Compare And Contrast Midge And Alan In The Chaser

Characters in stories can be very similar and very different. The characters from the book, 50 Great Short Stories, Midge and Alan are both very alike. Midge, one of the main characters in the short story, “A Standard of Living” by Dorothy Parker, and Alan, one of the main characters in “The Chaser” by John Collier, are similar in how they are greedy, selfish, and they both focus on materialistic things. Both main characters, Midge and Alan are greedy. Midge is greedy for class, money and status, whereas Alan is greedy for love. Midge and her friend, Annabel, invented a game. This game is a game where they could buy anything they want at any price. The narrator explains the game that Midge had devised, “rather she had evolved it from an old one. Basically, it was no more than the ancient sport of what-would-you-do-if-you-had-a-million-dollars?” (28). Annabel and Midge are greedy for money, class, and things, so this is why they play the game. They devote their life to the game and worship it, even though everything is fake and imaginary. Alan is greedy as well. Alan Is greedy for love from Diana. Diana is the girl of his dreams. The old man is

When Midge plays the game with her friend they focus on the things they can buy and the things it will give them like class and status, and “They painted their lips and their nails…they wore thin bright dresses tight over their breasts and high on their legs, and tilted slippers, fancifully strapped. They looked conspicuous and cheap and charming (28). They focus on the attention of others and the things they can buy. Lastly, Alan focuses on materialism too. He focuses on Diana. After the old man gives him the potion he is so excited to use it on her, “‘ I can’t tell you how grateful I am’ said Alan’’’ (560). He is focused on her and her body, a materialistic object, and not her genuine happiness and love. Materialism was the main focus for both Alan and