Carnations And Circumvention In Paul's Case

Carnations and Circumvention
Flowers have long been a symbol for love, adoration, sex, and beauty. In Willa Cather’s short story “Paul’s Case” flowers are used to represent something else entirely. The ever-fleeting and defiant nature of the main character is likened to flowers many times throughout the story. On the surface it might have seemed like Paul, the main character, had a simple fascination with flowers because of their beauty; however, the relationship goes much deeper than aesthetics. Paul wanted to be different and express himself in a way that went against the lifestyle that was associated with his humdrum town. Most of all, Paul wanted to leave his bedroom, with its grimy yellow walls that were connected to the drab house on Cordelia Street. If Paul stayed on Cordelia Street with his father, he would wither like a flower in snow. …show more content…
The carnation was the first flower to be introduced in the story and for good reason. Of all of the different colors that the flower could have been, the author chose the most provocative shade. During Paul’s meeting with the faculty of the school, the teachers brought their attention back to the carnation time and time again. The author plainly stated that the teachers believed that the flower symbolized Paul, “His teachers felt this afternoon that his whole attitude was symbolized by his shrug and his flippantly red carnation flower. . .” (1). This comes as no surprise considering how out of place the carnation was in the conservative school setting. Like the flower, Paul stood out from the rest of his surroundings regularly. No other flower encapsulated Paul’s defiance like the