The man who wants to be a writer in the story, “The Portable Phonograph”, is living in a somber setting and likewise has saddening emotions that will discourage him to become a writer. Since the man wanting to be a writer is living in the world where war just ended, he will be depressed and that will discourage him to write. “The air was still and cold and in it settled the mute darkness and greater cold of night” (Van Tilburg Clark 1). This quote shows a harsh setting and desolated feelings for the writer. The writer has nothing left and that will enhance the saddening emotion that he cannot become a writer without paper. “I want paper to write on, he said And there is none” (Van Tilburg Clark 2). This quote shows he wants to truly write,
