In Sherwood Anderson's introduction to his story I'm a Fool, the author builds into his character's vivid description of the background events leading up to the plot a great amount of detail and emotion. This seems to indicate a sensitivity of the character to that stage of his life. The story relates a defining moment for the character, especially given the vehement self-condemnation of the un-named character at the end of the story. Written from …showed first 75 words of 909 total…

…showed last 75 words of 909 total…saving it for no such boob as myself." After reading how much he enjoyed his job in the opening of the story, one wonders exactly what that last sentence means in a practical sense. Is he going to let this hard lesson tear him down, or will he learn from it and move on? Or is he simply overstating himself as a warning to others? The author leaves the answers to these questions to us.