Characterization And Symbolism In Raymond Carver's Cathedral

In the short story “Cathedral”, by Raymond Carver, the narrator’s wife has a blind friend who is coming to visit them at their house. The narrator (also known as the husband) is unhappy with this because the old man’s disability makes him feel very uncomfortable. However, the more the husband interacts with the blind man, the more he learns to overlook his blindness and accept him as a normal human being. Through characterization and symbolism, Carver proves that seeing people as individuals rather than stereotypes can allow a friendship to develop.
In the beginning of the story, the husband has distinct views and opinions on blind people. Specifically, he is prejudice and shows criticism towards the blind man because he is uncomfortable and