Cathedral

Cathedral 

• Genre: Fiction; short stories; contemporary 
• Originally Published: 1983 
• Reading Level/Interest: Grades college/adult 
• Structure/Length: Collection of 12 short stories; approximately 230 pages; audiobook duration approximately 7 hours and 16 minutes
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: Each short story in Cathedral features different protagonists dealing with everyday life and complex human relationships. The title story, “Cathedral,” specifically focuses on a narrator's interaction with a blind man, challenging his preconceptions and leading to an epiphany about connection and understanding. 
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Themes of alcohol addiction; marital strife; racist language; isolation; everyday tragedies; subtle exploration of human flaws and redemption
• This TG uses a first edition hardback copy (second printing) 0 1152 1688931 7

Raymond Carver, Author 

• Bio: Born 1938; died 1988; renowned for his short stories; major figure in the revival of the American short story in literature in the 1980s; style characterized by minimalism and a focus on working-class life; writing often explores the complexities of human relationships and the challenges of everyday life 
• Other Works: Will You Please Be Quiet, Please? (1976); What We Talk About When We Talk About Love (1981); Where I'm Calling From (1988); Short Cuts (1993) 

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• How Dysfunctional Families Trap Individuals
• Working-Class Dissatisfaction
• Disengagement and Loneliness

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Gain an understanding of the economic and social contexts of the late 1970s-early 1980s that incite the conflicts in many of Carver’s stories. 
• Study paired texts and other brief resources to make connections via the text’s themes of How Dysfunctional Families Trap Individuals, Working-Class Dissatisfaction, and Disengagement and Loneliness.  
• Write a piece of short fiction that demonstrates their understanding of Carver’s subject material and minimalist style, based on text details. 
• Examine and appraise the author’s purpose and techniques to draw conclusions in structured essay responses regarding Disengagement and Loneliness, alcohol abuse, and other topics.