Plot and Character in Fiction

X.J. Kennedy, Literature, Dana Gioia
"Paul’s Case" 536-549
Plot and Character in Fiction – assignment
* Assignment:

Part of the complexity of "Paul’s Case" rests in Willa Cather’s use of Allusions and Symbols. Investigate the items listed below and write a brief paragraph on each, explaining the meaning and its relevance to the story. You will need to do a bit of research on these (especially the first 4), so be sure to use MLA-style parenthetical references and bibliography. See the Hacker textbook if you have forgotten how to do this. Your final product should be 2-3 pages long.

A) Faust (p.493) –Kennedy tells us only that it is a "tragic grand opera." Expand on his note. What is Faust noted for? In what other forms does the story appear? (It didn’t start out as an opera). How does Faust connect with Paul? Don’t just summarize the Wikipedia article–Use your own critical insights.

B) "Cordelia Street" (496) –Who was Cordelia? What does her sad life symbolize that might be important in Cather’s story? Try Google first.

C) "he had no mind for the cash boy stage" (497) –Hint: Look up Horatio Alger.

D) "It was at the Theatre and at Carnegie Hall that Paul really lived; the rest was but a sleep and a forgetting." (498) –The last part of this quotation (in italics) is a sneaky reference to a poem by William Wordsworth, called "Intimations of Immortality." Look up this poem and determine what Wordsworth says about the various stages of life. How does this relate to Paul’s story?

E) Carnations (492; 504)

F) "Paul dropped back into the immense design of things" (505) –What??? Paul was a rebel. What would he think of being part of a design? Which design? Does this ending sentence say anything about Paul’s escape from his Pittsburgh life?

Please put the essays (pasted together) in the Dropbox by Midnight, Wednesday, May 7.
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