Cathedral

I've written some about Raymond Carver on this blog before, but I wanted to offer additional thoughts this evening. First, it must be said that 'Cathedral' stands as a crowning achievement. I love that line towards the end of the story: "A wink is the same as a nod to a blind man" (Vintage 225). Second, in 'Cathedral' at least, Carver accomplishes that rare thing: he convinces his readers to care, to emote, to share in that unbelievable moment between Robert and the nameless husband. Third, while 'Cathedral' is successful, others of Carver's stories rely too heavily, I think, on dialogue between couples. I found this curious: for more often than not, Carver's vignettes appear truncated, unwilling to move beyond an exploration of the relationship between two people. I wasn't sure whether this was the case because Carver felt more comfortable writing dialogue using couples, or whether his goal was simply to explore the dynamics governing intimate relations (much, I suppose, like Edward Hopper). Finally, it must be said that Carver is at times preoccupied with finding that 'American Moment.' Here, he lost me - because, to be honest, it was here that he most resembled Updike. I've never taken much away from those 'A&P' kind of moments. Fiction should incorporate - on some level, at least - an element of philosophy - and it's for this reason that I craved Sebald and Calvino after finishing Carver. (And no, Updike's suggestion that adultery represents the most conventional way to overcome the conventional does not qualify as 'philosophy'!)

[Hat tip to B.J.E. Freedman re: Edward Hopper]