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Allusions
Foil
Explanation and Analysis—The Narrator and Robert:
In “Cathedral,” Robert acts as a foil to the narrator, meaning that his presence in the story—and, in particular, the ways in which he differs from the narrator—highlights important elements of the narrator’s character. The fact that Robert is so kind, empathetic, and attuned to those around him draws readers’ attention to how unkind, unhappy, and emotionally closed off the narrator is by comparison.
This core difference between the two men comes across in subtle ways throughout the story. For example, the ways in which the narrator and Robert interact with the narrator’s wife (Robert’s long-time friend) showcase the men’s different ways of treating people they love. Robert has spent the past 10 years trading audio messages with the narrator’s wife (in lieu of letters, since he is blind), listening intently to her poetry and her romantic woes, while the narrator barely pays attention to her, noting at one point that, after reading one of her poems, he “didn’t think much of [it].”
It is notable that, at the end of the story, after an evening of experiencing Robert’s warm and gentle presence himself, the narrator starts to experience a shift in his emotional state, becoming more open to connection with Robert. When Robert asks the narrator to draw a cathedral and places his hand on top of the narrator’s while he draws in order to “see” what a cathedral looks like, the narrator easily acquiesces. At the end of this intimate experience, he sits still with eyes closed, reveling in how much he can feel. This moment highlights the power of empathy and kindness and how they can help even the most emotionally guarded person to open up.
Related Themes:
