Symbolism In Paul's Case By Willa Cather

1449 Words3 Pages

Austin Peterson Kruse English II 1 May 2015 Societal Symbolism in “Paul’s Case” Willa Cather’s “Paul’s Case” tells a timeless tale of troubled youth filled with feelings of spite towards society and feelings of alienation and depression. Throughout the story, Paul’s artistic tendencies are constantly suppressed by his father and other characters, and his hate for society and dissatisfaction with his lifestyle lead him to commit the crime that makes his dreams immediately possible. Cather portrays her opinions of the money and its effect on the actions of people using Paul’s theft and lavish lifestyle, and symbolizes many of society’s flaws using the various characters and their actions throughout the story. While many think that Willa Cather’s …show more content…

Throughout the story, Paul is characterized as artistic, yet the other characters act as though they are against this quality, resulting in a lack of expression in Paul. The only place that he feels alive is in the theatre or the orchestra. Cather’s first example of this is by alluding to two orchestra pieces, both of which are about suppression and social reclusion, which Paul identifies with and feels liberated by. “The moment the cracked orchestra beat out the overture from Martha, or jerked at the serenade from Rigoletto, all stupid and ugly things slid from him, and his senses were deliciously, yet delicately fired.” (7). Throughout the story Paul acts repressed and gloomy, as well as hateful and disdainful, but upon hearing the two orchestral performances, all his worries slide away from him, and he feels free. The second and more effective allusion also refers to an orchestral piece. “…but the first sigh of the instruments seemed to free some hilarious and potent spirit within him; something that struggled there like the genie in the bottle found by the Arab fisherman. He felt a sudden zest of life; the lights danced before his eyes and the concert hall blazed into unimaginable splendor.” (Cather 3). The allusion in this quote is to the Arab fairy tale of the Genie in a bottle, a tale of release and liberation. The theme of suppression of artistic tendencies is also noticed by literature critic Loretta Wassermann, who, in reference to the forbiddance of Paul to visit the theatre by his father, states that “Charley Edwards, the stock company juvenile, regrets it when Paul’s father forbids Paul to loiter about the dressing rooms because the actor ‘recognized something akin to what churchmen call ‘vocation’.’” (2). Cather includes the detail of Edward’s sadness about Paul’s forbiddance to visit the theatre in order to convey the

Show More
Related

  • Biblical Allusions In Parker's Back By Flannery O Connor

    133 Words  | 1 Pages

    “Parker’s Back” by Flannery O’Conner, has many biblical allusions. The story of “Parker’s Back” describes a man’s unsatisfied life. At the age of fourteen Park inspired by a tattooed man at the fair. “Parker has never before felt the least motion of wonder in himself” when he saw the man with “breast and flower” tattoo (O’Connor 572). The “breast and flower,” “a single intricate design of brilliant color” represents the Garden of Eden (572). Parker assumed tattoos will make him happy, however, he never satisfies with his tattoos. The story of Adam and Eve symbolize the Biblical allusion of dissatisfaction. Adam and Eve’s dissatisfaction lead them to commit sin, as a result “he drove the man out” of the Garden of Eden (Gen.3). Parker also discontents

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Nicole Krauss 'The Young Painters'

    1142 Words  | 3 Pages

    Upon the dancer’s departure, “the dancer, who though older was still languid and full of grace, reached out and tapped me with two fingers on the cheek, turned, and walked away” (185). Krauss uses this odd gesture by the dancer helps reinforce the strange quirks of the dancer and the author’s thought of the gesture containing “something condescending in it, even meant to humiliate” (185). The use of the words, “languid and full of grace” continues to strengthen the narrator’s fascination in the dancers beauty but also how the narrator feels uncomfortable with her interactions with the dancer. After the narrator’s encounter with the dancer, she walks by a crowded park “until a cry rang out, pained and terrified, an agonizing child’s cry that tore into[her] as if it were an appeal to [her] alone” (186). The author’s use of the painful and terrifying cry reintroduces the theme of a screaming child from the first passage which reinforces the author’s incapability to manager her guilt. The use of the word “agonizing” in this context suggests the overwhelming amount of guilt the author contains but in form as a youthful shrilling scream. Towards the end of the short story, the agonizing

