Young Writers Society

Paul('s Case): Triumph or Tragedy?

At first glance, Paul's Case is a rather obvious tragedy, seeing as Paul commits suicide to escape a world that is not meant for him. The added factor of Paul being young and still posessing a 'posh' vocabulary accentuates the detached atmosphere; it creates a gaping rift between Paul and the rest of the population. Humans are pack-animals and there is probably nothing more tragic than being an outcast of society.

Then we must consider the fact that every day living was torture to Paul's idealistic mind. The bland manner in which Paul describes happenings and objects that would be at least somewhat exhilarating for us 'common' people works to widen that already wide rift. Paul acts as if his existence were naught but a sarcastic joke, as if he were constantly waiting to wake up from this desolate nightmare – which he actually does. Even though only briefly, Paul manages to escape the haunting gray mud of every day existence when he immerses himself in the wonders of art. These short elapses of time could, in their own sense, already be labeled the triumphs of his tragically brief life. In fact, they could be labeled as the only times he was truly – in all the meaning of the word – alive.

The narrator could have used Paul's fondness and craving for art as a means to show that there is at least a sprinkle of good in everything. Most likely, though, it was used to state that nothing can last forever. This point was elaborated by the pair of perfect days Paul spent before realizing that it was useless; they would hound him down and drag him back to the Cimmerian life he so depised. Upon finding out that they already knew where he had fled to, Paul took his own life and, in the process, drove home that point of nothing lasting forever with shocking finality.

In the very end, this final act of defiance was Paul's greatest triumph, as well as his greatest folly. He cheated his way out of his confinement and proved to (the) society that he was above them, but in the same bargain, he cast away any chances for his future – as, bluntly put, he had no future anymore. The certain lack of emotion in the piece in general – which is achieved with the use of very intellectual language – works well for the ending, for it hits you like a brick wall after all the numb depression beneath the surface of the story thus far.

On reflection, Paul's life was a tragedy, no doubts there. Even with the short breaks he experienced through art, the cold truth was that his life was never good enough. The worst part, though, was his utter lack of trying to change it for the better. He never once thought of becoming a musician or an artist, even though he clearly had the right mind-set for it. So yes, his life was a tragedy; his death though, was a triumph against everything he so loathed.

Simply wow. That is all I can say.
I admit that I had doubted the quality of your essay when I'd looked at the length. But now, that just makes it yet more so impressive. The flow of this is incredible.

As I had already said in this previous review, structure is everything.

There is also literally nothing I would get you to change.
Perhaps to a sharper, nit-picking eye - but not to mine.

You, kind sir, are a very good writer.
There are a lot more things that I can say (about excellent thesis statements and such...), but I just don't feel the need.
If, however, you do desire a deeper interpretation of mine, either PM me or take a look at my response to that previous essay "Of Mice and Men".

Good job!
E.