Paul`s Case By Willa Cather Essay, Research Paper

It is said that books are better then the movies created from books. I feel that

the story and the film complement each other for Willa Cather?s short story,

?Paul’s Case,? is about a young, Calvinist man who did not feel that he

belonged in his life. He lived on Cordelia Street in Pittsburgh, PA. Cordelia

Street was littered with cookie cutter houses, suburbanite-like city-dwellers,

and a general aura of despair. Paul’s room was no different. Paul felt that his

abusive father, uncaring teachers, and classmates who misunderstand him aren’t

worthy of his presence and company. Paul is so infatuated with living the life

of a performer that it leads him to thievery. Paul?s only joy comes from his

love for the arts. He is an usher in a concert hall, and spends most of his time

behind the scenes in a theatre helping the actors. He longs to live the life of

a rich person but doesn?t seem to realize that he must work for it. Both the

film and the short story emphasize these characteristics within the main

character, and after seeing the movie, the reader gets a better idea of the

emotions that are running through Paul?s head. You really don?t get a feel

for Paul?s character until you see the expression on his face while watching a

play be performed, his face changing with the music and the joyfulness he feels

when the drama is complete This sort of fantasy world he wishes to lives in soon

becomes a reality for him. After being fired from his position at the concert

hall, and being expelled from school, Paul is given a job by one of his

father?s friends. Paul was sent to the bank with server thousands of dollars

to make a deposit. The movie tells that he just took it all and went home. Where

in the book, he actually went back to work; finished his shift asked for

Saturday off and then went home. The next day Paul took the train into New York.

Paul had always spoken of New York and he dreamed of going there. Now he had his

chance. When Paul was in the city, he lived like a rich person; He slept at the

finest hotels, ate the best foods and spent money like it was no object. After

living like a king for more than a week Paul discovered the entire affair

exploited in the Pittsburgh papers, the papers also spoke of a rumor that he was

seen in a New York Hotel. He knew his father would come looking for him.

Confused and scared, Paul panicked. During the file, this portion of the story

gives the viewer some confusion as to what is going on. Paul?s believes he

sees his father in the lobby of the hotel room, without reading the book, the

viewer would have no idea that the person asking questions was, to Paul, his

father. The Ending to Paul?s case is better told in the written form. Paul?s

character is better understandable at this point and you beguine to feel what he

is going through. As he nears the train, all of his emotions, his fears, and

thoughts become very understandable. And even as he partakes in his owe

destruction the reader is given his every feeling, right up to the end. With so

much going on in this story, it is some times hard to understand it all that is

why the movie is an excellent tool to help comprehending Paul?s case. Without

having reading the book, the movie would have made little sense and the viewer

would become lost. This is why both, the movie and the book, complement each

other.