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Lesson 1 (from Cathedral)

Objective

“Cathedral” is a short story by American author Raymond Carver. First published in The Atlantic Monthly in 1981, the story later became the title story in the 1983 anthology Cathedral. The short story is considered to be one of Carver’s finest works and clearly illustrates his minimalist style of dirty realism. In this lesson, students are introduced to the work and will research and discuss Raymond Carver, “dirty realism,” and literary minimalism.

Lesson

Research Activity: Conduct independent research on the publication of “Cathedral,” author Raymond Carver, and the genres, stylistic elements, and themes that are central to Carver’s work. When in Carver’s career was the story published? How did its publication influence Carver’s success as a short-story author?

Group Assignment: Assign students to small groups of 3-4 each. As a group, develop a presentation that illustrates and discusses the biography, works, and common themes...

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