Hamilton is an English teacher at Cary Academy, an innovative private school in Cary, North Carolina. In this essay, she explores how Boyle's short story illustrates how individuals can become trapped by their desires.

The myth of capitalism is that anyone with talent can make a better future for himself. Through hard work and taking advantage of opportunities that arise, so the myth goes, an ambitious person can find success and happiness. To accomplish such a change in fortunes entails a metamorphosis, as the successful entrepreneur adapts to a more affluent society. In most "rags-to-riches" stories, this is the easiest part of the journey because the character simply uses his newfound riches to buy the things that will transform him into the image of success. But what happens when the person cannot adapt to a new society, when he fails to develop the right tastes and habits...