Analysis Of Paul's Case By Willa Cather
Contents
1. Introduction 2
2. Analysis 2
2.1 Paul’s Character 2
2.2 Paul’s interpretation of the American Dream 5
2.3 Flowers 5
2.4 Glasses 7
3. Conclusion 8
4. Bibliography 9
1. Introduction
Paul’s Case is published by Willa Cather in 1922. She wrote a story about a boy whose dream is to live the “triumphs of the cash boys who became famous.” (W. Cather, 217) This dream means a different life out of his vicious circle, that is personalized in everything connected with Cordelia Street. But he has created a few windows or portals to carry out his dream; therefore, Paul works beside school as an usher at Carnegie Hall, where he “loses himself“ (W. Cather, …show more content…
Willa Cather “makes specific references to Paul in relation to window or glass no fewer than twelve times. […] it also represents his pretentiously fraudulent temperament.” (D. Carpenter, 597) Willa created two main portals for Paul’s dream world, first the theater and concerts and second windows. Paul is looking through windows and watches his dream world.
“He had no desire to become an actor, any more he had to become a musician. He felt so necessity to do any of these things; what he wanted was to see, to be in the atmosphere.[. . . ].” (W. Cather 219)
Paul’s dream can be seen as a glass case, in which he wants to be. In Paul’s Case he watches the whole time with all the other people from the upper class dramas and concerts all day and lives in a beautiful home.
When he steals the money he miraculously gets to be in this glass case. He enjoys his new life, of which he things he has a right to be in and he becomes the flower. He escapes the his hell, but hell haunts him as whirling snow. In one scene he watches himself figuratively.
“Here and there on the corners were stands, with whole flower gardens blooming under glass cases, against the sides the snowflakes stuck and melted; violets, roses, carnations, lilies of the valley – somehow vastly more lovely and alluring that they blossoms thus unnaturally in the snow.” (W. Cather,
1. Introduction 2
2. Analysis 2
2.1 Paul’s Character 2
2.2 Paul’s interpretation of the American Dream 5
2.3 Flowers 5
2.4 Glasses 7
3. Conclusion 8
4. Bibliography 9
1. Introduction
Paul’s Case is published by Willa Cather in 1922. She wrote a story about a boy whose dream is to live the “triumphs of the cash boys who became famous.” (W. Cather, 217) This dream means a different life out of his vicious circle, that is personalized in everything connected with Cordelia Street. But he has created a few windows or portals to carry out his dream; therefore, Paul works beside school as an usher at Carnegie Hall, where he “loses himself“ (W. Cather, …show more content…
Willa Cather “makes specific references to Paul in relation to window or glass no fewer than twelve times. […] it also represents his pretentiously fraudulent temperament.” (D. Carpenter, 597) Willa created two main portals for Paul’s dream world, first the theater and concerts and second windows. Paul is looking through windows and watches his dream world.
“He had no desire to become an actor, any more he had to become a musician. He felt so necessity to do any of these things; what he wanted was to see, to be in the atmosphere.[. . . ].” (W. Cather 219)
Paul’s dream can be seen as a glass case, in which he wants to be. In Paul’s Case he watches the whole time with all the other people from the upper class dramas and concerts all day and lives in a beautiful home.
When he steals the money he miraculously gets to be in this glass case. He enjoys his new life, of which he things he has a right to be in and he becomes the flower. He escapes the his hell, but hell haunts him as whirling snow. In one scene he watches himself figuratively.
“Here and there on the corners were stands, with whole flower gardens blooming under glass cases, against the sides the snowflakes stuck and melted; violets, roses, carnations, lilies of the valley – somehow vastly more lovely and alluring that they blossoms thus unnaturally in the snow.” (W. Cather,