The Rich Brother Tobias Wolff Analysis

Even thought Pete does not show caring emotions, his actions say all the words. For example: Donald said, "Pete do you ever dream about me?" Pete replied with, "What kind of question is that? Of course I don't dream about you." He said untruthfully. (pg.367). This is one of the only parts in this short story that shows the reader a very small part of Pete's soft side. Another example compares in a similar way that Pete does in fact have a connection with his only brother Donald. "There was something wrong with me, and you were helping me out. Taking care of me. Just the two of us. I don't know where everyone else was supposed to be." Pete said. (pg. 369) If someone were to analyze only this part of the story it would portray that in his dream he depended on Donald. When he says it was just the two of them, it gives the reader an idea that was the way it was supposed to be, that Pete didn't need anyone else in the world to help him but only needed the person he could truly rely upon. Dependency is one of the main concealed habits between siblings, not only growing up, but continuously throughout one others life. Another common inconspicuous idiosyncrasy is rivalry.

At each stratum of society, there is the misconception of correlating money and character. Jim’s mother risked her life and that of her only son to get her ‘dues.’ “[I]’m an honest woman,” she proclaims and intends to prove this proclamation by taking only what is owed (Stevenson 17). It is astonishing how her perception of value is skewed. She sits counting money in the face of imminent danger. She values money over the safety of herself and her son. It is when danger is at the door that Jim is able to pull her back from the brink of death and disaster.

In the article, "Stupid Rich Bastards", the author, Laurel Johnson Black, gives an insight on her life and upbringing in a "poor" family, the effects it had on her, her life goals, and dreams. Black’s article was published in the book This Fine Place So Far from Home: Voices of Academics from the Working Class in 1995. Throughout the article, Black gives an explanation of the conditions in which she and her family lived in, which include her parents having to take on various jobs such as her father being a plumber, junk man, car salesman and her mother—a cook, school crossing-guard and a McDonald 's counter worker as well. With all these jobs, Black also mentioned that the income was still inadequate. Being that her family 's way of living was not the best, her parents decided that one of their children has to make it or go to college, and Black was the one who was going to be the one to do that. She did this with hopes that she would earn more money, be able to make a better life for her and her family, maneuver along with the "stupid rich bastards", talk like them, learn their ways but not be like them, and explain to her family about the lives of the same "stupid rich bastards", people who had or made more money and had better lives or felt better than others. Along with her telling her story, the main purpose of Black’s story is to bring to our attention that she is trying to “keep the language of the working class in academia” (Black 25).

Thirdly, “The Rich Brother” Pete feels he is responsible for his brother after his parent’s death. He thinks that Donald is hard to handle since he sees the goodness in every people and could be easily be fooled. In the article,

One of the major topics explored in The Great Gatsby is the sociology of wealth, specifically, how the newly minted millionaires of the 1920s differ from and relate to the old aristocracy of the country’s richest families. In the novel, West Egg and its denizens represent the newly rich, while East Egg and its denizens, especially Daisy and Tom, represent the old aristocracy. Fitzgerald portrays the newly rich as being vulgar, gaudy, ostentatious, and lacking in social graces and taste. Gatsby, for example, lives in a monstrously ornate mansion, wears a pink suit, drives a Rolls-Royce,

full of money,” and Nick develops the point: “That was it, I’d never understood before. It was full

Not only does Donald believe that everyone should share, but he has a deep concern with the well-being of others. He is more concerned with the fate of his and everybody else’s soul. Wolf states, “Donald couldn’t content himself with worrying about his own soul. He had to worry about everyone else’s, and especially Pete’s.” (391) Donald has a deep feeling that his brother is danger because of the way he has put money and material things before believing in God. His need to be some sort of savior has caused him to put his own needs behind the needs of others. He doesn’t want much for himself. When Pete holds five twenties out the window “Donald stepped back as if horrified,” and says, “I don’t need that much’” (393). He gives everything that he has; he even gives away the money that Pete

Just as history repeats itself, so does the cycle that is Pete and Donald. Donald once again takes advantage of his brother’s loyalty when on the drive home from the farm the brothers pick up Webster, a hitchhiker and conman. Webster spins a tale too good to be true but Donald can’t see anything other than dollar signs when Webster offers him a share in his gold mine in Peru. Pete, as most adults would have, can see the scam through Webster’s tale immediately and tries to help Donald see the truth by offering up multiple snarky comments and direct questions for Webster to answer. It’s just not enough though as Donald gives away Pete’s $100 to Webster in good faith for a share in the mine. This is a much larger issue than the fact that Donald just gave away Pete’s money and feels justified and blameless. The other issue is Pete’s - past experience should have taught Pete that Donald is incapable of understanding the value of other people’s money or material items, which is part of the reason he was asked to leave the farm.

