Paul's Case

In the opening paragraphs, Cather paints a vivid picture of Paul's attire. He was wearing a jacket that was too small and fraying around the collar, a oral pin in his neatly knotted neck tie, and a red carnation in his buttonhole. Cather describes Paul as a tall, thin, boy with cramped shoulders and a narrow chest. "His eyes were remarkable for a certain hysterical brilliancy, and he continually used them in a conscious, theatrical sort of way, peculiarly offensive in a boy."

Later in the story, Cather uses the same detailed description for Paul's bedroom. His room is upstairs covered with horrible yellow wallpaper. Pictures of George Washington and John Calvin along with the framed motto "Feed my Lambs," hang over his painted wooden bed.

New York City is different for Paul because he gains a sense of freedom. He no longer has to be under the roof with his father. The only thing he liked about home was the theater and the shows because they made him feel free. So when those were taken away from him, he had to find it elsewhere which resulted in him going to New York. New York allowed him to be free from his father, his school, and his burdens.