions that if you didn’t look closely, you may not even be able to notice that Robert is blind. In addition to his physical appearance, Robert’s behavior is also different from what the narrator had imagined. He was surprised that Robert smoked cigarettes: “I remember having read somewhere that the blind didn’t smoke, because as speculation had it, they couldn’t see the smoke they exhaled . . . but this blind man smoked his cigarette down to the nubbin” (40). The narrator seems to be fascinated with Robert now, which is another indication that while he is emotionally challenged, he is not indifferent. At the end of the story, when the wife falls asleep and leaves the two men awake watching television, Robert is forced to see things from another perspective. The television program is one that features famous cathedrals around the world, and the narrator tells Robert what is on the television, still remaining very nonchalant in his chatter. Then, Robert asks the narrator to describe a cathedral to him. The narrator attempted to do this, and then says, “As he listened to me, he was running his fingers through his beard. I wasn’t getting through to him, I could see that” (44). This is significant because the narrator notices that his explanation is ineffective. He is beginning to pick up on someone else’s feelings, and attempts to respond. Robert changes the subject and asks if the narrator is religious. The narrator responds, “You’ll have to forgive me. . . The truth is, cathedrals don’t mean anything to me” (46). This serves as a representation of the narrator’s overall internal battle to find significance and meaning in anything. He is fearful of becoming emotionally vulnerable. Robert recognizes this, and suggests that he draw a picture of a cathedral instead. While the narrator is drawing, Robert instructs him to close his eyes while he draws. The narrator describes his feeling, “My eyes were still closed. I was in my house. I knew that. But I didn’t feel like I was inside anything. ‘It’s really something.’” (46). The ending of, “Cathedral,” is very powerful because the narrator faces a huge challenge. A superficial and self involved husband that struggled to appreciate anything outside of his own perspective learns to find meaning in an experience. This is very important because his attachment to surface aesthetics and tangible things is gone, and he is confronted with a feeling that allows him to step outside of himself. Throughout the duration of his narrative, he considered Robert to be at a disadvantage because of his inability to use his sight. Ironically, not until the narrator’s sight is gone, and he allows himself to be temporarily blinded, does he truly gain insight. While blind he is free from his own mind, and allowed to just feel, which ultimately creates a very liberating experience.