According to the Oxford Dictionary, greed is defined as an excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves especially with respect to material wealth. The story Paper by Catherine Lim explores the greed towards easy money making and how it leads city people to a tragic result. Firstly, greed is revealed through the story’s protagonist, Tay Soon, as his attentiveness is only in regards to his aspiration to having a modern house. Lim states, “Once the notion of a big beautiful house had lodged itself in his imagination, Tay Soon nurtured it until it became the consuming passion of his life” (Lim, 75). Tay Soon’s desire is to buy a well managed home with perfections. His eagerness to invest in the house is his center of attention. Tay’s enthusiasm is so great that it is the only captivating joy and happiness of his life. He will do anything it takes in order to own his dream house. Secondly, self-indulgence is demonstrated in Tay’s excessive greed towards money hoarding. Tay Soon does not have enough money saved in the bank in order to manage his dream house monthly over a period of years. His plan is to invest and gain his money in the stock market. At that time, Tay is attracted to the stock market because share price is rising. He further is excited towards the share and invests more money. But unfortunately, the value of shares begins to fall rapidly. There is not any device to control the declining. The lost of all his money drowns him in despair and distress. Lim states, “The pain bit into his very mind and soul, so that he was like a madman, unable to go to his office to work, unable to do anything but haunt the broking houses, watching with frenzied anxiety for OHTE and West Parkes to show him hope” (Lim, 79). Tay has lost all of his money because of his excessive greed. His hope of building a modern house is broken into pieces. He stops eating and starts beating his wife and children. His condition becomes worse and he is admitted to hospital. Tay breaks physically. Thirdly, Tay experiences his total ruin due to the greed for paper. Sadly, Tay dies not being able to achieve his wish of buying his dream house. Astonishingly, his mother brought his dream house in paper to his grave and set it on fire. Lim states, “At an appointed time, the paper house was brought to Tay Soon’s grave and set on fire there. It burned brilliantly, and in three minutes was a heap of ashes on the grave” (Lim, 80). Previously, Tay’s mother asked a man who is well known on the island for his beautiful houses to construct the best house made of paper. The paper house is made with the intention of incorporating all the specifications Tay yearns for. Tay’s mother throws the completed model of the house in the fire to burn together with his body. The irony is evident as Tay Soon’s wish is apparent on paper, the material wealth he worships and adores. One can also say, greed is an unbearable desire that can change a family and a person’s life. Tay Soon’s obsession of accumulating wealth leads not only his family, but him with consequences and a miserable life.

Works Cited

Lim, Catherine. Little Ironies: Stories of Singapore. Singapore: Heineman Educational (Asia), 1978. Print.