Cathedral

One of the common stylistic choices in the stories is that the author often provides incomplete information about the characters and their narratives. If you could ask the author one question about missing details in any of the stories, what would you ask? Given your own creative control over the stories, how would you answer that question?

Although the stories in the collection are not interconnected in terms of character or storylines, there are several themes that unify the different narratives. What is one theme that you think is present in all (or nearly all) of the stories? Choose two stories and explain how the theme manifests differently or similarly in both.

Which of the stories do you think is the most optimistic overall? Which is the most pessimistic? Why? Use details from the text to support your answer.

At the end of “Cathedral,” the narrator experiences a profound shift in perspective when he closes his eyes. What do you think changes for him? Why do you think he chooses to keep his eyes closed?

How do the stories comment on the life and existence of the members of the working class? Choose two stories and compare and contrast the way they depict how blue-collar workers live their lives.

The story “Fever” takes its title from the literal fever that Carlyle experiences near the end of the story. What purpose do you think the fever serves in the narrative? Why do you think Carver chose it as the title?

Examine the parental relationships in the stories. Which of the relationships are functional? Which are dysfunctional? How does Carver comment on the nature of fatherhood, motherhood, and the bond between children and their parents?

How do alcohol and alcoholism function in the stories? What does Carver say about alcohol and the way it affects working-class families? Use specific examples from the stories to support your response.