Paul's Case

Willa Cather's short story "Paul's Case" was published in 1905 and follows the titular Paul over the course of a few months. Paul is a student at Pittsburgh High School, who would rather be at the opera than in class, and has Romantic, misguided notions of reality. He disdains most aspects of his life, particularly how his middle-class reality affects his chances of grandeur and luxury. Through Paul's experiences, Cather explores topics such as rebelling against authority and the American dream, as well as how art can serve as a form of escapism.