In the 1905 short story 'The Case of Paul', author Willa Cather leaves the reader wondering what exactly the 'case' is of Paul. Throughout the story, Cather seems to leave clues about the obstacles Paul encounters. Some of Cather's indications of what Paul is facing make it seem like Paul is suffering from narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) and the effects of an unresolved Oedipus complex. These potential factors in Paul's ambiguous personality are expressed through Paul's actions. Examples of some of his alarming behavior would be his opinions on society and his poor decisions towards the very end of the story. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on "Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned"?Get the original essayIn Willa Cather's story, "The Case of Paul", the opening scene begins with a meeting discussing whether Paul , the main character of the story, should be allowed to return to school after his suspension a week before. Following the meeting, it becomes apparent that there was something about Paul that no one could directly understand. It turns out that Paul lost his mother at a very young age. It is clear that he will not remember this experience or remember it at all, but the loss of a parent has many direct effects. Losing a parent could lead to the development of narcissistic personality disorder. This disorder can cause a person to feel better than those around them and feel like they are entitled to more than they have earned. There are many other symptoms of this disorder, such as: "Feeling socially distressed and behaving, limiting their ability to function in relationships and other areas of their life, such as work or school...feeling a sense of right – and not receiving special treatment, one may become impatient or angry. We can insist on having “the best” of everything…” (Mayo Clinic) These examples of NPD are clearly demonstrated in Paul’s arrogant personality. As Paul's teachers realize they should go easier on him, he is allowed to return to school. Following the meeting, Paul goes to his workplace, Carnegie Hall, where he is an usher. Being a bailiff seems to be Paul's calling in life. He enjoys this job and admires what he does, to the point that it's slightly alarming. Paul seems to be passionate about art and theater: “The instruments seemed to release in him a hilarious and powerful spirit… He felt a sudden joy of living; the lights danced before his eyes and the concert hall shone with unimaginable splendor” (Cather). The author's descriptions of Paul's euphoric experience express that art is like an escape for him. However, for a messy person like Paul, this kind of escapism does not benefit him. He is already so disconnected from reality that additional illusions will not contribute to his distorted view of the world. After the symphony, he follows a singer from the show to her hotel. He stood outside, dreaming of what it would be like to live a lavish lifestyle like her. His daydreams of this life he thinks must have reflected the possibility of him living in this disorder. This possibility is reflected through his other actions. His actions also reflect the possibility of other problems within Paul. Willa Cather describes the street on which Paul's house is located as "highly respectable." As Paul walks home, it is mentioned that he feels a shiver of hatred as he heads towards his street. He hates the simplicity of the lives around him, the author describes his opinions as: “…disgust with bedsrespectable, of common food, of a house penetrated by the smells of cooking; a simmering revulsion for the insipid, colorless mass of daily existence; a morbid desire for fresh things, soft lights and fresh flowers” ​​(Cather). While he still lives a comfortable life, but always wants more. These greedy ways towards him can be explained by his disorderly personality. When Paul finally arrives home, we discover new information about Paul. Cather explains that Paul was afraid of rats and disliked the basement of his house, but to avoid confrontation from his father, Paul chose to sleep there. This shows the strong feelings he must have towards his father. However, to the reader, it does not appear that Paul's father has many negative feelings towards Paul. It turns out that Paul's father really wants the best for Paul, this is also reflected later. The next evening, Paul goes to the theater to hang out with a friend named Charley, who perhaps presents himself as more than a friend. Cather describes their relationship as follows: "For over a year, Paul had spent every available moment loitering in the dressing room of Charley Edwards...the young actor, who could not afford to hire a dresser" (Cather) . Willa Cather also goes on to mention that theater was Paul's infatuation, but she mentions it in a way that might suggest something more about Charley: "It was Paul's fairy tale, and he had for him all the attraction of a secret love” (Catherine). This statement seems to imply that Paul may have been homosexual. His feelings toward Charley, his feelings toward his father, and the death of his mother hint at the possibility of an unresolved Oedipus complex. The Oedipus Complex, a theory by Sigmund Freud, suggests that during a child's development it is important to have "...a desire for sexual involvement with the parent of the opposite sex and a concomitant feeling of rivalry with the parent of the same sex” (Encyclopedia Britannica Editors). This is important because it helps shape a child's personality. When the child finally subconsciously realizes that he cannot be with the parent of the opposite sex, he takes on the qualities of the parent of the same sex to try to be more like them, in the hopes of finding someone like him. In Paul's case, he only had his father his whole life. If this Freudian process is so crucial to sexual development and personality shaping, Paul failed to carry it through, leaving it unresolved. This could have led to him being only subconsciously attracted to his father, thus developing a more homosexual personality. Being gay could have contributed greatly to Paul's problems considering the times and the likelihood of being accepted for who he was by society and by his father. These ideas are further confirmed later in the story when Paul meets another boy. This possible unresolved Oedipus complex and narcissistic personality disorder could contribute to Paul's case. These contributors subsequently had a strong impact on Paul's fate. Throughout “Paul's Case,” Paul seems to get lost and drift away as we near the end. Paul's symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder increase as he becomes more and more attached to Charley. Paul begins to boast at school about his proximity to the theater and different actors; A symptom of NPD is “…exaggerating your accomplishments and talents” (Mayo Clinic). This becomes alarming for the school and Paul's father. Eventually, Paul's father pulls him out of school and forces him to stop working in the theater. In addition to taking away her dream job, he no longer allows her to see Charley. The father.