Cathedral Story by (Raymond Carver) - Essay Example

His writings depict a fiction world where the characters have too much to worry about. In his life, he frequently ran out of money. This aspect is depicted in his stories where unemployment and fear of bankruptcy are the major worries of most characters. His background greatly influenced his writings. This can be demonstrated by great usage of waiters, mechanics, salespersons, and postmen as the main characters. This is depictive of his background. He was born and raised up in a society where such jobs were the major occupation for most people.

In his writings, Carver appears to be reliving his disturbed and poverty stricken past. By this, I mean that his characters parallel his own life. He worked in quite a number of low paying jobs such as pumping gas, picking tulips and swabbing toilets. His great attachment to the Narrator in his short story Cathedral is attributable to his own life as an alcohol addict (Kirszner 22-25; Sklenicka 11-14). Carver must have been inspired by his troubled life to write the story Cathedral. The happenings and behavior of the characters is quite similar to the life of Carver.

The narrator in the Cathedral marries a wife who appears immature. This could possibly be similar to Carver’s own experience. He married his first wife, Maryann, at the age of 19, while she was only 16. It is possible that Carver’s wife demonstrated some form of immaturity similar to that of the narrator’s wife. Therefore, the fictional wife could be depictive of Carver’s wife whom he later divorced (Kirszner 7-11). Connections between Myself, Carver and his story Cathedral Carver is the author of several short stories inclusive of the Cathedral.

Cathedral is a story relates to the life of Carver and most people in the middle class. The major character, who is also the narrator of the story, is a notorious drinker of scotch who abuses marijuana. Moreover, he is from the middle class, which is reflective of Carver’s past. Carver treats the narrator as some sort of a hero. Carver had a humble beginning but ended up succeeding. Carver was determined to achieve in life. This could be reason why he shapes the life of the narrator such that he ends up succeeding irrespective of his drinking habits.

The life of the narrator is quite similar to that of Carver. Middle class as well as lower class characters characterize his writings. This is depictive of the environment that he grew in (Sklenicka 11-14; Wriglesworth 464-467). As I read Carver’s story, I could easily connect with it. I watched the narrator went through different struggles in life in his attempt to succeed. Having been born in a middle class I clearly understand how the life struggles that often lead to desperation could have driven Carver into a life of drunkenness.

I come from a society where people are in frequent struggles against ignorance and shortages. Furthermore, most are determined to improve their lives but are in a continual battle as they seek for financial comfort and security. As I read Carver’s bibliography, I was able to connect with his writing even more. As I used to accompany my father to the garden after school, Carver spent his early days working with his father in sawmills. At some point I felt like my great connection with Carver’s work that emanates from the fact that we have something in common.

As such, the stories are depictive of Carver’s past (Kirszner 22-25). In the Cathedral, the narrator is in constant