Raymond Carver’s “Cathedral” and Junot Díaz’s “Fiesta, 1980,” present memorable characters whose personality traits make them unforgettable.
In “Cathedral” we have a reliable and mostly unlikable narrator whose character undergoes such an overwhelming transformation during the short term of the story, perhaps several hours, that we are astounded at Carver’s ability to depict this most human side of the human condition.
And in “Fiesta, 1980” Diaz presents a small but volatile family who, during the course of an afternoon visit to the relatives reveals the character of each of these individuals in startling ways: through dialog, through subtext, but never out in the open. The effect is remarkable.
Copyright laws prevent me from posting these stories, but you should be able to locate both of them to read online.