Introduction
Raymond Carver’s short story “Cathedral,” tells the story of a man who is initially reluctant to interact with his blind houseguest but ultimately finds a way to connect with him by drawing a cathedral. One of the story’s central themes is that many hands make a cathedral and therefore belong to more than one person. This observation symbolizes art’s collective role in society, highlighting its potential to unite people and serve as a space of Communion. In this essay, I will explore how the cathedral serves as a metaphor for art’s collective role in society and examine how it functions as a communion space fostering connections across social and cultural barriers.
Cathedral Which The Characters See On Television
In Raymond Carver’s “Cathedral,” the characters’ experience of the cathedral on television is a metaphor for the interconnectedness and collaboration in artistic creation. The narrator and his wife watch a documentary on cathedrals, and as they tend, the narrator begins to feel a sense of awe and wonder. He realizes that the cathedral is not just a building but a product of the many hands that worked together to create it (Altenhofen, B. 2019). The cathedral is a physical manifestation of the collective effort of countless individuals, from the architects and builders to the artisans who decorated its walls.
This collective effort is mirrored in art creation, which often involves collaboration between artists, writers, musicians, and other creatives. Creating art can be a profoundly communal experience, as individuals come together to share their unique perspectives and contribute to Something more significant than themselves. Art can also serve as a space of Communion, bringing together individuals with different abilities and experiences to create Something more effective than the sum of its parts.
The relationship between the characters and the communal spaces they inhabit is also a key theme in “Cathedral.” The characters find Communion in the physical area of the cathedral, but they also find it in the virtual space of the television screen. The documentary on cathedrals becomes a shared experience between the narrator and his wife, a moment of connection and understanding (Altenhofen, B. 2019). The television screen bridges the cathedral’s physical space and the narrative home’s domestic space, connecting the characters to Something more significant than themselves.
In this way, the cathedral on television can be read as symbolic of art’sssss collective role in society. Art serves as a space of Communion, allowing individuals with very different abilities and experiences to come together and show one another how to view the world in a new way. The cathedral represents the collective effort of many hands, and art similarly represents the collaborative effort of many individuals, all working together to create Something that transcends the individual. As the narrator comes to see, Something has happened to him, and he feels he’s been given a new glimpse of a thing he’s been living with but never saw. Art can transform the way we see the world, and in doing so, it can bring us together in Communion.
Art Function As A Space Of Communion
In Raymond Carver’s “Cathedral,” art is portrayed as a space of Communion, where individuals with different abilities and experiences can come together and create Something that transcends their perspectives. Art is not just a solitary activity but one that involves collaboration, empathy, and openness. The characters in the story are initially divided by their differences and prejudices. Still, through their shared experience of creating art, they can connect and communicate in new ways.
Creating art involves vulnerability and openness that can make a space for Communion. The narrator and his wife’s blind friend, Robert, come together to draw a cathedral, despite the narrator’s initial discomfort and skepticism. As they work together, they communicate in ways that transcend words, using touch and shared experience to create Something meaningful. As the narrator reflects on a continuation, His digits resting atop those of the storytellers, the narration goes over the text. The narrator had never experienced anything like that before. (Polak, M. 2020). Through this act of creation, the characters can connect deeper, breaking down barriers that once seemed impossible.
Empathy is a crucial component of this communal space. To create Something together, individuals must be able to put themselves in each other’s shoes to view the universe from another perspective. The act of drawing the cathedral forces the narrator to confront his own biases and assumptions about Robert’s blindness and to empathize with his experience in a new way. The narrator reflects that he failed to realize that he was in Something. Through this act of empathy, the character can connect with Robert in a way that transcends his initial discomfort.
Art also has the potential to foster connections across social and cultural barriers. Creating Something together allows individuals to find common ground, even in the face of differences, as the narrator reflects that it was different from his life to the moment. Then he said, ‘I think that’s it. I think you got it, damn it. Close your eyes now. Please tell me what you think. My eyes were closed, however. For the time being, I’ve chosen to maintain the status quo. Through this act of creation, the characters can find a moment of shared experience, despite their differences (Zuba, J. 2020).”Cathedral” portrays art as a space of Communion where individuals with different abilities and backgrounds can come together and create Something that transcends their perspectives. Through this act of creation, individuals can connect and communicate in new ways, breaking down barriers and fostering empathy and openness. Art has the potential to foster connections across social and cultural borders and to create a shared experience that transcends individual differences. Art is a powerful force for fellowship and Communion, bringing individuals together in ways that transcend words and differences.
Conclusion
Raymond Carver’s “Cathedral” highlights the collective role of art in society and emphasizes its potential as a space of Communion that fosters understanding and connection among individuals with different abilities. Carver demonstrates the power of art to bring people together in a shared experience, allowing them to see the world in a new way. The story illustrates the importance of empathy and openness in communal spaces and the potential for art to foster connections across social and cultural barriers. Raymond Carver’s “Cathedral” serves as a powerful reminder of the significance of the cathedral as a symbol of artistic creation and its ability to bring people together in a shared experience. By drawing a cathedral, the characters in the story learn to see beyond their differences and prejudices, embracing empathy and openness.
References
Altenhofen, B. (2019). Connected toward Communion: the Church and Social Communication in the Digital Age, written by Danielle Zsupan-Jerome. Journal of Religion, Media and Digital Culture, 8(1), 167–170. https://doi.org/10.1163/21659214-00801009./
Polak, M. (2020). Shaping the Spirituality of Communion in Church Communities. Verbum Vitae, 37, 285–296. https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=950283./
Zuba, J. (2020). Raymond Carver and the Modern Career Imaginary. Journal of Modern Literature, 44(1), 148–164. https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/3/article/778300/summary./
write