Raymond Carver’s “Cathedral” vs. Tess Gallagher’s “Rain...

Raymond Carver’s â€Å"Cathedral† and Tess Gallagher’s â€Å"Rain Flooding your Campfire† are good examples of intertextual dialogue between two writers. These two stories show us how two writers can grow and develop short stories differently from the same experience. There are similarities between the stories, such as the use of a first person narrator, the plot, setting, and also there is an interchange between the narrator and the blind man in both stories. But within these similarities there are also differences; the narrators are two different people with two very different views on the situation, and although there is an interchange between the characters they are two different types with two different messages. Gallagher’s story is a†¦show more content†¦He acts as a sort of catalyst in both stories to bring different reactions from the different narrators. In Gallagher’s story the narrator has a very powerful bond with th e blind man- she is his helper. Through her account of the visit from her blind friend we can see the exceptionally spiritual and solacing exchange that they share. These prevailing feelings that Gallagher’s narrator has while she interacts with the blind man is the main focus of this story and even though it is compassionate, the theme in â€Å"Cathedral† makes for a more powerful message and can reach a greater audience. In Carver’s recounting of his experience the narrator manages to completely reverse his views of the blind man. He goes as far as to say, â€Å"It was like nothing else in my life up to now† (Carver pg. 30). The narrator who began the story seeing this blind man as more of a burden than someone he could learn something new from has an epiphany and realises the error of his ways. By working together with the blind man on something as simple as a drawing of a cathedral the narrator overcomes his prejudice and his eyes are opened. T he blind man says, â€Å"You’ll see. I’ll follow along with you. It’ll be okay.† (pg. 29). The theme in Carver’s â€Å"Cathedral† is so prominent and important, the ability to overcome prejudice by working together, reaches many more people and carries such a stronger meaning then Gallagher’s â€Å"Rain Flooding you Campfire†. The