Hi, I am writing a paper about the Cathedral by Raymond Carver. This is my intro. and i was wondering if it was a solid opening and has a good thesis statement.
In the short story Cathedral, by Raymond Carver, the narrator refers to Robert as "this blind man." Not only is he categorizing Robert, but he's also making wrongful assumptions about people who have disabilities. Instead of assuming, he should sympathize and try to think about the positives. Being blind is just one aspect of Roberts’s life and it doesn't define who he is as a person. Initially he sees Robert as a stereotypical blind man and not a normal human being. Despite his first preconceived notions upon meeting Robert, the man learns to accept him for who he is, and learns to respect him. Certain events throughout the story lead to his transformation from one who stereotypes to someone who has a better understanding and new found respect for blind people.
Good thesis statement.
Instead of assuming, he should sympathize and try to think about the positives. "
I would leave out this statement "
You refer to the narrator as "he" "his" This is unclear... I would continue to use "narrator" or "story-teller"
Yeh i agree, but its confusing sometimes because the narrator's name is unknown, so im not sure if i should just keep saying narrator, he or story-teller. Do you think i should just say narrator the whole time?
Your introduction provides a good overview of the main themes and characters in Raymond Carver's Cathedral. However, your thesis statement could be more precise and focused.
A solid thesis statement should clearly state your main argument or analysis and provide a roadmap for your essay. Here's an example of a revised thesis statement that captures the core idea of your introduction:
"In Cathedral, Raymond Carver uses the character of the narrator to explore the transformative power of empathy and understanding, challenging stereotypes about disabled individuals and emphasizing the importance of recognizing the full humanity and potential of all people."
This revised thesis statement explicitly mentions the transformative power of empathy and understanding, and highlights the core message of the story regarding stereotypes and perceiving disabled individuals as fully human.
Remember, your thesis statement should guide your analysis and provide a clear focus for your essay. As you develop your arguments, each paragraph should build upon your thesis and present evidence from the text to support your claims.