Greed's Toll

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Greed’s Toll: The Complexities of Self-Interest in “Button, Button” What lengths would one go to in order to obtain something that one desires? Many claim to be willing to do whatever is required to achieve professional success or to experience true contentment, for instance. What happens, though, when one is faced with the possibility of acquiring precisely what one yearns for. except that one must do something unprincipled to procure it? What is the course of action to take? “Button, Button” is a short tale recounting the experiences of a married couple—the Lewises—when a man arrives at their door and presents them with a button, notifying them that if they press it, they will be sent fifty thousand dollars. However, he apprises them that …show more content…

His untimely demise makes her eligible to claim fifty thousand dollars in life insurance as per the policy the couple had established with their insurance company. Within the narrative of “Button, Button” by Richard Matheson, Norma Lewis demonstrates the qualities of self-absorption and inquisitiveness, shaping her into a morally ambiguous character. Hence, it is vital that one keeps in mind that greed is a dangerous quality and can push one to do vile things if one does not exercise caution. To begin, throughout the story, the actions and decisions of Norma Lewis reveal distinct indicators of her self-absorption and egocentricity, rendering her an ethically ambiguous character. Her competitiveness quickly proves to be capable of clouding her thoughts and prompting her to commit unscrupulous acts. The very first question that Mrs. Lewis poses to Mr. Steward, the man she presumes is attempting to sell her something, following his declaration that the item he is suggesting she use possesses properties she will appreciate, is whether it will benefit her …show more content…

. .] “No, I don’t think so,” she replied. “It could prove very valuable,” he told her. “Monetarily?” she challenged’ (Matheson, 1). This validates the argument that Lewis is narcissistic in that it illustrates that what she craves most is wealth. For her to be curious first about the fiscal advantages of the button rather than why it was delivered to her or the risks pressing it entails denotes that she is avaricious; fortune is her primary concern and she makes it plain. Her willingness to accept the package and allow Steward to elucidate the features of it gives rise to an unfortunate turn of events, for which she is partially responsible. Furthermore, Lewis is depicted as entirely indifferent to the loss of human life, so long as those perishing have no connection to her, as she presses the button, fully aware of the ramifications. Lewis deems her own aspirations to be greater in importance than the lives of other human beings, which is an exceedingly selfish and barbarous belief to have. As Matheson writes, ‘She stared at the button. How ridiculous, she thought. All this furor over a meaningless button. Reaching out, she pressed it down. For us, she thought angrily’ (Matheson,

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