d life that Paul sheds, and the perfumed violet water is symbolic of the way Paul dons the facade of a dandy in attempt to change the perception of his social status. The irony in this instance is that Paulthinks he can wash off his old life and sprinkle on a sophisticated life as easily as he can wash his hands and sprinkle on perfumed water, when in reality it is not that easy to transcend social class definition. Another symbol of Paul's attempt to fit into the upper class of New York is the color he chooses to wear. "Nobody questioned the purple; he had only to wear it passively. He had only to glance down at his attire to reassure himself that here it would be impossible for any one to humiliate him." Purple, the color of royalty -- symbolic of the rich and sophisticated whom Paul admired -- fit in, in this place. In contrast, at home, purple (orroyalty, rich, extravagant, sophisticated people and things) was so out of the ordinary that they were obvious in their difference and easily recognized, easily humiliated. Paul felt that he did not fit in with the bland monotony of home, and that he belonged and blended into this place of false pretenses. Thus, purple is symbolic of the higher social status that Paul desires, and the fact that no one points out that he is wearing this mark of high social standing means that the upper class -- as far as Paul is concerned -- has accepted him. Each of these ironic incidents, and each of these symbolic aspects of the text, build up to support the main paradox of the story. It is an epiphonic moment when Paul, sitting in the restaurant of the hotel in New York, looks around "when the roseate tinge of his champagne was added –that cold, precious bubbling stuff that creamed and foamed in his glass-- Paul wondered that there were honest men in the world at all." This statement seems to justify all of Paul's dishonesty. Paul had to be dishonest to get to where he was, and he wonders why, if e...
