Paul’s Case Literary Analysis

By

Cody Smith

English 103, Section 15

Miss Jodi Thomas

April 16, 2009

Word Count: 668

I. Paul considers his fantasy world to be where he is happiest

a. The color blue represents the enchantment of Paul’s dream world

i. He loses himself while looking at a “blue Rico”

ii. His imaginary world includes a “blue-and-white Mediterranean shore”

b. The color purple represents the luxurious life for which Paul has longed

i. Paul feels at home in his new surroundings

ii. Paul believes that this new life is the life he was destined to live

II. Paul does not feel happy in the real world

a. The color red represents Paul’s arrogance and pride

i. Paul defies those around him and live life as he chooses

ii. Paul shows contempt and defiance to average society

b. The color black represents Paul’s loneliness and death

i. Paul realizes that the time of fun is over when he runs out of money

ii. Paul’s visions “flash to black” as death envelopes him

“Paul's Case” tells the story of a depressed young man named Paul whose feelings of

superiority and desire for the finer things in life make him a misfit in his own world. He yearns

to find happiness and escape the drab reality of his daily life. Paul isolates himself from the

common, small-minded people he so despises, and lives in a dream world, which comforts and

accepts him. Despair and frustration force Paul to revolt. He escapes to the life of his dreams

before resolving to a final and unfortunate solution. Color symbolism in “Paul’s Case” reveals

Paul’s incorrect view of happiness.

Paul considers his fantasy world to be where he is happiest. This fantasy happiness is

symbolized by the colors blue and purple. The color blue represents the enchantment of Paul’s

dream world. When blue is mentioned, Paul is daydreaming about romance and finer things

that aren’t a part of his life. Paul “lost himself”(328) while looking at the blue Rico painting in

the Carnegie Hall gallery, and he dreams about being “carried out, blue league after blue

league, away from everything”(335) while listening to the orchestra. His dream world even

includes a “blue-and-white Mediterranean shore.”(334) He wishes to be carried away from his

Pittsburgh home and his simple life. What Paul does not realize is that life is never perfect, just

as he sees it in his dreams of glory, fame, and happiness. Such is the case with New York City.

He dreams of the perfect life, but in the end it is all empty glitter and does not satisfy his hunger

for happiness.

The color purple represents the luxurious life for which Paul has longed. Purple vibrates

with luxury, royalty, and prosperity. When Paul leaves Pittsburgh, he comes to a new, perfect

New York City. Paul “felt now that his surroundings explained him.”(339) He had longed for
the “good life” of luxury for so long and now he was fully indulging. Paul felt on top of the

world, and “nobody questioned his purple.” There was little chance that anyone could think of

him as he used to be. Paul has finally become the man of his dreams and truly believes this is

the society he deserves to live in.

Paul is too busy living in his perfect fantasy world that he never takes time to be happy

and thankful for what he has in the real world. Paul has a sense of arrogance of pride, which is

represented by the color red. Paul tried to make a statement of arrogance to the teachers’

board by wearing a “scandalous red carnation”(328) in his buttonhole. He defies those around

him and lives life as he chooses, although he is unaware and unconcerned about the

consequences that might befall him for the unwise choices he makes. The color red also

represents Paul’s contempt and defiance for average society. When he moves to New York, he

purchases a new “red robe”(337) that enables him to flaunt his audacity in a daring way.

The color black represents Paul’s loneliness and death. Once his money runs out, he

knew “that the play was over.”(341) He stands alone at the dark fork in the road as the burden

of his wasted life weighs heavily on him. As Paul rides out of town, the black, dead weeds

sticking up through the snow in the passing fields signify his approaching death. When he

finally decides to end his life, as his body flies through the air, he instantly visualizes in vivid

color all the things he will never get to do, and then “the disturbing visions flashed black.”(343)

Paul’s view of life revolving around money and material things is represented in all these

different colors. Paul, who did not live a luxurious life before New York City, begins to think

that his fantasy is reality, when he says that he is “one of the fortunate beings”(341) born into a

life of luxury and riches. Paul’s incorrect view of happiness ultimately led to his demise.