: Unlike his bleaker early stories, "Cathedral" explores moments of genuine epiphany and spiritual awakening.
: Carver uses a "meticulous economy" of language to bring ordinary, banal lives into sharp focus. Katedral - Raymond Carver
The collection is a hallmark of a style focused on the unadorned, often difficult lives of working-class people. Reviewers from Hypercritic and The London Magazine highlight these defining traits: : Unlike his bleaker early stories, "Cathedral" explores