A Cool Million: About Lemuel Pitkin About His Struggle (Coursework Sample)

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A Cool Million
The story revolves around the many unfortunate incidences that are faced by Lemuel Pitkin in his quest to liberate himself and his family from their poverty. At the end of the story he ends up dead when he is shot in the heart. But this is not before he loses many parts of his body on several occasions, without ever breaking his spirit. Having been written as a satirical piece, the author tries to relate to the audience how innocent people can be exploited by those of higher ranking in the society. They are made to believe they are being helped when in the real sense they are being used.
One of the important points that have been brought out in the text is the undying spirit of Lemuel. His tribulations begin when he hears that he and his mother are to be evicted from their house for lack of payment. These problems not only follow Lemuel but seem to have an interest in all people that he is closely connected to. For instance, on several occasions, his girlfriend is subjected to rape, theft and is even eventually sold off into prostitution. Lemuel however continues to hope and believe that there will be a silver lining, a thought that he maintains even to his death.
The character of Whipple represents that of people who refuse to see things form other points of view and always want them to work in their favor. For example he constantly uses the word’ America’ to refer to himself. When things go wrong for him, such as when he goes bankrupt, he says that those that sold him out were un-American. When his cows are able to rescue him from bankruptcy, he praises them and calls the ‘good American cows’. It is small wonder that he takes advantage of the death of Lemuel to incite the people and make them see more need to support his party (95). He says that the death of Lemuel was so that the people can be liberated; making them believe it is good for them when in real sense it is good for him.
The book also represents the inability of people to see things from any other view that is not their monetary value. This is illustrated in the very first pager of the book where the Pitkin house is described. The author says that Mr. Goldstein has imagined dismantling the house then setting it up again in his store which is called, ‘Fifth Avenue Shop’ (69). It is a store that sells and displays objects that have heavy historical significance and ...