ipl-logo

Summary Of Paul's Case Study In Temperament

1034 Words5 Pages

How should people, who make irrational decisions because of mental disorders, be looked at? Well, this question is brought up in “Paul’s Case: A Study in Temperament” by Willa Cather. The main character, Paul, wishes to always be surrounded by luxury which drives him to make several premature choices. Consequently, he can be classified by a personality disorder called Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) which is common among people who try to cover up their low self-esteem by seeking perfection and satisfaction in extravagant things (“Narcissistic Personality”). Paul’s thoughts, attitude, and actions show he has narcissistic personality disorder. One way Paul shows characteristics of narcissistic personality disorder is in his thoughts. …show more content…

When Paul is prevented from going to Carnegie Hall, his wish for being surrounded by beauty and luxury drive him to steal thousands of dollars then run off to live in luxury (Cather 8). Paul’s desires for returning to luxury override any sense of caution for the consequences. For example, he does not consider what his choices could do to his father’s reputation. So, his actions perfectly correlate with some of the symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder: “taking advantage of others to get what you want” as well as “having an inability or unwillingness to recognize the needs and feelings of others” (“Narcissistic Personality”). His decision to steal money and run away is driven by the anxiety his mental disorder brings when he is not surrounded by nice things. He cannot stop his anxiety without satisfying the desire that NPD brings, explaining why he makes this inconsiderate decision. Another way Paul’s actions show his disorder is when he kills himself. Leading up to his choice to take his own life, Paul gets the news that his father, after paying off Paul’s debt, is on the way to get him (Cather 10). Consequently, Paul’s disorder twists his brain so much he cannot bear to live without luxury; therefore, considering suicide is a possible complication of narcissistic personality disorder, he acts in a way that correlates with people diagnosed with NPD (“Narcissistic Personality”). Paul

Show More
Related

  • Aspects Of Naturalism In 'Paul's Case' By Willa Cather

    845 Words  | 4 Pages

    Paul’s Case, as alluded to earlier is a story about a certain young man who is a Calvinist and he is clouded by feelings of not belonging to this life. According to the story he lived on a street named Cordelia located in Pittsburgh, and we are given an impression of a street cluttered with cookie cutter houses and city dwellers that seemed like suburbanites. According to the author, there was an aura of despair in that city. This same aura extended even to Paul’s own room. His life was a life of misery having been surrounded by a father that abused him, teachers that never cared and classmate that misunderstood him and this caused Paul to feel he is not worth to be in their presence or even company.

    Read More

  • Tangerine Torturing Quotes

    638 Words  | 3 Pages

    This effect his personality because after that Paul was scared to stand up for himself and he always thought about him and his glasses and how big they

    Read More

  • Direct Characterization Of Paul In Tangerine

    973 Words  | 4 Pages

    Paul throughout the novel can see things his friends can see. He can see him getting recognition from people among him

    Read More

  • Theme Of War In All Quiet On The Western Front

    1182 Words  | 5 Pages

    At the end of the day in his room he tries to look back at his past but simply he cannot connect or find his way back to his youth. This shows that Paul no longer

    Read More

  • All Quiet On The Western Front Effects Of War

    1264 Words  | 6 Pages

    In the novel, we see this on some occasions with Paul. For example, he goes into a state of panic when a doctor wants to give him gas to make him fall asleep due to an injury that he sustained to his leg, which requires surgery. Paul has lost so much trust in everyone else that he immediately thinks that the doctor is trying to inflict harm. In the moment, Paul's violent reaction seems completely unnecessary and unwarranted, "I break loose with one of them and try to crash into the surgeon's spectacles just as he notices and springs back. ‘Chloroform the scoundrel,’ he (the surgeon) roars madly."

