One of Willa Cather's most complex but celebrated stories, "Paul's Case" first appeared in the May 1905 issue of McClure's Magazine. It was later included in the short story collection The Troll Garden, and has since become recognized as one of her best, thanks to its exploration of art and sexuality.
It follows a young man named Paul, who loves the theater but despises his middle-class life. When given the opportunity, Paul steals money from his job and enjoys a wild week in New York City, which comes crashing to an end when his father discovers what he has done.
Unlike Cather's most famous works, "Paul's Case" takes place far from the Western frontier. But it is consistent in its...
