Compare And Contrast Midge And Alan In The Chaser

Characters in stories can be very similar and very different. The characters from the book, 50 Great Short Stories, Midge and Alan are both very alike. Midge, one of the main characters in the short story, “A Standard of Living” by Dorothy Parker, and Alan, one of the main characters in “The Chaser” by John Collier, are similar in how they are greedy, selfish, and they both focus on materialistic things.
Both main characters, Midge and Alan are greedy. Midge is greedy for class, money and status, whereas Alan is greedy for love. Midge and her friend, Annabel, invented a game. This game is a game where they could buy anything they want at any price. The narrator explains the game that Midge had devised, “rather she had evolved it from an old one. Basically, it was no more than the ancient sport of what-would-you-do-if-you-had-a-million-dollars?” (28). Annabel and Midge are greedy for money, class, and things, so this is why they play the game. They devote their life to the game and worship it, even though everything is fake and imaginary. Alan is greedy as well. Alan Is greedy for love from Diana. Diana is the girl of his dreams. The old man is

giving Alan a potion that will make Diana fall in love with him. He is only focused on her love though and not the consequences of the potion. Alan says to old man who is explaining how the potion works, “‘Wonderful!’…’That is love!”’ (559). He is so greedy and will do anything for her love. Both Characters are greedy in different ways.
Secondly, Both characters are selfish. They both think only of themselves and not the people they are affecting. When Midge and Annabel were playing their game, Annabel said she would buy a silver fox coat. Midge went ballistic and shunned Annabel for it, “ When Midge recovered her breath she cried that she couldn't imagine how Annabel could do such a thing-silver fox coats are so common!” (30). Midge ignored her best friend because she did not like her opinion or decision in what Annabel wanted to do with “her” money. She is so selfish and self-centered, and she does not realize that this could have hurt Annabel. Alan is also selfish as well. Alan does not understand that when giving Diana the love potion, she will change completely. The old man is explaining how the love potion works and the consequences, but Alan is overlooking them. For example, the old man says “ Their effects are permanent…She will change altogether” (558-559). Alan is only thinking of himself when listening to the old man, and thinking of giving Diana the potion. He does not realize that she will not be with the person he fell in love with, only her body and not her soul. Midge and Alan are both very selfish and egocentric.
Lastly, both characters focus on materials things.

When Midge plays the game with her friend they focus on the things they can buy and the things it will give them like class and status, and “They painted their lips and their nails…they wore thin bright dresses tight over their breasts and high on their legs, and tilted slippers, fancifully strapped. They looked conspicuous and cheap and charming (28). They focus on the attention of others and the things they can buy. Lastly, Alan focuses on materialism too. He focuses on Diana. After the old man gives him the potion he is so excited to use it on her, “‘ I can’t tell you how grateful I am’ said Alan’’’ (560). He is focused on her and her body, a materialistic object, and not her genuine happiness and love. Materialism was the main focus for both Alan and

Midge.
Midge was greedy for objects and money, and Alan was greedy for love from Diana. Midge and Alan were also selfish because they only focused on themselves and not the people around them or the people they were affecting. Lastly, both were shallow and focused on materialistic things, like status and love. The two characters were from two different shot stories but were very similar.