Reference no: EM131730832

Paul's Case: Setting as an antagonist

Alienation, the state or feeling of been isolated or not belonging to a group. Although alienation can lead to satisfaction for a few, it often drives to depression and deprivation of self- motivation for many others.

In general, people who are alienated do not gain anything from separating from society, affecting them greatly. In the short story "Paul's Case", by Willa Cather, Paul's conflict with the middle-class setting of Pittsburg precipitates persona stages of social alienation, emotional crisis, and tragically, suicide. Paul is a young boy with a peculiar style, not well appreciated by Pittsburg dwellers, which makes him feel out casted from the rest. In this narrative, each setting is introduced and described from Paul's point of view, which makes the setting the quintessential element in the building of the drama. As the story develops, Paul's feelings and social interaction are directly influenced by his surroundings affecting Paul's state of mind in a continuous way that lead him to commit suicide. As the setting of the story moves from Paul's conventional hometown to the astonishing city of New York, Paul's persona changes from a dull attitude to a state of happiness never experienced before.