The novel, McTeague, written by Frank Norris has many ways to understand the
events. The relationships between the characters in the story are strange. First, it seems
that the first half of the story many of the characters come together. For example, Marcus
and McTeague become friends, Trina and McTeague get married, Maria and Zerkow get
married. As the story ends, the friendships of the characters breaks down into violence
and death. First, Zerkow killed Maria and himself, next McTeague kills Trina, and then
Marcus tracks down McTeague in the desert and they both die as McTeague kills Marcus
and then dies himself of dehydration. It seems the strong survive and the weak die. In this
case the strong survive longer than the weak. The theme that connects most of the
conflicts together is that of greed.
Greed is one of the three major themes in the novel 'McTeague'. McTeague
shows the dangers of greed and how it can get the best of you. This novel shows how
money can make you from a caring person into a evil person. Zerkow was greatly
obsessed with gold and riches. The same obsession for money was in all of the
characters. Zerkow was viewed as a 'lost' soul and Trina as a proper young lady, yet they
were both almost exactly alike. Here are some quotes on greed. 'Miser, nasty little old
miser. You're worse than old Zerkow, always nagging about money, money, and you got
five thousand dollars. You got more, an' you live in that stinking hole of a room, and you
won't drink any decent beer.' 'She don't care if I get wet and get a cold and die. No, she
don't, as long as she's warm and got her money.' Greed in the novel is...