Symbolism In Paul's Case By Willa Cather

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Austin Peterson Kruse English II 1 May 2015 Societal Symbolism in “Paul’s Case” Willa Cather’s “Paul’s Case” tells a timeless tale of troubled youth filled with feelings of spite towards society and feelings of alienation and depression. Throughout the story, Paul’s artistic tendencies are constantly suppressed by his father and other characters, and his hate for society and dissatisfaction with his lifestyle lead him to commit the crime that makes his dreams immediately possible. Cather portrays her opinions of the money and its effect on the actions of people using Paul’s theft and lavish lifestyle, and symbolizes many of society’s flaws using the various characters and their actions throughout the story. While many think that Willa Cather’s …show more content…

Throughout the story, Paul is characterized as artistic, yet the other characters act as though they are against this quality, resulting in a lack of expression in Paul. The only place that he feels alive is in the theatre or the orchestra. Cather’s first example of this is by alluding to two orchestra pieces, both of which are about suppression and social reclusion, which Paul identifies with and feels liberated by. “The moment the cracked orchestra beat out the overture from Martha, or jerked at the serenade from Rigoletto, all stupid and ugly things slid from him, and his senses were deliciously, yet delicately fired.” (7). Throughout the story Paul acts repressed and gloomy, as well as hateful and disdainful, but upon hearing the two orchestral performances, all his worries slide away from him, and he feels free. The second and more effective allusion also refers to an orchestral piece. “…but the first sigh of the instruments seemed to free some hilarious and potent spirit within him; something that struggled there like the genie in the bottle found by the Arab fisherman. He felt a sudden zest of life; the lights danced before his eyes and the concert hall blazed into unimaginable splendor.” (Cather 3). The allusion in this quote is to the Arab fairy tale of the Genie in a bottle, a tale of release and liberation. The theme of suppression of artistic tendencies is also noticed by literature critic Loretta Wassermann, who, in reference to the forbiddance of Paul to visit the theatre by his father, states that “Charley Edwards, the stock company juvenile, regrets it when Paul’s father forbids Paul to loiter about the dressing rooms because the actor ‘recognized something akin to what churchmen call ‘vocation’.’” (2). Cather includes the detail of Edward’s sadness about Paul’s forbiddance to visit the theatre in order to convey the

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