themes of stories

growing up in a small town, its easy to relate to the ideas that are presented in, Thomas Hardy's Tony Kytes, the Arch Deceiver.it also do not take much to understand and sympathize with the character's compendium of the lives of everyone who has passed through Longpuddle. even with the passing of time, these characters show to have preceded reputations and to live in a small town that is willing to forgive their wrongs in order to live a more peaceful life, in a particularly small town.

the story begins on a carriage ride, all the passengers relax and at ease, awaiting to arrive at their destination. all fourteen passengers know each other. they illustrate comfort and even entertain John Lackland's son, a stranger that has returned after thirty five years, with a story. it doesn't take much for a passenger to link the strangers face with its ancestors, quickly gaining trust. small towns have a way of creating comfort, and judging its people based on their reputations; reputations that travels quickly from person to person, in such a small town. it is only in a small town that after thirty five years, a stranger would still recognized and remembered. it gives a more vivid picture of the size of the town, simply with that recognition. further illustrated that in this town of Longpuddle, no one ever leaves.

when John Lackland's son asks about the whereabouts of Tony Kytes, all passengers know his story well. they talk about his deceitfulness and stupidity. they know about his attempts and promises to three different girls, and still manage to find humor in the situation. tony kytes was known for his looseness, his wondering eye. having had such a widely known fact, they can look at the situation comically. they seem to view the girls as more foolish than Kytes, seeing as they all where willing to bend their ways for him. knowing he did not do anything that was out of character, he simply used a little persuasion with the three girls. in most places this would be considered disgraceful, but in this town of Longpuddle, they walked into this and he is not to blame for the foolishness of these girls.

Even after Kytes has been discovered by all three girls, he still manages to marry one, further illuminating the shortage of options for the girls. in a decently size town, most girls would have walked away and found themselves a better suited man to marry, but because their appears to be a limited number, Kytes is still fancied in the end. the idea of small towns carrying on more supportive and compassionate is outlaid with the painter. though he is briefly mentioned, much of the town's ways is described in his survival. most villagers numerous painting out of piety. they hold almost no artistic value, but are bought extensively to keep his working .

Small towns hold their benefits. in the case of Upper Longpuddle they seem to be beneficial to its people. every member of Upper Longpuddle knows well enough about each other that most things do not come as a shock. they care enough to keep life going and moving along. but how much of it is out of kindness and how much is out of ignorance?