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: : : If I understand the story right, it's about a rich banker and a young lawyer. The banker and the lawyer debate whether the death sentence or life imprisonment would be a worse fate. This leads to them making a bet: If the lawyer can stand solitary confinement for 15 years, the banker would give him 2 million dollars. The lawyer stays in a room by himself without any contact with the outside world (except for writing little notes that he can p through a tiny window with requests for books). During his 15 years, the lawyer reads on many topics, learns many different languages, etc. When the time is nearly up, the banker fears losing the bet since he is no longer as rich as he used to be (from gambling in the stock markets). Paying up the 2 million would leave him impoverished. The banker even considers killing the lawyer, who has become so old and frail from being locked away for so long anyway. When he unlocks the door to the room, the banker finds the lawyer sleeping. The lawyer has written a note that the banker reads. It gets a bit confusing from that point, but I believe that basically the lawyer is saying that he no longer wishes for money and all the things of the world. He's been to many places and experienced many things just through reading of all his books... and he's finally decided that he hardly even wants his freedom... or something like that... But anyway, it finally concludes that the lawyer has written he will leave the room early--a few hours before the 15 years are up--and so the banker won't have to pay him the money. The banker feels remorse for his bad thoughts for a short bit; he cries and whatever. But then he is relieved that he will be able to keep his money--showing he's still as greedy as before. : : : Hope this helps! : : : And continuing about "The Bet"... does anyone have any idea about its theme? I'm still a bit confused. I think it has something to do with the effects of greed, but can anyone expand on that? I'd be very appreciative! Thanks! : : : : Themes: : : You see the world as you are, not as it is. : : Everything is worthless. : : Knowledge and wisdom give people a loss of hope. : : Freedom doesn't necessarily make life valuable. : : Ignorance is bliss. : : : The theme (or themes) is ambiguous, and there are many slants to it. Maybe the irony was the banker had the money, but the lawyer was richer. : : The banker is a static character, but the lawyer is a changing character. The lawyer was free while the banker was imprisoned. The only greedy one in the story was the banker although he saw the lawyer through his own eyes and accused him of being just like him. But, the banker knew the lawyer had something (maybe the truth) or he wouldn't have hidden the lawyer's letter in the safe. : : I hope this helps.

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