"Paul's Case"

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             Paul worked at Carnegie hall, which was a large part of his life. "It would be difficult to put strongly enough how convincingly the stage entrance of the theatre was for Paul the actual portal of Romance" (Cather 205). His experience at Carnegie Hall also shows Paul's ability to judge other people based purely on class and wealth. When his teacher came to the opera, "Paul was startled for a moment, and had the feeling of wanting to put her out; what business had she here among all these fine people and gay colors?" (Cather 200) While on the other hand Paul lost himself in the soloist and the show, forgetting the teacher. To Paul the soloist, "had that indefinable air of achievement, that world-shine upon her, which always blinded Paul to any possible defects" (Cather 200). This shows how Paul finds money and power to be the things most desired in life. Paul spent the rest of the night starring into the great hotel lobby where the soloist exited her coach and retired for the evening. Paul lost himself once again in the ideas of indulgence and prestige that the hotel represented. He finally returned home to the middle class house which he expressed his hatred for, climbing in the basement window so as to not confront his father. He spent the night in the basement awake, entertaining himself with notions of his father shooting him thinking he was a burglar. After expressing a few disturbing outcomes, Paul thinks, "Then again, suppose the day should come when his father would remember that night, and wish there had been no warning cry to steady his hand?" (Cather 203). This is a rather disturbing thought, basically wondering, what if his father didn't shoot him but wished that he had. This shows Paul's mental state and foreshadows Paul's thoughts of death. .
             Paul wanted to have it all; in today's standards Paul wanted to be "bling bling." Paul, however, did not care much for working hard to achieve this great wealth he so desired.