The Struggle In Paul's Case By Willa Cather

In Willa Cather’s short story “Paul’s Case”, it is obvious to the reader that the main character, Paul, is a troubled young man. As you read an analyze the story it becomes clear that Paul’s life has not been easy, yet he inadvertently makes it that much harder on himself. Paul has a desire to join the upper class and an obsession with money, arts, and music along with a distaste for a mediocre life, which stems, in my belief, from his issues with sexuality and ultimately his depression.
Paul loathed the middle class neighborhood from which he came from. The story states that “Paul never went up Cordelia Street without a shudder of loathing” (Cather 74) and this feeling of loath can be attributed to his want for the finer things in life. He desired to be wealthy yet, seemed to expect this wealth to come to him without him having to work for it. Paul felt the need to distance himself from the “commoners” he felt he was surrounded by. Though, Cather’s writing suggests that Paul is vindictive, judgmental and …show more content…
Dealing with homosexual feelings can send anyone into a downward spiral, especially in the time in which Paul lived. As is depression. Paul talks about always having a “shadowed corner, the dark place into which he dared not look, but from which something seemed always to be watching him- and Paul had done things that were not pretty to watch, he knew” (Cather 80). In this instance it is clear that Paul has tried to fight off his sexuality his entire life by ignoring the “dark place” within him. By the end of the story it is clear that ignoring it did not work for Paul. He had no one he could share his struggle with and I believe that this feeling of loneliness coupled with depression lead to his suicide. This is a hard battle to fight; one in which Paul lost. He describes, right before his death that his “old depression” was back and “exaggerated”. He had nothing left but emptiness and