Artistic Light
What meaning does art hold in the lives of people? Is it simply available for entertainment, or to display power and prestige? On the other hand, is art the personification of light and happiness in one's life? In "Paul's Case" by Willa Cather, Paul sees the world of art as an escape from reality and his "real" life. Paul is not content with his dreary life on Cordelia Street in Pittsburgh. He escapes the drabness through his work as an usher at Carnegie Hall. He dreams of living the life of the performers he sees there. Paul loses himself in the music of the symphonies, the characters of the plays, and in the artful scenery. His fantasies become much more important than his real life. For example, Paul does not concentrate on his studies and he is taken out of school and must begin working to support himself. Stealing money from his new place of employment, Paul leaves Pittsburgh for glamorous New York City. Paul lives the life of his dreams for a few days before his money runs out. When he realizes that he would have to return home and accept his punishment, he kills himself. "Paul's Case" by Willa Cather illustrates the power of art in one's life through symbols of light and dark.
Sneaking into the basement through an open window, Paul thinks about what would happen if his father heard him. He achieves the ultimate fairy tale during his week in New York City. Paul despises his room so much that is it reduced to a sleeping chamber, not a room that one could "hang out" in. His father abuses him mentally, and his home provides no acceptable refuge. His father despises Paul's obsession with art. He wore the finest clothes and lived in the finest room because "everything was quite perfect" (276). His symbols of light come from Carnegie Hall and New York City. It is covered in soot and is filled with families who are content where they are. Cordelia Street itself is littered with soot, dirt, cookie cutter houses, and city-dwellers. Paul's home life is enveloped in dark, secret thoughts and deeds. Paul's father is a dark symbol of life on Cordelia Street. Paul also enjoyed the gallery art, as shown by his visiting the gallery above Carnegie Hall. During his time there, Paul's soul was set free to be happy and to seek his symbol of light. To survive the dismal life on Cordelia Street, Paul needs the life of high society, living life in style. He wines, dines, and parties while in New York City and gets lost in the music of the hotel lounge quartet, just as he did while listening to the symphonies at Carnegie Hall.
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Acceptance Essays
