Love or Stone

And each one saw in the eyes of the other two that they too had heard. There must be more money! There must be more money."" In knowing that Paul is the only one that can hear the whispers of the walls creates a mental picture he is the only one that is crazy. The absence of the siblings creates Paul's character to be more peculiar, then when he was described in the short story. As well Paul's age difference is a distinction between the story and the movie. In the story Paul comes off as a five year old child that has grown to big for his rocking horse. In essence of his character he is younger and comes off as vulnerable to not understanding why his mother cherishes materialistic things over him. Illustrating a five year old makes his character more believable and understanding. In the movie Paul is much older, around the ages of eight or nine. This gives the impression that Paul should be more mature and understanding to his mothers' unloving habits. Of course at any age should a child yearn for love from his mother but in the movie he is depict to be mature and established. Due to the disparity between the ages it may have been easier for the director to find an actor, at the age of eight years old to play the eccentric part of Paul. .
             Hester, Paul's mother is a mother who is described as shallow, cold and lifeless. She is incapable to love others and especially her son Paul. In the story she is described as a woman whom values materialistic and expensive tastes. She does not acknowledge Paul and does not appreciate him. In the end Paul dies and she is left with a cold response to his death. In the movie her character is rendered more loving and caring but still cold and ignoring. During one part of the movie she strokes Paul's bangs to the side and tells him almost lovingly that she needs to work. Her character is replayed as an actual "motherly figure."" Her blaming the uncle for encouraging Paul's gambling shows a characteristic that she cares in a way for the nature of her son.