Through awareness, we create change, and sometimes it takes an unforeseeable encounter with a peculiar individual, to ignite our awareness, and educate our perception. It’s up to us to accept the awareness and allow the change or to be aware and avoid the change. The Narrator in “Cathedral”, by Raymond Carver, experiences awareness through Robert, the blind man. Similarly, Victor in “This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona”, by Sherman Alexie, finds realization, through the company of Thomas, a childhood friend. However, the circumstances that promote change in both of the characters, as well as what they decide to do with their awareness differs. Robert is an erstwhile acquaintance of the Narrator’s wife. He recently
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Also, although awkwardly, communicating with him. Robert’s willingness and ingenuity amaze him. Whatever he imagined knowing about blind people, this fellow's actions were showing him the opposite. Robert behaves very respectfully and listens attentively. The blind man might not be able to see with his eyes, but that doesn’t preclude him from seeing with his heart. The Narrator’s wife starts to feel tired and leaves to rest, leaving the Narrator and Robert alone. Later, she returns but falls asleep on the couch. Before long, they start to watch television and continue to interact awkwardly, but evidently something was changing in him, he starts describing to Robert, what’s on the television, a sign of tenderness and compassion. Eventually, starts describing a Cathedral to the blind man, but although he is able to see the Cathedral, finds it enormously challenging to describe it and discourages. Robert proposes him, to draw the Cathedral instead, and the Narrator finds a paper-bag to draw it. As the Narrator draws, with eyes closed, Robert follows with his fingers. The Narrator discovers himself in a land of keen awareness. He reflects, “His fingers rode my fingers as my hand went over the paper. It was like nothing else in my life up to know”, as he allows himself to feel and appreciate. Comparably, Victor’s journey with Thomas also leads to great
Also, although awkwardly, communicating with him. Robert’s willingness and ingenuity amaze him. Whatever he imagined knowing about blind people, this fellow's actions were showing him the opposite. Robert behaves very respectfully and listens attentively. The blind man might not be able to see with his eyes, but that doesn’t preclude him from seeing with his heart. The Narrator’s wife starts to feel tired and leaves to rest, leaving the Narrator and Robert alone. Later, she returns but falls asleep on the couch. Before long, they start to watch television and continue to interact awkwardly, but evidently something was changing in him, he starts describing to Robert, what’s on the television, a sign of tenderness and compassion. Eventually, starts describing a Cathedral to the blind man, but although he is able to see the Cathedral, finds it enormously challenging to describe it and discourages. Robert proposes him, to draw the Cathedral instead, and the Narrator finds a paper-bag to draw it. As the Narrator draws, with eyes closed, Robert follows with his fingers. The Narrator discovers himself in a land of keen awareness. He reflects, “His fingers rode my fingers as my hand went over the paper. It was like nothing else in my life up to know”, as he allows himself to feel and appreciate. Comparably, Victor’s journey with Thomas also leads to great