An Analysis Of Edwin Arlington Robinson's Poem Richard Cory

Edwin Arlington Robinson described a man that appeared to have it all in the poem, “Richard Cory.” The subject was revered by the town’s people and known as a man of great assets and his satisfactory lifestyle. The poem is ended abruptly when Richard Cory shoots himself in the head, taking his own life. The moral of the story is that money and materialistic things offer some level of security and stability, but not necessarily happiness. Though his outward appearance was polished and he seemed content, there must have been troubles within him that others were not aware of. A gleaming presentation left issues behind the curtain, and eventually Richard Cory could not handle his troubles any longer. If money and glamour did not give him happiness, …show more content…
Money does not bring happiness, but it does make things easier if you have it. Beyond obtaining enough money to survive without severe struggle, money makes little difference in happiness. “Certainly, when you don 't have enough money to provide for your basic needs — food, shelter, clothing, and medical care— money is crucial to your sense of well-being. But once you 're above the poverty level, money loses its ability to boost your happiness quotient. Andrew Oswald, Ph.D., a professor of economics at the University says, “You get happier at a diminishing rate…The first $20,000 is a lot more valuable than the 12th” (Liu Lynda “Money & Happiness.”). Some of the richest people in the world continue to be the loneliest. This could be because money creates an illusion of happiness because it provides opportunities, materialistic items, and surrounds one with spurious friends. The natures of surrounding relationships can be put into question, determining whether these friends care for the individual or for the money that he or she is worth. Individuals can even wear a mask of happiness, much like Richard Cory, but the feeling is not