The time period in which Paul’s Case took place shows how society wanted an idealistic family. Throughout the story, it is shown how Paul’s family does not live up to the qualifications needed to be a “perfect” family; his mother died when Paul was young and Paul was raised by a single dad. As if times are not hard enough, Paul is constantly notified about how his future family should be. In the short story it states, “He happened to be the young man who was daily held up to Paul as a model, and after whom it was his father's dearest hope that he would pattern.” In Paul’s opinion, the clerk just “married the first woman whom he could persuade to share his fortunes… who now borne him four children.” To him a family like that really didn’t matter,