The Troll Garden

The Troll Garden was a short story collection written by Willa Cather.  I found the stories in this book just ok until I read Paul’s Case.  It’s about a troubled teenager.  I was under the mistaken notion that Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye was the first work to do this.  (I’ve read The Member of the Wedding.  She is only 12.)  Since this got published in 1905 it’s obviously not true.  In this story, Paul gets expelled from school.  He evens steals some money and runs away.  It all ends rather tragically.  I’ve been getting into Willa Cather’s work lately.  I’ve read Death comes from the Archbishop and O Pioneers this year.  I feel there is more to come in this blog. 3/5