Where does Cabot hide his money, and what happens to it?

Answer

Where does Cabot hide his money, and what happens to it? [2016] 

Ephraim Cabot appears as a tragic figure in Desire Under the Elms (1924) by Eugene O’Neill (1888–1953). The play shows greed, pride, and loneliness in the Cabot family. Ephraim Cabot hides his money secretly inside the farmhouse. But when he tries to take it later, he finds it gone forever.

Secret Place of the Money: Cabot is a proud and greedy man. He hides his savings under the floorboards of the farmhouse. He does not trust anyone, not even his wife or sons. This hidden money becomes a symbol of his greed and fear of losing control.

Greed and Distrust: Cabot’s money shows his lonely and selfish nature. He works hard for years but keeps the money hidden. He believes only in his own strength. He never shares it with his family. His greed makes him rich in property but poor in love.

The Money is Gone: When Abbie kills her baby and Cabot decides to leave the farm, he opens the floor to take the hidden money. To his shock, the place is empty. Eben says that he used the money to pay Simeon and Peter for their shares of the farm. Cabot realizes that all his labor and savings have become useless.

Symbol of His Failure: Cabot’s financial loss reveals the failure of his life. He says sadly that he will stay and die alone on the farm. His money cannot save him from emptiness. The Sheriff says, 

“It’s a jim-dandy farm, no denyin’. Wished I owned it!” 

But for Cabot, the farm and money mean nothing anymore.

In Short, Cabot hides his money under the floor, but it is taken by Eben. His loss shows that greed and distrust bring sorrow. O’Neill uses it to reveal Cabot’s tragic emptiness.