    Read More

  • Comparing Barn Burning and Paul's Case

    630 Words  | 2 Pages

    Paul's dream to live like the stars is taken away when his father forbids him to work, visit, or go anywhere near the theater. It is at Carnegie Hall that Paul became struck by the glitter and the starlight of the stage. He is not star struck in the sense that he wanted to perform in any way; he is simply content to observe others' performances.

    Read More

  • Georgia O'Keeffe and Willa Cather's Use of Symbolism and Imagery

    1285 Words  | 3 Pages

    There were many of artists and writers, who demonstrated symbolism and imagery within their work of art, set in nineteenth century New Mexico. Willa Cather and Georgia O’Keeffe were best known as an author and an artist in the nineteenth century. Willa Cather had a long memorable career writing novels, short stories, poems, and essay, and contributing to any newspapers, editor, and journals as writer. She travels at length to gather material for her narrative and characters, and was recognizable with and respect by many other popular writers in the nineteenth century. In one of her novel, “Death Comes for The Archbishop”, Willa Cather demonstrates her unique ability to show remarkably compound landscapes within delightfully expressive writing. She brilliantly includes symbolism and imagery to express lowest point of emotions that are generally applicable, while artfully portraying the victories or failures of her characters. Georgia O'Keeffe spending most of her summer in New Mexico, delighted by the desolate landscape and extensive atmosphere of the desert, would explore the subject of animal bones in her paintings while she in New Mexico. The flowers, she painted the bones puffed up and captured the stillness and isolation of them, while expressing a sense of beauty that lies within the desert. She explored the symbolize and imagery in her magnified paintings of flowers that attract people emotionally, although her purpose was to express that nature in all its beauty was as powerful as the extensive of the period. As an author, Willa Cather demonstrated a history of New Mexico through her writing. As an artist, Georgia O’Keeffe was using paint and canvas to verify the loveliness scene of New Mexico. Even though, Willa Cather and...

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Paul's Case By Willa Cather

    1486 Words  | 3 Pages

    Paul’s character relates to the central idea because he is an example of a person who was not accepted by others and fell down on a dark path of no

    Read More

  • Symbolism In A Worn Path By Eudora Welty

    823 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... on foot and that alone is hard as it is. Eudora Welty shows her theme that with an adequate amount of determination and confidence we can tackle any problem or obstacle that is thrown our way and go the extra mile to reach our objective that we had set. Of course being restrained by time and age, Phoenix still fights and steps forward to a goal which is very significant to her heart; she doesn’t allow any barrier get in her way. Phoenix Jackson being the main character of “A Worn Path” is clear

    Read More

  • Irony and Symbolism in Willa Cather's Paul's Case

    1774 Words  | 4 Pages

    "Paul's Case," by Willa Cather, is a story that deals with a young boy who does not feel that he lives a life befitting of him. Upon a close reading, it is evident that "Paul's Case" is ruled by irony and symbolism, which are apparent in the story through the words of the narrator. The irony woven throughout the text builds up to an epiphonic moment, a main paradox in the story, which reveals to the reader Paul's true nature.

    Read More

  • An Analysis of Paul's Case by Willa Cather

    296 Words  | 1 Pages

    Paul's father is a single parent trying to raise his children in a respectable neighborhood. He is a hard worker and trying to set a good example for his son. His father puts pressure on Paul by constantly referring to a neighbor, whom he feels is a perfect model for his son to follow.