“Our brothers and sisters are there with us from the dawn of our personal stories to the inevitable dusk” (Susan Scarf Merrell). Merrell, an American author and a creative writing and literature teacher at Stony Brook Southampton, states that since the early days of your youth to the end of our story our siblings are there throughout our whole journey. Life is similar to a play; parents pass away during the first half; while one’s children come in during the second half; but siblings are there throughout both acts. Tobias Wolff’s, The Rich Brother, portrays the relationship between two brothers that are complete opposites; yet they know each other’s strengths and weaknesses better than anyone else will ever be able. The Rich Brother describes a complex sibling relationship that is fairly common in today’s society; Tobias Wolff makes use of pathos by incorporating real life sibling abuse; and ethos in his own life and credentials.

I enjoyed reading this story by Tobias Wolff called “The Rich Brother”, there are two brothers, Pete and Donald. Like most brothers they have very little in common. Pete is the brother who is more put together and a successful real estate agent. Donald is more of a hippie in a way, giving out free hand outs to anyone who ask for them. He has had a problem with financial issues and often had to depend on Pete to get him out of the situation.

Expressions such as these only distance Tom from benign human tendencies, leaving him less worthy of receiving any compassion from his audience. By creating a character like Tom, Fitzgerald leaves the reader with the impression that one born into and consumed by wealth will become the most unappealing and bland character of all. In this way the author leaves a sense of emptiness associated with Tom and continues to sew the thread of emptiness in all other characters consumed by wealth in his story.

A materialistic guy, somewhat content, financially stable with a family in a nice home. It would look as if he had it all together, but in reality he does not. I feel as though Donald gives Pete a different perspective of life which is displayed on page 358 when he begins to contemplate the outcomes of Donald ’s decision to give Webster the $100. He begins to question his initial position

The social hierarchy is influenced by the amount of money one owns which determines whether one can attain their dream. By creating apparent social classes within ‘The Great Gatsby’ – old money, new money and no money, Fitzgerald strongly suggests that American society is intensely stigmatised. Daisy, Tom and Jordan represent the elite social class of society where despite their problems and failures they are always protected and immune by their wealth. Tom refers to Gatsby as ‘Mr Nobody from nowhere” and a “common swindler who would have to steal the ring he put on her finger” as he boasts about his hereditary wealth compared to the other distinct elite group of society who acquire their wealth through business deals, which are sometimes corrupt. Although Fitzgerald mainly attacks the rich, by making them look judgemental, superior and selfish, evidently the lower class of society are vulnerable within American society. This is shown where so many, like Myrtle,

Fitzgerald discusses the desire for material possessions in The Great Gatsby by explaining the fact that Americans judge people by the possessions and the money they have. For example people pictured Tom as a god because of his wealth. Because of his wealth he could commit crimes, have affairs, cover up stories all by being wealthy. Nick explains “They smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or

He seemed to be doing better than Maggie, and could provide a way to a better life. Pete showers attention upon Maggie, leading her to believe that he is genuinely interested in her. Sadly for Maggie, Pete is not what he seems to be. He works in a bar, and regales Jimmie and Maggie with tales of the fights he got into at his job (Crane 969). His attitude is one of fighting, and he’s proud of that fact, which a reader would be hesitant to trust. Even his shoes are described as “[looking] like murder-fitted weapons” (Crane 967), which seems to scream that he’s not a man that is going to do better. Maggie doesn’t realize this, though, when she must decide whether to go with him or stay home after the battle of her mother and brother. For her, it’s either a chance to remain the way she’s always been, or the possibility of improvement. She chooses Pete, which leads her to the downward spiral ending with prostitution and death. Maggie could have avoided this by saying no and staying home. Her life may not have led to grandeur, and instead meant a life in a terrible factory, full of monotony and unhappiness, but it would have kept her away from the awful place she ends in. Even if neither option was fabulous, she did have a choice.