Wife: She used to work for the blind man and read stories for him, she was great friends with him and still is now. She introduces the husband and the blind man early into the story.

Blind man: The main character of the story who is rather controversial to start but he ends up teaching a value lesson towards the end of the book.

Beulah: She was the blind man's ex-wife and died of cancer a few years prior. 

Rising Action: The blind man arrives and they all introduce each other. They then go to enjoy some dinner and spend some time watching TV.

Climax: The blind man asks the husband (narrator) to explain to him what a cathedral looks like. The husband ends up drawing it with his eyes closed having the blind man hold his hand.

Falling Action: The husband begins to feel somewhat enlightened due to his new experience.

Resolution: The husband realizes the error in his ways (prejudice towards the blind man).

The narrator is bigoted and narrow-minded. He scours at the fact that the blind man can’t see, essentially blaming him for his handicap and assuming his own superiority. Ironically, the narrator lacks the ability to see as well. Robert is physically blind, but the narrator is blind Robert’s world.

“The blind man said, ‘My dear, I have two TVs. I have  a color set and a black-and-white thing, an old relic. It’s funny, but if I turn the TV on, and I’m always turning it on, I turn on the color set. It’s funny, don’t you think?’” (1084)

The fact that Robert prefers the color TV, despite the fact that he can’t see the difference between it and the black-and-white set, could symbolize the idea that although he is blind, he can actually see on a deeper level. He uses the color set, which could represent his profound understanding of the world. The black-and-white set, which he doesn’t use, might symbolize the narrator’s initial viewpoint, biased and uninformed.

“My eyes were still closed. I was in my house. I knew that. But I didn't feel like I was inside anything.” (1089)

After the narrator draws the cathedral, he finally transcends his naive attitude, escaping the boundaries of his prejudice. His house could represent that bias, and he doesn’t feel like he’s limited by it anymore.

In the beginning of the story, the narrator holds a strong prejudice against Robert, the blind man. He doesn’t look forward to meeting him and looks down upon him, considering him pathetic. The narrator also holds no sympathy for Robert, despite the fact that his wife has recently passed away. After spending time with Robert and interacting with him, though, his attitude and opinion shifts. The act of drawing the cathedral with Robert triggers an epiphany in the narrator, as he realizes that the blind are not the crippled and pitiful beings that he once assumed. The narrator also realizes that he himself is capable of understanding the blind man’s situation and how he has been able to overcome the obstacles that come with being blind. This gives the narrator a new sense of viewing the world through a more accepting and understanding lens.