Relationships in Cathedral and the Story of an Hour
Relationships in Cathedral and The Story of an Hour
Relationships are easy to make, but not necessarily easy to maintain. There are many
events in a person’s individual life that has an impact on the way they treat or interact with
another person. In Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” and Raymond Carver’s “Cathedral”
there are significant similarities and differences between the three couples. Given the time period
that these stories were written there are many more similarities than differences.
One of the most prominent similarities between the couples in “Cathedral” and “The
Story of an Hour” is the emotional distance between the spouses. What creates this emotional
distance is the lack of communication; it is the common factor in each relationship. With Brently
and Louise, and the wife and the military man it is the women who are being held captive in their
own life. Louise who had been living a life for her husband, not for herself “seems to live a
psychologically torpid and anemic life” (Jamil, 215). Louise is nonetheless “generally apathetic
toward life” (Jamil, 216). Mrs. Mallard is not getting what she needs out of life and is not happy
which puts a strain on her marriage, but she can see no end in sight. That is why, when she finds
out about her husband’s death, after giving into her initial emotions and breaking down, she
reflects on what is to come in her life and is pleasantly surprised. Mrs. Mallard realizes she is at
once “free, free, free!” as she states it so quietly to herself (Chopin, 1), free of her “husband’s
powerful will to smother and silence her own will” (Jamil, 216).
Like Louise and Brently, the wife and her ex-husband had the same distance between
them. The wife was not dealing with being a military wife well. Kevin Keane’s analysis
“Perceiving the Other in Raymond Carver’s ‘Cathedral’” states, “She tried to take some action
about her loneliness whereas the husband only tries to block it out of
Relationships are easy to make, but not necessarily easy to maintain. There are many
events in a person’s individual life that has an impact on the way they treat or interact with
another person. In Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” and Raymond Carver’s “Cathedral”
there are significant similarities and differences between the three couples. Given the time period
that these stories were written there are many more similarities than differences.
One of the most prominent similarities between the couples in “Cathedral” and “The
Story of an Hour” is the emotional distance between the spouses. What creates this emotional
distance is the lack of communication; it is the common factor in each relationship. With Brently
and Louise, and the wife and the military man it is the women who are being held captive in their
own life. Louise who had been living a life for her husband, not for herself “seems to live a
psychologically torpid and anemic life” (Jamil, 215). Louise is nonetheless “generally apathetic
toward life” (Jamil, 216). Mrs. Mallard is not getting what she needs out of life and is not happy
which puts a strain on her marriage, but she can see no end in sight. That is why, when she finds
out about her husband’s death, after giving into her initial emotions and breaking down, she
reflects on what is to come in her life and is pleasantly surprised. Mrs. Mallard realizes she is at
once “free, free, free!” as she states it so quietly to herself (Chopin, 1), free of her “husband’s
powerful will to smother and silence her own will” (Jamil, 216).
Like Louise and Brently, the wife and her ex-husband had the same distance between
them. The wife was not dealing with being a military wife well. Kevin Keane’s analysis
“Perceiving the Other in Raymond Carver’s ‘Cathedral’” states, “She tried to take some action
about her loneliness whereas the husband only tries to block it out of
Cited: Carver, Raymond. “Cathedral.” NBU. n.p. n.d. Web. 22 March 2013. Chopin, Kate. “The Story of an Hour.” VCU. n.p. n.d. Web. 20 March 2013. Keane, Kevin. “Perceiving the Other in Raymond Carver’s “Cathedral”.” Osaka Prefecture University, Opera 1999. Web. 23 March 2013. Selina, Jamil. “Emotions in THE STORY OF AN HOUR.” Classfolios, Heldref Publications, 2009. Web. 20 March 2013 “The Role of Women in the Household.” Boundless. n.p. 2009. Web. 24 March 2013.