The ending of the story is an instance of irony. Suppose Paul had not died at the end, how would you have reacted to the story?

The ending that the author gave was rather tragic. It was touching and impactful. It showed the true price of chasing for money. But a happy ending would have done justice to Paul’s efforts and his determination. He craved for his mother’s love and at the end, he did receive it but was not alive to witness it with his own eyes. One would, however, agree that the tragic ending helped the author in conveying the true value of the story.