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The Rich Boy, F. Scott Fitzger


            Behind Every Powerful Man is a Powerful Woman.
             The story " The Rich Boy-, by Francis Scott Fitzgerald, is not merely a battle between the rich and the poor, but also a struggle between the male and female genders. The main character, Anson Hunter, the rich boy', thinks he is socially above the few women that appear throughout the short story. His belief that women are below him causes Anson to be arrogant and conclusive about the women he meets. This attitude is what eventually leads him to a state of loneliness and remorse towards the end of the story. In short, Anson only likes the idea of women. He is afraid of commitment when he is in a relationship with a woman and he is companionless and depressed when he is not in a relationship. Anson's alleged superiority to women leads him into his final predicament: having an affair with a random woman that is not even named by the author.
             The first woman of importance in the story is Paula Legendre, described as a dark serious beauty'. Anson and Paula fall in love, and have what the author describes as a successful engagement'. Paula's cousin classifies their engagement by Anson's wealth and status, and congratulates Paula on her success. They are often seen having serious conversations together. Paula represents all women, because how Anson treats her is how he feels about women in general. This is proven when the narrator writes "Oddly enough, Anson was as engrossed in the dialogue as she (Paula) was profoundly affected by it, yet at the same time aware that on his side was much insincere, and on hers much was merely simple. At first too, he despised her emotional simplicity as well, but with her love her nature deepened and blossomed."" (p.180) Anson accuses her of being simple; both in language and in emotion, as he metaphorically is accusing the female gender. He is aware that he was insincere to her, as if he regarded love as a trifle game and women as puppets with whom he toyed with to gain their simple, emotional love.


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