Cathedral

Many of the main characters in Cathedral are women, and much of Carver’s narration is told from the perspective of women. Do you feel that Carver, a heterosexual, cisgender man, does a realistic job of capturing women’s thoughts and feelings? Does he create substantial female characters who have their own identities? Do his female characters exist outside of their relationship with men? Does he ever objectify his female characters? Would any of his stories have been more effective if he had not attempted to portray female characters as he did?

Consider the following characters in your discussion:

• Edna, “Chef’s House”
• Sandy, “Preservation”
• Ann, “A Small, Good Thing”
• Miss Dent, “The Train”
• Marge, “The Bridle”

Teaching Suggestion: Carver often carries the reputation for writing muscular, minimalist prose, but a close look at his work will show that he often writes from the point of view of women who are inconvenienced, threatened, or held back by men. Students may want to consider which of these women seem most sympathetic and which seem more two-dimensional.

Differentiation Suggestion: Struggling readers could concentrate on a single character, such as Miss Dent in “The Train.” The teacher could provide a chart of the character’s actions, thoughts, and words throughout the story.