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Paul's character is best described as
Character analysis for Paul's case
Character analysis for Paul's case
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The Tragic Tale of Paul's Case
Love could have saved Paul in Willa Cather's "Paul's Case," but love does not find Paul. It is withheld within the hearts of all the people that could have shown affection toward Paul. Although Paul's life ends in suicide, Paul's English teacher, Charley Edwards, or Paul's father could have prevented his premature death.
First, Paul's English teacher could have prevented Paul's suicide. After her confrontation with Paul at the chalkboard, she becomes Paul's greatest school adversary. She is Paul's leading detractor at his meeting with the principal, but not without regret. Cather writes, "His teachers left the building dissatisfied and unhappy; humiliated to have felt so vindictive toward a mere boy, to have uttered this feeling in cutting terms, and to have set each other on, as it were, in the gruesome game of intemperate reproach" (156). The regretful English teacher should have spoken to Paul alone, but the story tells of no such occasion. Even though she has blown an opportunity to understand Paul, she is given another chance. During...
It was a very interesting case about Peter’s disability problems and his family’ s culture. I became more interested in this case after we discussed in classroom about it.
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.
Willa Cather’s “Paul’s Case,” displays the conflict between conformity and individuality through the main character, Paul. On a number of occasions, Paul is forced to lie and steal to escape the conformists who wish to control him and stifle his unique imagination. However, his lying, stealing, and attempts to escape the conformists, only force Paul into isolation, depression, and feeling a sense of shame for his individuality. Throughout the story one might see Cather’s constant contrast of individuality versus conformity, as well as Paul’s lying and stealing. Cather seems to draw the conclusion that extreme individuals, much like Paul are simply misunderstood, and not offered the acceptance they desire from conformist society.
...e body suddenly convulses, then becomes limp, and collapses” (page 216). He feels the responsibility to be the one to tell this man’s wife how he died and why he died. Paul realizes that it was completely wrong and that the government had played with his mind making him think that the idea of killing at war was good. He also sees that if the situation was different, that all of them could be friends instead of enemies. The soldiers realize that they are all alike and that they have nothing to gain from their killing.
is more of a biography of Dickens life made into fiction than of just a regular
"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.
Paul's Case by Willa Cather shows the world through the eyes of Paul, a boy's who's naive view of a good life leads to a tragic fate. Throughout the story, the reader is shown the life of Paul a snobby kid who believes he is above everyone else. Readers are shown his views of life and given quite a bit of information about Paul's character. By giving details about Pauls character through his thoughts, actions, words, and others' thoughts about him, readers are able to have an in depth view of his character and understand why he ultimately decides to take his own life.
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.
"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.
The teachers at the school do not understand Paul's behavior. They feel Paul is disrespectful and a nuisance, and they have given up on him. Unlike the teachers, the people at Carnegie Hall have not given up on Paul and see a future for him in the theater industry.
“8. JUSTICE Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
The Old Man first begs Faustus to stop his sinning followed with him saying that his soul is still “amiable” or good natured (v.i 40). He then guarantees Faustus that what he is telling him is said in “tender love and pity of thy future misery.” (v.i 47-48). Faustus then makes the decision to “torment… that based an aged man that durst dissuade me from thy Lucifer.” (v.i 80-81). The way Faustus decides to treat this man displays his acceptance with being able to afflict pain on the elderly. His actions take the place of being true evil. Doctor Faustus’ actions throughout the tragedy are of his own choices and not of predestination.
Dr. Faustus, written by Christopher, is the story of a man that represents the common human dissatisfaction with being human. He sells his soul to the devil for what he believes to be limitless power, with full logical knowledge as to the consequences of such a transaction. He knows the stakes of his gamble with the devil. His extensive education and his cultural environment had certainly alerted him as to the dangers associated with Lucifer. Although aware of the consequences of such a pact, he is blinded by three things that bring about his ultimate demise. His greed to know all, his pride that made him believe he was better than man, and his denial that in the end he would bring his own downfall upon himself. If Faustus had not been these things he would not have brought an end to himself.
Based on the film, Mephisto, on the other hand, is the devil who wagered with God that Faust is indeed same as all mortal man’s soul, easy to be fooled and misled. To settle the ownership of the Earth, they bet on the soul of Faust. The story of Faust is comparable to the Bible story of Job. If the devil wins, the earth is his, even Faust’s soul, but after the last sand in the hourglass falls signaling the end of their contract, Faust’s soul will return to his body peacefully. Faust is considered a scholar and a doctor. Dr. Faust is recognized as a fine man and a prayerful alchemist. His main concern is to save men’s lives and prevent death during the age of plague. Due to disappointments of failing, his constant depression led him to become angry and embittered, ends up burning his books. One of the pages of the books were interpreted that Mephisto is trying to communicate with Faust. As the perfect timing to tempt a man into sinning, Mephisto enticed Faust by giving him an unbelievable restoring power to heal the people who sought his help from the plague. In exchange, his soul will be owned by the devil. And he revoked the name of the Lord in healing the people, instead the using the name of the devil. Such temptations start with vision into treating the plague, Faust was so taken to his priority that he was willing to give up his soul for the common good. It is seen that the morality of Faust is swayed; his aim to do good, despite knowing that in exchange for this is his soul. Regardless of this, Faust chose to agree to Mephisto’s offered contract.
Doctor Faustus act of sin is very similar to what human being faces everyday in our lives. We all want to learn and want to gain knowledge and while achieving what we want, we make mistakes and fall but we continue with our path and we also know how not to make same mistakes twice. Faustus’s act of selling his soul was all because of him being ambitious to gain power that he never had, and he exchanges the twenty-four years of power with his soul. Faustus wanting to gain power and wanting to have knowledge of something that he never had is very similar to what we want in our lives. Humans always seek for something new and something to achieve. We have curiosity and jealousy that makes us going forward rather than staying still in one place. So when I was reading this play, I felt the connection with Faustus and felt the ending was such tragedy. I felt sympathy when Doctor Faustus said, “O soul, be changed to little water drops and fall into the ocean. Ne-re be found. My God, my God, look not so fierce on me!” (Scene 13. 108-110) This phrase was very emotional because it shows Faustus’s ...