Paul's Case by Willa Cather an Analysis of the Mental State of Paul Essay Example
Anthony T. McClellan
English203-5
Btworld03@gmail.com
Paul’s Case by Willa Cather
An Analysis of the Mental State Paul
This paper is an analysis of the main character Paul in the short story Paul’s Case by Willa Cather. In this analysis I will discuss, the conflicts of the story, the mental state of Paul and the issues that led to his suicide, focusing on his struggle with his social class and the loss of his mother at an early stage in his life. Paul’s Case take place in Pittsburgh, Pa. where Paul the main character of the story lives, New York City in which Paul runs away to, and the countryside outside Newark were Paul meets his demise. The author Willa Cather wrote the short story in, omniscient third-person point of view, enabling the narrator to reveal the thoughts of the characters (Cummings, 2012). The time period is sometime between the early and mid-1900’s. In my assessment of the story I believe that Paul’s suicide is the repercussion of lack of education, rebellion against the social norms of the time, and behavior issues caused by the lack of and loss of a mother at an early stage in his life. The story begins with a display of defiance towards his teachers and the superintendent at the school, from which he has just been kicked out of. After being expelled Paul’s father a middle class business man, forces him to return to the school and request to be reinstated. This is where we witness the first signs of Paul’s lack of respect for authority, and were the author gives us insight to Paul’s past and his demeanor as seen by his instructors. His drawing master states:
”I don't really believe that smile of his comes altogether from insolence; the boy is not strong.” “There is something wrong about the fellow." (Paragraph 8) I believe there are two different conflicts in this story, Man vs. Himself which stems from the loss of his mother when Paul was only a few months old, and Man vs. Society which
English203-5
Btworld03@gmail.com
Paul’s Case by Willa Cather
An Analysis of the Mental State Paul
This paper is an analysis of the main character Paul in the short story Paul’s Case by Willa Cather. In this analysis I will discuss, the conflicts of the story, the mental state of Paul and the issues that led to his suicide, focusing on his struggle with his social class and the loss of his mother at an early stage in his life. Paul’s Case take place in Pittsburgh, Pa. where Paul the main character of the story lives, New York City in which Paul runs away to, and the countryside outside Newark were Paul meets his demise. The author Willa Cather wrote the short story in, omniscient third-person point of view, enabling the narrator to reveal the thoughts of the characters (Cummings, 2012). The time period is sometime between the early and mid-1900’s. In my assessment of the story I believe that Paul’s suicide is the repercussion of lack of education, rebellion against the social norms of the time, and behavior issues caused by the lack of and loss of a mother at an early stage in his life. The story begins with a display of defiance towards his teachers and the superintendent at the school, from which he has just been kicked out of. After being expelled Paul’s father a middle class business man, forces him to return to the school and request to be reinstated. This is where we witness the first signs of Paul’s lack of respect for authority, and were the author gives us insight to Paul’s past and his demeanor as seen by his instructors. His drawing master states:
”I don't really believe that smile of his comes altogether from insolence; the boy is not strong.” “There is something wrong about the fellow." (Paragraph 8) I believe there are two different conflicts in this story, Man vs. Himself which stems from the loss of his mother when Paul was only a few months old, and Man vs. Society which