The Rich Boy, F. Scott Fitzger

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             Anson gets drunk one night and outrages Paula's cousin and mother by pretending he was French. This makes Paula reconsider their love. Anson tries to gain back both Paula and her mother's approval, but although he did apologize he did not make any promises and showed no humility. By the fourth chapter however, Paula contemplates whether or not to leave Anson and break off their engagement, a result of Anson's lack of respect towards women.
             Anson is not self-conscious around Paula for he believes that she will never leave him. When they separate and Paula tours around the East she writes him letters, "When he saw a man's name in her letters he felt more sure of her and a little disdainful- he was always superior to such things."" (p.185) In this passage Anson admits of his arrogance towards Paula's feelings because he admits his belief of superiority over women and other men. On the contrary, when Paula later becomes engaged to another man, Lowell Thayer, which should have brought Anson's ego down but it only made him more bumptious towards women. Anson and Paula later profess their true feelings to each other during Paula's engagement to Lowell. Paula really wants Anson to propose to her, but Anson's contemptuousness thinks otherwise, "Anson, feeling her tremble, knew that emotion was enough. He need say no more, commit their destinies to no practical enigma. Why should he, when he might hold her so, biding his own time, for another year- forever?- (p.186) Anson loses Paula again to Lowell because of his fear of commitment and his confidence that Paula was his, that she had to bide his time, again proving his belief of superiority over women. .
             Anson is not only assure' of women but he believes he had a rich assimilation for other human beings and relationships, "He had an instinctive and charitable knowledge of the weaknesses of men and women, and like a priest, it made him the more concerned for the maintenance of outward forms.