Pre-write

I am interested in the idea behind wealth as a source of happiness. It seems as though Willa Cather has a lot to say about the relationship between the two. I think that, through the relationships she describes, the reader can see the differences between those that have money and those that do not. The readers see the St. Peter’s as wealthy, especially due to Lillian St. Peter’s desires. Godfrey St. Peter does not seem to be affected so much by the wealth and social status that comes about due to capital. In their daughters, Cather describes an extreme difference in that one daughter is very affluent, while the other is not. The wealthy daughter stumbled upon the money, and her and her husband live a very comfortable life. Cather shows the other daughter as being jealous of her sister, but also very happy with her husband. This may speak to the idea that wealth may not necessarily be the root of happiness. In the middle section of the novel, Cather goes into a completely different story, in which two friends and partners find ruins and later reap the rewards from doing so. Tom, one partner, is shown as being in love with the city. In everything he does, he is depicted as being truly enamored by the scenery and general location, as well as by the ruins themselves. However, it comes down to money in the end, when his partner, Roddy Blake, sells many ruins without the knowledge of Tom. This proves to be the end of their long friendship. The miscommunication between the two comes down to how wealth can make happiness. Tom saw happiness through the clean, southwest air, and Blake saw happiness through the wealth of selling the ruins.

Through all of these examples, I am not exactly sure of if Cather wants to show a positive or negative light on wealth and happiness. I feel as if I can research some more and look to my quotes as aid to the argument that I have yet to make. I feel as if looking further into the text and at the overall picture, I will be able to see more clearly the way that Cather feels about affluence, and how it is portrayed in her novel.

In the end of the novel, wealth turns out to be nothing for Mr. St. Peter, as he finds himself drained. The pressure of Lillian and his daughters and his book have all been pulling at him for too long and he is not able to withstand it anymore. I would like to find out more about how wealth contributes to this breakdown.