Dream Vs. Reality In The Lamp At Noon By Sinclair Ross

In 1930s the great depression was a serious worldwide issue, when the horrifying weather destroyed all the crops and left the farmers wretched. Most farmers moved on and did some other labor. In Sinclair Ross’s “The lamp at noon” is set in the great depression time, about a farmer named Paul who has too much pride about his farming and strives to keep farming and maintaining the crops and land, but his wife Ellen opposes this and wants to move to her parents and work with her them. Yet his pride stops him from doing that. The author heavily emphasises on the theme ‘dream vs reality’, When Paul is ignoring and refusing to see the cruel reality, not thinking about his family and despite the harsh weather, Paul strives and keeps hoping …show more content…
While Ellen is thinking about their child and its health due to unpleasant weather, she wants to move to her parents but Paul’s pride wouldn’t let him. “Even as a desert it's better than sweeping out your father's store, and running his errands.”
Paul has no interest in her fathers work and is not willing to move and leave his imaginary crops.
Even though he can make a better living and live in a better environment there, he refuses. “Think of me – and him. It's not fair. We have our live, too, to live.” Stated by Ellen, proves how self seeking and selfish Paul is. Not over looking at Ellen and their baby and their life and future. His wife and child suffering from the horrible weather and their health being seriously critical, Doesn’t change his plans either. In Sinclair’s ‘The lamp at noon’ the highlight theme ‘dream vs Reality, emphasises on Paul’s pride and his dream of the crops growing back, and continuing his farming and living how his life has always been. And blindfolding himself with the reality that shatters his dreams and not letting his dreams become a reality no matter how hard he