View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does the narrator say he felt about their old sofa (that they replaced) when the blind man arrives?

2. What does the narrator say his wife writes one or two of every year?

3. The narrator tells the blind man that sometimes cathedrals have “devils and such carved into the front. Sometimes” what?

4. The blind man asks the narrator’s wife if he looks what, when he meets her husband?

5. According to the narrator, the train ride from the blind man’s in-laws’ home to the narrator’s home takes how long?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the narrator attempt to describe a cathedral to Robert?

2. How is the theme of creativity manifested through the protagonist at the end of the story?

3. How is the theme of alienation illustrated through the protagonist in the story?

4. How does the narrator’s wife describe Robert’s marriage prior to his arrival in the story?

5. How are the characters in “Cathedral” representative of Raymond Carver’s style?

6. What is the narrator’s prayer before dinner? How is the dinner described by the narrator?

7. How does the narrator feel about the blind man’s visit in the beginning of the story? What are his impressions of “the blind”?

8. What conversation does the narrator have with Robert regarding alcohol after Robert’s arrival?

9. When and where was “Cathedral” first published? What awards was it nominated for?

10. How does the narrator’s wife respond to the marijuana downstairs when she returns?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and discuss the setting of “Cathedral.” Of what importance is the setting of the story? Could the story be set in a different time and place? How would this change the story?

Essay Topic 2

Define character action, obstacle, and objective and discuss these elements as they apply to the narrator of “Cathedral.” What is the narrator’s goal in the story? Is he successful in achieving his objectives? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast the marriage of the narrator and his wife and the marriage of Robert and Beulah as seen in the text. How are these relationships similar? How do they differ?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 852 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample