Isn't it ironic when there is a clown but he is not happy as shown by his painted smile, he is actually quite depressed . In fact, he's actually more than just an individual who can't get his life in order. In Tandolfo the Great, we meet Rodney, a troubled young man who seems to have lost his mind after reading a letter from his supposed love interest. Along the way we encounter images of "it's not me" and actions that lead us to the question "Is it really Rodney or could he be an alter ego?" Rodneys action consists of "self-destructive behavior, mood swings and depression" as presented by the National Institute of Mental Health. These are all actions and symptoms of dissociative identity disorder, DID. Grief can cause many things. It is ignored in his instructions for a table. Not only does the birthday boy's parent give him a hard time as soon as Tandolfo arrives, but he also makes it harder for Tandolfo to find a table. As he becomes increasingly irritated by his surroundings, Tandolfo makes a bold move by verbally attacking the birthday boy calling him a "naughty little piece of flesh." after he [the birthday boy] ignored the rules of the stage to wear that stupid hat. In addition to being verbally abusive, Tandolfo wants to get physical with the boy, pulling on his tongue, letting him squirm until he lets go, and the little boy falls back to the ground. None of this is Rodney, as he was previously called a “gentle clown.” He's drunk yes, but he also has mood swings, which is a symptom of DID (National Instate of Mental Health). Her constant change of mood in this situation is a great representation of what's going on inside. He appears to get annoyed with the crowd around him as he repeatedly asks for a table, but he stops for a moment to try to connect with a woman "with her voice as soft as possible." As he finally gets his table, he begins to get annoyed with the crowd again. His mood is this: When we read more about the cake, we are presented with the image of "The bride and groom are almost in bed, one on top of the other." This is the moment where we really see the clash of personalities. Tandolfo and Rodney are depicted as the bride and groom, one trying to dominate the other to become the all-powerful. In the end, the story gives us a depiction of a burden left behind in the form of a cake, but it is much more than that. It's a depiction of how Rodney is ultimately the loser and he chooses to be killed as a cake smashed by a stranger. Tandolfo left the cake, Rodney, and is ready to move on. As we read the story, we begin to see how different the two are and what one is willing to do to overcome grief. Rodney would stay because he doesn't want to be far from his "love” ,