A Cap For Steve By Morley Callaghan Analysis

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Recommended: An essay on the value of possessions

The Cost of Happiness
The number five printed on a green piece of paper can be invaluable to one person and insignificant to another person. This green piece of paper can bring people together and quickly tear people apart. The value of money and the power that comes with having money affects everyone. However, money should not define people’s life. As part of Morley Callaghan 2003 novel “The Complete Stories: Volume One”, in the short story “A Cap for Steve”, Callaghan explores the nature of wealth and the value of money in the lives of his characters. He uses the relationship between a father and his son to portray the struggles they can go through because of money. Using third person limited narrative and symbolism, he depicts the misinterpretation of money by the father and the father misunderstandings with his son. Callaghan shows us that money can not buy people happiness and it can …show more content…

Sometimes these decisions can affect one’s happiness. Dave Diamond and his family lives in poverty, the value of money is very important to him. Dave works hard for every penny, and he knows the true value of it. He had “learned to make every dollar count in his home”. Through third person limited narration, the reader can only understand Dave and his feelings. This represents the disconnection he has with his son, Steve. He believes Steve “ought to have known the value of money” as well as him. Dave does not see eye to eye with Steve, which strains their relationship. Steve is obsessed with baseball and spends a lot more time playing outside. However, Dave finds this obsession with baseball degusting because Steve could be working, to earn extra money for the family. He finds time to be just as precious as money. Dave is too focus on the possession of money to see the happiness that baseball brings to Steve. By believing in this materialistic mindset, Dave gets further away from

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