Paul's Case: A Study In Temperament By Willa Sibert Cather

In the short story "Paul's Case: A Study in Temperament" by Willa Sibert Cather, the narrator states how the main character, Paul, "had never lied for pleasure… but to be noticed and admired, to assert his difference from other Cordelia Street boys." Paul, who lived on the poorer side of town, longed to live a life of luxury. While working at Carnegie Hall as an usher, the exposure to sophisticated society and high-class entertainment further amplified this particular desire. He was fixated on trying not to be affiliated with the poor; thus, he attempts to always nicely present himself to others. Paul's dissatisfaction with his status originates from his conflict between his unique identity and society's stereotypes, categories, and labels.

After spending some time in New York, Paul reflects and admits that he “had never lied for pleasure… but to be noticed and admired, to assert his difference from other Cordelia boys” (ch. 2). His confession of wanting to be noticed and admired shows that he is not confident in himself, thus needing others’ approval to raise his self-worth. This insecurity explains why Paul enjoys spending time with the workers at Carnegie Hall and wishes to live like New Yorkers. It also explains Paul's belief that he can build his self-confidence by changing the tags given to him, such as poor, hysterical, and problematic. So he wishes to have a higher social status and to be unique in regards to his behavior and passions, therefore acting peculiar and even difficult in the eyes of his teachers. This belief could also explain his yearning to escape to New York, where no one knows who Paul is, allowing him to be a new slate, a blank paper to be filled with new labels. However, the attempted changes he made are built on the increasingly exponential amount of lies he told. These outer changes are superficial and do not affect his inner self whatsoever. So, in the end, this facade of his will only be taxing for him to maintain since it is not supported by the sturdiness of truth. The instability is all the more so because of the

Cather reveals this change through Paul's description of the freedom he experiences there, showing the immediate boost in self-satisfaction from changing environments. Having spent some time exploring New York and observing the differences compared to Cordelia Street, Paul felt "now that his surroundings explained him… He had only to glance down at his attire to reassure himself that it would be impossible for anyone to humiliate him" (ch. 2). As previously brought up, Paul's confidence is dependent on others' opinion of him. So when the community in Cordelia Street is not as open-minded, his behavior and personality may be looked down upon, resulting in unwanted attention. But by temporarily moving to a different place, with more compatible people, cultures, and societal standards, the unwanted attention can change to a welcoming one. Moreover, the welcoming attention is what Paul has been going after, to be seen as someone cool yet similar enough to feel included. For Paul, that place is New York. There, he is comfortable enough to wear what he wants and not feel humiliated. Compared to the illusion back in Cordelia Street created by bluff and lies, he is being true to himself. So, the confidence he gains in New York is more sturdy than the confidence back at home. Since he is satisfied with his representation among others while staying true to himself, Paul now has no reason to