Blindness in Emergency by Denis Johnson & Cathedral by Raymond Caver

Emergency by Denis Johnson and Cathedral by Raymond Caver are both stories in which the narrator is essentially "blind" to the world. While the narrator in each short story has ability to see, each lives in their own unique oblivion, blinded by their own beliefs. Yet it is through this "blindness" that the main characters realize their own flaws, thus regaining "sight".

In "Emergency", the narrator lives a very nonchalant, meaningless life, yet he does not realize the lifestyle he lives. Being blinded by his own beliefs, it takes his experiences with Georgie, his coworker, to realize his flaw. After taking numerous medications that were stolen from the hospital, Georgie and the narrator begin to drive around the city. It is during this time that the two come across an LSD guru. Although the narrator and Georgie are also high, it is the guru who "this extraterrestrial" (Johnson 77) as if he was the only one with a problem. Although the narrator realizes the amount of LSD he consumes is significant, he does not realize the extent that the drugs influence his life. As Georgie and the narrator continue to take more drugs, the narrator begins to focus his thoughts on Georgie. At one point, the narrator asks Georgie if he is "completely blind" (Johnson 77). The narrator begins to note a difference between him and Georgie, again seeing the other person as the one with the problem. However, as the day progresses, the narrator begins to realize that he might not be the normal one after all.

After spending some time driving around with Georgie, the narrator begins to come to a conclusion. While he has always realized that there is a "difference between" (Johnson 85) the two, the narrator is no longer certain his way of life is better or more normal than Georgies. Because the story is told from the narrator's point of view, we slowly see the narrator's view of Georgie change. At the beginning of the short story, Georgie is mopping a pool of blood in the emergency room, but when the narrator walks in, he notes "the floor looked clean enough to me" (Johnson 69). It is at this point where the difference between the two characters can begin to be noticed. The narrator is satisfied with the condition of the floor, while Georgie is striving to do better. The narrator does not realize this difference yet but several events that occur during their time together influence the narrator's thoughts. The first is in the hospital when Georgie removes the knife from the man's eye. This foreshadowing enhances the theme of blindness because Georgie is helping a man who has been stabbed in the eyeball and temporarily blinded, to overcome adversity. Another important event is when Georgie runs over the rabbit. The rabbit has died but Georgie removes the baby rabbits from the mother's stomach so that they may live. Despite Georgie's efforts, the narrator is careless while riding in the car and accidentally squishes the baby rabbits and they die.

At the end of the "Emergency", the narrator has finally realized the difference between them is that when Georgie is asked what he does, he responds "I save lives" (Johnson 87). As the day with Georgie progressed, the narrator began to notice a difference. No longer was Georgie some crazy druggie, but rather a person who was simply trying to improve his current status. Finally the narrator has come to realize that he, rather than others, lives a meaningless life. All this time the narrator has been blinded, but after his experiences with those he believe to have problems, the narrator realizes his own flaws.

Similar to "Emergency", the narrator in "Cathedral" is also blind (unaware of his actions) to society, yet in this short story; it is his wife's visually impaired visitor that allows him to "open his eyes". When Robert, the blind visitor, first arrives, the narrator is very pessimistic and biased toward Robert. In addition to several nugatory stereotypes, the narrator hardly respects Robert and simply refers to him as "blind man" (Carver 1). It is with this bias, that the narrator reveals his belief that he is superior to Robert. Because Robert is blind, the narrator feels that Robert cannot experience everything people with sight can. By asking Robert "which side of the train did you sit on" (Carver 4), the narrator reveals his feelings. Not being able to see, the narrator feels Robert cannot enjoy travel. Although the narrator maintains this belief, he comes to realize that he, not Robert, has actually been blind.

Despite being blind, Robert has made the most of life. By traveling and listening to educational television programs, Robert continues to better himself. Contrary to Robert, the narrator appears unmotivated (exacerbated by his use of dope) and very satisfied with his life. Although the narrator views Robert as a burden to his life, it is Robert who allows the narrator to finally see. After watching television and conversing, the two draw a cathedral. It is here, with narrator closing his eyes and Robert holding his hand, the narrator experiences something that "was like nothing else in my life up to now" (Carver 13). By drawing the cathedral with Robert, the narrator has become open to a whole new world. Before the drawing, the narrator had a strong bias towards Robert. Yet at this point in time the narrator feels a difference between the two. No longer oppressed, the narrator "didn't feel like I was inside anything" (Carver 13). The narrators experience with Robert allows him to view his life from an entirely new vantage point. When the drawing is complete, the narrator keeps his eyes closed and continues to use the experience as an awakening. The narrator now realizes that life is "really something" (Carver 13) and he would benefit from changing his lifestyle. Ironically, it is through his experience with a visual impaired man, that Robert is introduced to an entirely new perspective on life.

In both "Emergency" and "Cathedral", the narrators are enlightened and allowed a new outlook on life. In each scenario, a person who is thought to be different is able to shed light on the previously blind narrator. There is always another way to view life, and sometimes we are led from the dark and given sight from the people who we believe are the least likely to do so.