    Read More

  • Comparing Traumatic Experiences In Paul's Case And A Rose For Emily

    1884 Words  | 8 Pages

    Paul’s unstable mental state and not being able to deal with the friction of the real world causes him to drift further away from reality. As

    Read More

  • Ego In Relationship To The Dark Triad Analysis

    2445 Words  | 10 Pages

    (Grafeman et al. 92). Those who have narcissistic tendencies tend to appear as though they are warm, charismatic, or even charming, as part of their initial relationships, but lack the empathy to sustain any type of relationship past a given point. For people with higher levels of narcissism, there is a strong desire to maintain a positive concept of self, and will often engage in ego-boosting activities to prove their worth. According to Grafeman et al. , it is “this constant pursuit of proving one’s competency to the self and others that is thought to frequently contribute to relational problems” (92).

    Read More

  • Symbolism In Paul's Case: A Study In Temperament?

    1222 Words  | 5 Pages

    Layers of illusions are burned away and all Paul has left is reality. In Willa Cather’s tragic short story “Paul’s Case: A Study in Temperament,” the flowers capture the reality world Paul departs from. For instance, critic Sherry Crabtree asserts that the red carnation symbolizes Paul’s alienation from the world of Cordelia Street (Crabtree 206). Crabtree observes the patterns of how the flowers reveal Paul’s negative outlook on life. On the other hand, some critics claim that the flowers capture the fantasy world Paul envisions.

    Read More

  • Character Analysis Of Paul In Tangerine

    582 Words  | 3 Pages

    Paul is experiencing internal conflict throughout his emotional journey and he must discover that it isn’t necessary for him to receive approval from others Paul is often discouraged by his dad and never

    Read More

  • Who Is Paul Dempster's Guilt In Fifth Business

    713 Words  | 3 Pages

    As an adult Paul still believes “it was [his] birth that made her like that” (Davies 266). His father who was the man responsible

    Read More

  • Theme Of View Of Paul In Tangerine

    846 Words  | 4 Pages

    Since many people look down upon Paul, he notices facts and clues society does not, however, he fears saying something, in which causes his friend to end up dying Within the story, Paul lives in his own bubble, disconnected from the world and society, so he knows what others do not. It is as if Paul lives in the sun and knowledge of the world, baring that burden while others in society live in darkness with a slight sliver of light from the moon, believing they know the world to its full extent when in reality they are blind and in the dark. This affects Paul since he possesses ideas from another point of view that others have no clue about. This is important because without the knowledge that Paul posses, he would be like his none the wiser parents, which

    Read More

  • Narcissistic Personality Disorder Case Studies

    867 Words  | 4 Pages

    Diagnoses: Nick meets the criteria for a diagnosis in at least two categories, and those categories are Narcissistic Personality Disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 669) and Delusional Disorder, grandiose type (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 90). Based on the evidence provided, Nick qualifies for both disorders, however, Narcissistic Personality Disorder would be the main

    Read More

  • Fetal Alcohol Syndrome In The Rocking Horse

    1099 Words  | 5 Pages

    Paul suffers from schizophrenia; schizophrenia is a disease in which the victim may hear and see things that are not actually there. When Paul hears voices “in the house… it [frightens him] terribly” (1256). Paul hearing voices that are not there, is evidence that he has schizophrenia due to neurological defects. Another sign of fetal alcohol syndrome is Paul’s hyperactivity. Fetal alcohol syndrome can result in “behavioral problems such as hyperactivity, poor attention and concentration, stubbornness, impulsiveness, and anxiety” (Gavin).

    Read More

  • Symbolism In Paul's Case Essay

    667 Words  | 3 Pages

    Flowers symbolize so many things in society nowadays. People receive and give flowers on several different occasions. Flowers are symbols of love, sadness, apologizes, excitement, passion, and many others. Flowers also play a big role in the story “Paul’s Case” written by Willa Cather. The main character, Paul, often gives special meaning to the flowers present in the story.

    Read More

  • Essay On Mental Health Issues

    1019 Words  | 5 Pages

    Why do the people of today still associate stigma, shame and blame with mental health issues? Mental health issues are extremely and widely misunderstood. Despite the fact one in four people are likely to experience some kind of mental health problem a year in the United Kingdom. “Mental health is a person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being and it affects how we feel, think and act. It also helps to determine how we handle situations such as stress, how we relate to others and how we make decisions.

    Read More

More about Summary Of Paul's Case Study In Temperament

Open Document