Success and Disillusionment

The irony of Martin achieving literary fame and wealth only to find them hollow, leading to a deep existential crisis and loss of purpose.

Martin is dissatisfied with Mr. Butler's material success, finding it paltry and lacking in spiritual or aesthetic fulfillment, hinting at future disillusionment.

Martin's victory over Cheese-Face is a metaphor for his ongoing struggle for literary success, yet he remains mired in poverty and rejection.

Martin's decision to abandon writing temporarily for manual labor reflects his disillusionment with the literary market, yet he remains driven by a vision of future success.

Martin's creative ambitions are crushed by the dehumanizing labor, and he loses faith in his own writing after Ruth's rejection.