Awakened

THE LESSON and CATHEDRAL, Abdullah Al-Shafi

Narrators

THE LESSON

• Sylvia is angry• She does not

want to participate

• She visits the toy store

• She is surprised by what she sees

• She sees the world from white people’s eyes

• She learns a lesson

CATHEDRAL

• The husband is angry

• His mind is closed• He spends time

with Robert, a blind man

• He closes his eyes to learn what it is like to be blind

• He draws a cathedral for Robert

• He is surprised by what he learns

The Lesson. Sugar says:

“You know, Miss Moore, I don’t think all of us here put together eat in a year what that sailboat costs

“Imagine for a minute what kind of society it is in which some people can spend on a toy what it would cost to feed a family of six or seven. What do you think?”

“I think,” say Sugar “that this is not much of a democracy if you ask me. Equal chance to pursue happiness means an equal crack at the dough, don’t it?”

Cathedral

“It was like nothing else in my life up to now. Then he said, “I think that’s it. I think you got it,”

“Take a look. What do you think?” But I had my eyes closed. I thought I’d keep them that way for a little longer. I thought it was something I ought to do. “Well?” he said. “Are you looking?”

My eyes were still closed. I was in my house. I knew that. But I didn’t feel like I was inside anything.

“It’s really something,” I said.