The characters in Joseph Heller's "Good as Gold" all achieve success in various ways, yet they experience a profound sense of failure. Despite their accomplishments, they grapple with the disparity between societal expectations of success and their personal feelings of inadequacy. This creates a dissonance in their lives, prompting them to reevaluate the true meaning of success.

Gold, a central character, embodies this confusion as he struggles to understand success. Rather than seeking clarity, he chooses to ignore its complexities. He realizes that the path to success often hinges on arbitrary factors, such as sheer luck, rather than merit or effort. This perspective underscores the randomness of success and the precarious nature of confidence in one's achievements.