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The Theme Of Greed In The Bet, By Anton Chekhov

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The Bible states that pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed, and sloth are the seven deadly sins. It says that these characteristics are spiritually fatal and lead to unhappiness. One particular sin noticeable in today’s society is greed, defined as the desire for material wealth or gain. Jesus warned to not value one’s self in possessions that can be destroyed. He also says that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Many people are greatly influenced by the Bible and live their lives according to its teachings. If it is so morally wrong and is addressed in one of the most historically famous books, why do people still possess greedy qualities? What ultimately happens to greedy people over time? In “The Bet,” a fictional short story, Anton Chekhov uses character development and symbolism to convey the theme that greed drives humans to act in irrational ways.

The lack of the banker’s character development proves the theme that greed drives illogical decisions. To start, the banker was “suddenly carried away by excitement” and bet a young lawyer two million dollars that he would not stay in solitary confinement for fifteen years (Chekhov 1). At first, the banker is very wealthy, so he is “delighted at the bet” (Chekhov 2). Even though he intellectually knows the bet is “‘nonsensical’” and does not “‘prove that the death penalty is better or worse than imprisonment for life,’” he ultimately prioritizes his personal desires over saving fifteen years of the

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