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Teaching Cathedral

Worship at the altar of Raymond Carver.

  • Activities: 13
  • Quiz Questions: 75

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"Cathedral" is probably Carver's most famous story, and with good reason.

On the surface, it's about a dissatisfied man whose encounter with his wife's blind friend teaches him new ways of seeing. Beneath the surface it's a story about three people who need each other badly, and manage to connect. Who knows? When we open ourselves to new ways of connecting with others, and new ways of looking at the world, perhaps we can have hugely rewarding experiences.

As if we needed another excuse to try competitive gurning (look it up).

In this guide, you'll find

  • a chance to dive into the narrator's wife's perspective by writing a chunk of her memoir.
  • an opportunity to exploit students' social media know-how through creating Facebook status updates for the narrator.
  • a 360-degree tour of a pivotal scene through the eyes of the three main characters.

Sharpen your knifes; it's Carver season.

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Inside each guide you'll find quizzes, activity ideas, discussion questions, and more—all written by experts and designed to save you time. Here are the deets on what you get with your teaching guide:

  • 13 – 18 Common Core-aligned activities to complete in class with your students, including detailed instructions for you and your students
  • Discussion and essay questions for all levels of students
  • Reading quizzes for every chapter, act, or part of the text
  • Resources to help make the book feel more relevant to your 21st-century students
  • A note from Shmoop's teachers to you, telling you what to expect from teaching the text and how you can overcome the hurdles

Want more help teaching Teaching Cathedral?

Check out all the different parts of our corresponding learning guide.



Instructions for You

Objective: It's fair to say that the narrator's emotional mind-set best resembles a kaleidoscope during the first and second parts of the story. If not worried, he's unsettled, and elsewhere, he's feeling sorry for his wife's bestest friend in the whole wide world.

Make up your mind, man.

In this one-hour activity, which can take place at the end of the second section, the students will imagine they're the narrator, thinking about the flurry of emotions running through his heart and mind. Then, they'll head to social media, giving everyone in internet land the heads-up about how they're feeling through a number of status updates.

Let's face the book.

Materials Needed: a copy of the text and/or Shmoop's summary page

Step 1: The students can get the activity rolling by reading over the first and second sections for around ten minutes. This should start them thinking about how the narrator's feeling and the catalysts for this melting pot of emotions.

Step 2: It's time to start thinking about how the narrator would articulate all these emotions on social media. Have students start their Facebook account over the next half hour; here are a few helpful guidelines so the internet knows exactly what the narrator's thinking:

  • The student should write at least ten status updates.
  • Each status update should be a maximum of four to five sentences in length.
  • Each status update must relate to an episode in the first or second section of the story that affects the narrator.
  • Each status update must also have an accompanying explanation of why the narrator would put this up on social media.

Here's a quick example to get them started:

  • Status update: Don't you hate when someone invites a guest to your house and leaves you stuck with them. #yourguestyourresponsibility
  • Explanation: The narrator would write this about when he's not too happy to be left alone with his wife's friend, before he asks Robert to smoke marijuana.

Step 3: Let's stay on the digital platform, but take it from short status updates to something longer—have students imagine that they're the narrator, sending a private message to a Facebook friend cluing them in to their current situation.

The students should stick to the following guidelines to make sure their friend gets the gist about Robert:

  • The piece should be written in first person, as Robert.
  • It should be around 100 to 150 words long.
  • All opinions on Robert should be supported by references to the text.
  • There should be inclusion of at least two key quotes from the text.
  • They've got 20 minutes to plan and write the piece.

Here's a quick example to kick things off:

I suppose, despite the obvious (him coming to stay the night at my wife's house after feeling her face years ago) he's not all bad. It's "glad for the company," as it can be pretty lonely and unsettling trying to stay up as late as possible by myself. You know, to avoid those crazy dreams I've been having.

Instructions for Your Students

It's fair to say that the narrator's emotional mind-set best resembles a kaleidoscope during the first and second parts of the story. If not worried, he's unsettled, and elsewhere, he's feeling sorry for his wife's bestest friend in the whole wide world.

Make up your mind, man.

Today you'll imagine you're the narrator, thinking about the flurry of emotions running through his heart and mind. Then, you'll head to social media, giving everyone in internet land the heads-up about how they're feeling through a number of status updates.

Let's face the book.

Step 1: Get the activity rolling by reading over the first and second sections for around ten minutes. This should start you thinking about how the narrator's feeling and the catalysts for this melting pot of emotions.

Step 2: It's time to start thinking about how the narrator would articulate all these emotions on social media. Start your Facebook account over the next half hour; here are a few helpful guidelines so the internet knows exactly what the narrator's thinking:

  • You should write at least ten status updates.
  • Each status update should be a maximum of four to five sentences in length.
  • Each status update must relate to an episode in the first or second section of the story that affects the narrator.
  • Each status update must also have an accompanying explanation of why the narrator would put this up on social media.

Here's a quick example:

  • Status update: Don't you hate when someone invites a guest to your house and leaves you stuck with them. #yourguestyourresponsibility
  • Explanation: The narrator would write this about when he's not too happy to be left alone with his wife's friend, before he asks Robert to smoke marijuana.

Step 3: Let's stay on the digital platform, but take it from short status updates to something longer—imagine that you're the narrator, sending a private message to a Facebook friend cluing them in to their current situation.

Stick to the following guidelines to make sure your friend gets the gist about Robert:

  • The piece should be written in first person, as Robert.
  • It should be around 100 to 150 words long.
  • All opinions on Robert should be supported by reference to the text.
  • There should be inclusion of at least two key quotes from the text.
  • You've got 20 minutes to plan and write the piece.

Here's a quick example to kick things off:

I suppose, despite the obvious (him coming to stay the night at my wife's house after feeling her face years ago) he's not all bad. It's "glad for the company," as it can be pretty lonely and unsettling trying to stay up as late as possible by myself. You know, to avoid those crazy dreams I've been having.