Sign In
Not register? Register Now!
You are here: HomeEssaySocial Sciences
Pages:
4 pages/≈1100 words
Sources:
5 Sources
Level:
MLA
Subject:
Social Sciences
Type:
Essay
Language:
English (U.S.)
Document:
MS Word
Date:
Total cost:
$ 14.4
Topic:

The Architecture of Femininity in Raymond Carver’s Cathedral (Essay Sample)

Instructions:

THIS essay was aimed at discussing a particular thematic concern in Carver's short story, Cathedral. AS SUCH, THE ESSAY ADDRESSED FEMINISM AND THE ROLE OF MEN IN THE SOCIETY. The thesis of the essay was "Unlike the usual eighteenth century promotion of hierarchy, Carver attempts to show the strength of a woman in a man’s world as well as the possibility of equality between the genders."

source..
Content:

Name
Instructor
Institution
Date
The Architecture of Femininity in Raymond Carver’s Cathedral
Although Raymond Carver’s Cathedral has received wider popularity among readers, thanks to the humor and symbolism construction, the thematic concern of feminism has been ignored. The story begins with an immediate tension when the unnamed narrator mentions that he is expecting a visitor, a blind man whom he feels is too close to his wife. His discomfort with Robert, he claims, is because of his blindness, but clearly his fears revolve around the imagination that the visitor would soon usurp his masculinity. It is true that the fictional characters in the story evoke real emotions and hopelessness, but the characterization, setting, and the narration brings into question the role of gender in the society. Unlike the usual eighteenth century promotion of hierarchy, Carver attempts to show the strength of a woman in a man’s world as well as the possibility of equality between the genders. This paper, therefore, explores the concept of feminism to analyze the role of women in Cathedral.
Unlike men, Carver portrays women as sensible creatures who are in control of their existence. The narrator does not give a vivid account of his actions prior, during, or after events, yet he narrates the wife’s actions and decisions that mold her existence in the moment. In her review, Madeleine Stein notes that “the wife is established as one whose sensibility is exactly that which escapes the husband” (Stein 36). Unlike the narrator, his wife is actively involved in the story as she finds meaning of her existence. The narrator recalls the events that she had done ten years earlier. He notes, “She hadn’t seen him since she worked for him one summer in Seattle ten years ago. But she and the blind man had kept in touch. They made tapes and mailed them back and forth” (Carver 211). Uncontrollably, the wife has continued to 

...
Get the Whole Paper!
Not exactly what you need?
Do you need a custom essay? Order right now:

Other Topics:

  • Peter Singer and Utilitarianism
    Description: Euthanasia involves terminating one’s life because of their suffering also that they can be relieved from such suffering. It is either voluntary or involuntary. Voluntary euthanasia is carried out on a person who has made such a request while involuntary euthanasia is that which is forced on a person who has...
    3 pages/≈825 words| 3 Sources | MLA | Social Sciences | Essay |
  • Manners and Customs of the Japanese People
    Description: Japan is famous for being a nation of polite people and this has been attributed to the specific manners, customs, and way of life. From the proper way of lining up when waiting to board the train, regardless of how crowded it might be, to the proper way of bowing, the country stands out as one that has...
    5 pages/≈1375 words| 3 Sources | MLA | Social Sciences | Essay |
  • The American Dream as "Self-Sufficiency"
    Description: The American Dream is a statement that is common in America and has left people wondering what it means. People all over the country have always wanted to know if this dream actually exists and if it is attainable. While this dream is a concept existing in the minds of thousands of Americans, there is no single...
    2 pages/≈550 words| 2 Sources | MLA | Social Sciences | Essay |
Need a Custom Essay Written?
First time 15% Discount!