In society today, people can view others with money above themselves, believing he or she is on another level. Money can bring people happiness to a person, or it can tear him or her completely apart. Though the people in society look up to a person with the riches he or she wishes they had, this is not always the life the rich person wants. In E.A. Robinson’s story “Richard Cory,” Richard Cory had the fame and the money everyone in his community desired, and he just wanted to be a friend to everyone he met; but society held him to a higher level than themselves, leading to his eventual suicide by a gun. Edward Arlington Robinson had an early life that led to a great deal of influence into his works, including “Richard Cory.” Edward Arlington…show more content… At the end of the poem after Cory realizes nobody will ever feel that he or she is on the same level as Richard Cory is, he ends his life by shooting himself in the head (Tolleson). Richard Cory had the money every person in his culture wished that he or she could have themselves, but did not feel it mattered. With the choice of ending his life earlier than everybody in his town expected, it was a very big surprise to the city he had done so. The suicide shocked each person, because they thought Richard Cory was one of the people who had life all figured out. When looking further into the poem, the resemblance between Richard Cory and Robinson’s brother is very similar. Aside from the part where Cory kills himself with a gun, Robinson’s brother committed suicide on an apparent drug overdose (Peschel). The thought of having almost everybody in his family now gone, haunted Robinson. Through the story of Richard Cory, Edward Arlington Robinson showed that his brother also faced a struggle before committing suicide by overdosing. Even though Richard Cory had all the money and fame any one person could ask for in this life, he was not at rest with his soul, bringing to the conclusion that money does not always come with