    Read More

  • Analysis of Paul's Case by Willa Cather

    1076 Words  | 3 Pages

    Analysis of Paul's Case by Willa Cather. Willa Cather’s “Paul’s Case” is a story about a young 16 year-old man, Paul, who is motherless and alienated. Paul’s lack of maternal care has led to his alienation. He searches for the aesthetics in life that he doesn’t get from his yellow wallpaper in his house and his detached, overpowering father figure in his life. Paul doesn’t have any interests in school and his only happiness is in working at Carnegie Hall and dreams of one day living the luxurious life in New York City.

    Read More

  • A Midsummer's Night Dream Essay

    1185 Words  | 3 Pages

    Paul as well as those of Erasmus that bring to focus various dimensions that are aligned around Shakespeare’s perception of comic faith in the play. The characters of Bottom, Theseus and lovers give out an insight to epistle paradoxes on religious faith coupled with a slight touch of romantic faith which is set out in thee wholesome imaginative experience. Celebration of limitations sits as the precursor for comic happiness in the play; there is an epistemological appeal that focuses on the mannerisms of characters. Most obvious of all allusions of comic faith in the play is Pauline and sets out the central attention that is meant to be captures. Upon waking up from his dream, Bottom has a delightful monologue that sets out a clear difference between ridicule and the sublime of the play, “I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was. Man is but an ass of he go about to expound this dream. Methought I was – there is no man can tell what. Methought …I had – But man is but a patched fool if he will offer to say what methought I had. The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not seen, man’s hand is not able to taste, his tongue to conceive, nor his heart to report what my dream was (Shakespeare and Foakes 203).” Herein we see Bottom considering himself as an ass and he fails to expound further on the meaning of his dream whole his hands

    Read More

  • Paul's Character in Paul's Case

    615 Words  | 2 Pages

    Pauls's Case is the story of a young man who struggles with his identity. Paul feels that he knows where he belongs, but his family and teachers refuse to support his choices. In the middle of Paul's Case, there is a switch in narration. At this point, the reader can associate with Paul and his problems. Paul struggles with both internal and external conflicts, causing him to be quite a puzzling character. From tha perspective of his family and teachers, Paul seems abnormal. From his perspective, however, he seems misunderstood.

    Read More

  • A Feminist Reading of Paul's Case

    1201 Words  | 3 Pages

    In "Paul's Case," the story revolves around a young male. He is the main character. There are very few mentions of women, however, when they do come into the story they are only mentioned briefly, or they play minor, secondary characters. Paul's mother and sisters are spoken about once during the entire story, while there are four references to his father. The females in his family are mentioned only in passing and remain flat characters, while his father is referred to several times, each time involving an action or comment which exhibits an aspect of his father's personality which makes him a more rounded character.

    Read More

  • The Setting of Paul's Case

    1097 Words  | 3 Pages

    "Paul’s Case." Short Stories for Students. Ed. Kathleen Wilson. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 192-209. Short Stories for Students. Gale. Web. 21 Jan. 2010.

    Read More

  • My Antonia Essay: The Role of Women

    2160 Words  | 5 Pages

    Summers, Claude J. "'A Losing Game in the End': Aestheticism and Homosexuality in Cather's 'Paul's Case.'" Modern Fiction Studies 36:1 (Spring 1990): 103-119.

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Materialism In 'The Rocking Horse Winner'

    782 Words  | 2 Pages

    According to D.H. Lawrence: a study of the short fiction Paul’s last words ““Mother did I ever tell you? I am lucky!” Are really a desperate, confused proclamation of his love” (4)? This demonstrates that even after all his mother has done he still loves her and cares about her. He sees more in his mother than her materialism, he knows that she still loves her family, even if she cannot control her need for more money. Unlike his mother Paul shows that he does not care about money by saying “oh, let her have it, then! We can get some more with the other,” (Lawrence 800). This proves how different both characters are and how not all people are materialistic even if they come from the same family. He is willing to give his mother all the money he has earned just to make her happy. This proves how important his mom is to him and how money is not important to him because he is willing to give up all the money he

    Read More

More about Symbolism In Paul's Case By Willa Cather

Open Document