Obsession: a New Loss of Reality 

It may seem, as society portrays it, that we all possess different interests. However, is it possible to believe that there can be one thing that we all share in common, for example, our desires? Perhaps, it may seem impractical, but our desires contain the ability to control our actions. For example, young adults seeking further education to obtain a certain occupation in order to become successful. At this point, people can believe that our desires consume us, but at what limit are people willing to cross in order to feel complete, or even happy? In the following short stories, we will see that obsession is becoming the new loss of reality.

We encounter qualities of obsession in the following short story “Paul’s Case” by Willa Cather. “Paul’s Case” involves a troubled young- man named, Paul, who despises his common, and non-luxurious life; to the point where he decides to steal money and enjoy the life, he believes that best suits him. It’s not long into the story where we first encounter Paul’s obsession with living a lavish life. His clothes were a trifle outgrown, and the tan velvet on the collar of his open overcoat was frayed and worn; but for all that there was something of a dandy about him, and he wore an opal pin in his neatly knotted black four-in-hand, and a red carnation in his buttonhole. (Cather 244) In this particular moment, Paul was summoned to the principal’s office to discuss his bad behavior, however was is noticeably strange about his attire is the red carnation that rests upon him. We come to the realization that Paul may have worn this carnation to indicate how he is better than the people he is currently being surrounded by. Paul believes that this mere flower is creating this illusion of his superiority.

The red carnation was only one of the few indicators to demonstrate Paul’s obsession, but we can further argue that