On the journey to expressing one's true self, there are always many factors in keeping the dreams of one's individual passions alive and inspired. In the short story 'Paul's Case' by Willa Cather, the writer incites the theme of staying true to ones self as a person and never altering your hopes and dreams for others by reiterating the ambitions and visions of Paul. Cather portrays Paul as a complex, round character through the elaboration and recurrence of imagery throughout the text; by illustrating his desires and apparitions throughout the story, Cather keeps the issue of never changing individual beliefs breathing. Paul stayed true to what he wanted and dreamed of; these goals were never changing regardless of the circumstance.
The clarity of what Paul required to become fully emancipated is reinforced through repetition of his imaginings and hopes throughout the story; this helped in keeping his individuality stirring.
Paul Stang
on the southwest corner of 3rd Avenue and Cedar St...
Portrait of Willa CatherWilla Cather repeatedly shows the wants and desires of Paul. "Paul had no desire to become an actor, any more than he had to become a musician. He felt no necessity to do any of these things; what he wanted was to see, to be in the atmosphere, float on the wave of it, to be carried out, blue league after blue league, away from everything." (Page 98) These were the longings of Paul, the reader sees and identifies with what Paul needed and craved to become himself, without this revelation, the theme would not be concretely implanted in the brain of the reader. During the story, Paul goes to New York and expresses himself and his lavish desires with money; here we see the full yearnings of the protagonist coming true and the undeniable awakening of Paul as a character. "His new street suit he put on...