'Learning Never Ends' In Raymond Carver's short story 'Cathedral,' he uses plot, character, as well as actions to develop his theme. The theme is very slowly and subtlety developed early on the story. It is the theme of 'Leaning never ends.' The character of the narrator's wife is simply a bridge between the two contrasting attitudes of the narrator and Robert, the blind man. Robert hired the narrator's wife to read for him. …showed first 75 words of 510 total…

…showed last 75 words of 510 total…him a cathedral. Unenthusiastic at first, but soon the narrator became absorbed in his drawing. Then Robert gives him a final and no doubly lasting impression on the narrator. He tells him to close his eyes and to continue drawing. Blindly. Then he didn't open his eyes. This final act definitely tought the narrator what it was like to be in Robert's world. where he got to see the cathedral that he had shown him.