Cody AP Blog

In the story “Paul’s Case”, written by Willa Cather Paul has the main case of social superiority or inferiority rather. His social status is what causes Paul to want to be farther up in the social ladder. He is constantly talking about how he is displeased with his home life and school life but when he is surrounded by upper class people at his job, it is like a huge burden has been lifted up off of his shoulders. “Paul never went up Cordelia Street without a shudder of loathing”. (238) That shows his increased disappointment of his house and the location of where he lived. Words like “ugly, old, grimy, cracked, dripping, and hairy”, were all used to describe his house. Those show a tone of sorrow and disappointment. “Paul had had often hung about the hotel, watching the people go in and out, longing to enter and leave schoolmasters and dull care behind him forever.” (237) Paul said this which shows extremely how he wishes to leave his washed up home and school life to become something bigger on the social chain. He wishes to move up, because he feels he is socially inferior to most.