Masterpieces

Very Few, Very Few

In What Are Master-Pieces And Why Are There So Few Of Them by Gertrude Stein, readers are dazzled by a shower of ideas raining around what master-pieces are and why there are so few of them. With a very peculiar style of writing, one that seems as if Stein is directly speaking to one. The Wolf Of Wall Street by Jordan Belfort is a memoir of his personal life and intriguing experiences. A stock market multimillionaire at 26, and federal convict at 36 with a genious mind, a compelling story. It is worth to say that Jordan Belfort is a genius and his investment deals some of the few master-pieces that Gertrude Stein talks about in her writing.

Jordan Belfort is a Jewish man with a natural talent as a salesman, starting his own investment operation, Stratton Oakmont, by 1989. His company made millions illegally by manipulating the stock market. Jordan Belfort, also known as The Wolf of Wall Street, has a great ability which makes him a genius and his deals master-pieces. “The essence of being a genius is to be able to talk and listen to listen while talking and talk while listening.” (Stein 1). The Wolf of Wall Street has this great ability to have two and up to three conversations at the same time. He could be talking with his partner Danny Porush and having a full on conversation with himself. Listening to the present problems and already developing possible outcomes and solutions to them in his head. “ The blockhead started spewing out blockhead nonsense, but I immediately tuned out. I was the largest shareholder, owning a bit more than

three million shares, while Victor held only stock options, which were worthless at the current stock price of two dollars.” As seen through this example, Belfort tuned out and started having thoughts of himself, thinking of the next move, as if in a game of chess. This phenomenon is seen multiple times throughout the book, thus enabling him to listen while talking and talk while listening. As Stein also said, “It has been said of geniuses that they are eternally young.” (Stein 1). Despite his young features, which everyone noted, Belfort was also young at heart. “To tell you the truth, I don’t think you’re cut out for this job. You look like a kid, and Wall Street’s no place for kids. It’s a place for killers. A place for mercenaries.” (Belfort 2) Belfort was always remarkable because of his young looking features. But he was a forever-young spirited wall street genius that made thousands of dollars a minute and spent it as fast as he could on drugs, sex, and alcohol.

Jordan Belfort was an icon to each and everyone of his Strattonites, young loyal workers he hired and made millionaires. They all knew how smart he was, how much money he made, and the lavish lifestyle he managed. What they didn’t know was exactly how he was making so much money. The Wolf of Wall Street had “ratholes”, persons who owned stock on paper but are really nothing more than front man. Belfort used his ratholes to secretly buy stock in companies where using his own name would break the law. Belfort also

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