Character_Analysis_of_Dobie_Gillis_in_“Love_Is_a_Fallacy”

CharacterAnalysisofDobieGillisin“LoveIsaFallacy”“LoveIsaFallacy”isastorywrittenbyMaxShulman,anAmericanwriterpopularinthethirdquarterofthe20thcentury.InthisstorytheauthorcreatedasuccessfulcharacterDobieGillis,whichmakesShulmanadistinguishedwriterofshortstories.Asthenarratorofthestory,Dobiefirstlydescribeshimselfasanintelligentandlogicalperson.However,theanalysisofthewholestorydemonstrateshisimagemoreclearlyandobjectively.ThisessayfocusesonthecharacteranalysisofDobiethroughhislanguageandbehavior.First,Dobieisaself-conceitedperson.Atthebeginningofthestory,Dobiefirstlydescribeshimself.“CoolamIandlogical.Keen,calculating,perspicacious,acute---Iamallofthese.Mybrainisaspowerfulasadynamo,preciseasachemist'sscales,aspenetratingasascalpel.And-thinkofit!-Iamonlyeighteen”(Zhang,P.67).Dobieusesmanycommentarywordstopraisehimselfasanintelligentandsmartperson.However,theimagesoftheothertwocharactersaredescribedinatotallydifferentdirection.Dobiedoesn’tusecommentarywordsonhisroommatePeteyBurchandPollyEspywhomhelikes.HedescribesPeteyBurchasa“faddistandnothingupstairs”(Zhang,P.68)anddescribedPollyEspyas“beautifulbutnotsmartenenough”(Zhang,P.69)whoneedsDobie’sguidance.However,afterwardsthegirlnotsmartenenoughrefuteshisproposalusingthefallaciesheteachesher.Andtheroommate“nothingupstairs”(Zhang,P.68)winsthegirl’slovebyaraccooncoatthatDobiescornswhilethesmartDobiegetsnothing.Dobieclaimshimselfasalogicalandperspicaciousperson,butitprovestobethathehasmuchprejudiceonanddespiseoftheothertwocharacters.It’sevidentthatDobieisaself-centeredpersonexaggeratinghisownmeritsandtheother’sdemerits.Second,Dobieisaridiculousandself-contradictiveperson.Loveisthemostdivineandbeautifulaffectiononearth.However,Dobietakesitasaqualificationforbeingalawyerinthefuture.“ThesuccessfullawyersIhaveobservedare,almostwithoutexception,marrytobeautiful,gracious,intelligentwomen.Withoneomission,Pollyfitsthesespecificationsperfectly.”(Zhang,P.70).HeemphasizesmanytimesthathisdesireforPollyisnotemotionalinthenature.ButafterteachingfallaciestoPolly,hefallsinlovewiththisgirlanddeterminestotellher.“ItmustbethoughtthatIamwithoutlovewiththisgirl.Quietthecontrary”(Zhang,P.82).Dobiehasaridiculousviewofloveanddenieshisowndescriptionofhimself,whichmakeshimaself-contradictiveperson.Third,Dobieisanemotionalpersonandnotthatreasonableandcoolashethinks.AfterspendingonenightteachingPollyfallacy,hewantstodiscardtheintentiontoenlightenthatstupidgirl.Thoughheabandonsthatideaafterreconsideration,herevealshisdisgustedemotionsintheconversationswithPolly.Originally,Dobie“hideshisexasperation”(Zhang,P.75)butgraduallyhelosescontrolonhisemotions.First,hefeelsdesperate,andthenhissayssharplyandsighsdeeply.Atlastheisfrownedbytheteachingprocess.ActuallythePolly’sprogressesontheFallaciesprovethatsheisanintelligentgirl.Therefore,itcanbeconcludedfromthisprocessthatDobieisanemotionalpersonandnotthatreasonableashethinks.Inconclusion,DobieGillisin“LoveIsaFallacy”isaself-conceited,self-contradictiveridiculousandemotionalperson.ThoughDobiepraiseshimselfwithhischaracteristicsofbeinglogicalandperspicaciousatthebeginning,thewholestorygivearealdemonstrationofhischaracteristics.Moreoverheneglectsanimportantfactthatloveisakindofemotionwhichisnotcontrolledbylogicorreasons.Thatisalsothereasonhelosesthegirl’sloveinthestory.'LoveisaFallacy'byMaxShulmanAliteraryanalysisoftheshortstory'LoveisaFallacy'byMaxShulman.Writtenin2005;675words;0sources;PaperSummary:Inthispaper,thecleverfinalityofthisstorywhichShulmanimpartsonthenarratoristhatPollyhasactuallybeentrainedwellenoughtoactuallyrefutetheverymantryingtoimposehisauthorityoverher.Accordingtothispaper,allofthelogicthathasbeentaughttoherisnowusedagainstthenarrator,asPollylogicallybreaksdownhissexismthroughthelogicshehascometolearn.FromthePaper:"Inthisliterarystudytheshortstory"LoveisaFallacy"byMaxShulmanwillbeanalyzed.Bycriticallypointingoutthesexistnatureofthenarratorofthetale,Shulmanusesargumentsbasedonlogic.However,thenarrator'sinabilitytorealizehisownhypocrisyingaininga"trophywife"throughtreacheryandguisedevolveshismisogynistactionsandbehaviors.Inessence,"LoveisaFallacy"useshypocrisy,sexismandlogictocreateadevolvingtaleofacollegestudentwithaninferiorintellect.ThebeginningofShulman'sstoryreflectsanarrogantyoungcollegestudentwhothinksthatheissuperiortohisroommate,PeteyBellows.Thefirstpartofthestoryrevolvesaroundthenarrator'sinabilitytoseehowPeteyiseasilysusceptibleto`fads'oncampus.Shulmanwrites:Aniceenoughfellow,youunderstand,butnothingupstairs."