A Diamond as Big as a Pink Elephant

Happiness is a concept so easily grasped, yet so hard to maintain. The world is full of hardships, as seen in Fitzgerald's short story, A Diamond as Big as the Ritz.  Although happiness is first felt when obtaining wealth, it is soon lost in the abyss of greed and jealousy: John experiences first hand how wealth leads to corruption. In a once upon a time fairy tale land, Fitzgerald illustrates ideas so true to man kind in such a far fetched fashion. Although money often leads to corruption and despair, humble fortune can bring true happiness. However, in the case of the Washingtons, fortune can lead others towards the path of inevitable destruction. Like Moses being forbidden from entering the promise land, an act that started innocently led to the unavoidable punishments. Had the Washingtons simply left the giant diamond alone and lived a humble comfortable life, they would have lived a very peaceful happy life. However, due to greed and corruption, evil deeds were done to keep such unnecessary wealth from the off chance that someone else would have found the diamond hidden inside the mountain. One man's corruption causes everyone to suffer. Like a pink elephant's tusk, the diamond as big as the Ritz was so unnecessary, yet so desirable.Fitzgerald's far fetched story is a great example of rhetoric because it clearly shows the outcome of being rich and corrupt. Today's society also portrays such ideas; for example, Kwame Kilpatrick was sentenced to 28 years in prison for corruption. It's crazy how such bizarre, unbelievable stories can have such true themes.